As the Western Bulldogs and the West Coast Eagles prepare to do battle for the second time this season, we've learned plenty about both teams since the last time these two met back in round two. At the start of the year, my predictions were that the Eagles were no good and the Bulldogs would be looking to bounce back to the Finals after a disappointing 2017. I'll be the first one to put my hand up to say that I was severely wrong - on both teams.
After their round one loss to the Swans this year, the Eagles then proceeded to win 10 games in succession. This started with a dominant game against the Bulldogs in Melbourne - and Eagles' fans will tell you that they have often struggled over the past few years anyway. But since then, we've learned that the side is greatly improved without veteran on-ballers Sam Mitchell and Matt Priddis – both of whom retired at the end of last year.
Like most sides this year, they have had injuries which have threatened to ruin all their good work at the start of the season. Injuries to the trio of Mark LeCras, Josh Kennedy and Jack Darling left the Eagles scrambling for a makeshift forward line for a few weeks and have cost them wins against Sydney, Essendon and Adelaide. But, they look back to their winning ways after a tough victory against the Giants and a resounding victory over Collingwood at the MCG last weekend – the first time they've beaten them in Melbourne for over 20 years.
Despite one of their more important players in Nic Naitanui going down with a season-ending knee injury, expect them to show no mercy on the Western Bulldogs when they roll up to Optus Stadium for the second time this season. Back in round five, they were in Perth and struggled mightily against the Fremantle Dockers, and despite showing good patches of form over the past month, things do not stack well for the Bulldogs on Sunday afternoon.
Their past two weeks have seen Luke Beveridge's men concede 15 goals in their third quarters against Hawthorn and Melbourne, which is a very damning statistic, and if the Eagles get their way with the Bulldogs early like they did back in round two, then this game has all the hallmarks to be a really ugly trip to Perth – worse than their last trip. A West Coast win will have them equal first with Richmond after their win over St. Kilda on Friday night, but they will also be eyeing this contest off as a percentage-boosting game as their percentage is way inferior to that of the Tigers.
Is their any chance of an upset win against a side that is destined for a top-two finish? It's a huge ask for a Western Bulldogs team decimated with injury and bereft of experience.
The Teams
Western Bulldogs
IN: Hayden Crozier, Tom Boyd OUT: Shane Biggs, Patrick Lipinski (Both Omitted)
B: Marcus Adams, Jackson Trengove, Roarke Smith HB: Dale Morris, Zaine Cordy, Jason Johannisen C: Hayden Crozier, Jack Macrae, Lachie Hunter HF: Ed Richards, Josh Schache, Josh Dunkley F: Luke Dahlhaus, Tom Boyd, Billy Gowers FOL: Jordan Roughead, Toby McLean, Mitch Wallis INT: Mitch Honeychurch, Aaron Naughton, Caleb Daniel, Brad Lynch EMG: Fletcher Roberts, Fergus Greene, Shane Biggs, Patrick Lipinski
The Dogs have made two unforced changes to their side after Melbourne handed them a 50-point walloping last Saturday evening. They will welcome back both Hayden Crozier and Tom Boyd after they both sat out last week's game with minor hamstring and back problems respectively. Shane Biggs is dropped once again, leaving huge question marks on his future at the club, whilst young Patrick Lipinski has been omitted after a number of lean weeks. It's good to see Jordan Roughead get another crack in the ruck after being dominated by Max Gawn last week, and very interesting to see Luke Beveridge name Tom Boyd at full-forward after he has spent a lot of time in 2018 as the club's number one ruckman. Does this mean we will finally get to see the duo of Josh Schache – who has been playing very good football lately – and Boyd work in tandem in the Dogs' forward 50? This will be something very interesting to look forward to.
West Coast
IN: Dom Sheed, Nathan Vardy OUT: Nic Naitanui (Knee), Jake Waterman (Omitted)
B: Shannon Hurn, Will Schofield, Brad Sheppard HB: Liam Duggan, Jeremy McGovern, Lewis Jetta C: Mark Hutchings, Elliot Yeo, Chris Masten HF: Jamie Cripps, Jack Darling, Jack Redden F: Mark LeCras, Josh Kennedy, Willie Rioli FOL: Scott Lycett, Luke Shuey, Andrew Gaff INT: Dom Sheed, Daniel Venables, Nathan Vardy, Thomas Cole EMG: Jackson Nelson, Tom Barrass, Brendon Ah Chee, Jake Waterman
West Coast have also made two changes from their side that got up against Collingwood last weekend. Nic Naitanui's injury is the one injury that has had the AFL world talking throughout the week. Whilst it shouldn't really impact the team's performance in this game, it'll be intriguing to see how the club plays without him in big games, particularly the finals. Scott Lycett is a capable ruckman, but he flourishes when Naitanui is the first ruckman. His replacement, Nathan Vardy, has had some good games in his career – including the match-winning goal against the Bulldogs last year and should be able to provide something.
Dom Sheed will come into the side, replacing the omitted Jake Waterman, but his season has also been a puzzling one at best. After a career year in 2017, averaging personal bests in disposals, marks and clearances, Sheed has found himself in and out of the Eagles line-up in 2018, but is still averaging 21 disposals and 4.5 clearances per game in just 10 matches this year. Eagles fans will be hoping he can have a performance worthy of retaining a spot in the side.
Recent History (Past 10 Matches)
Round 2, 2018 - Etihad Stadium: Western Bulldogs 9.16.70 def by West Coast 18.13.121 Round 15, 2017 - Etihad Stadium: Western Bulldogs 11.14.80 def by West Coast 12.15.87 Round 8, 2017 - Subiaco: West Coast 9.15.69 def Western Bulldogs 8.13.61 Elimination Final, 2016 - Subiaco: West Coast 7.10.52 def by Western Bulldogs 14.15.99 Round 11, 2016 - Etihad Stadium: Western Bulldogs 12.11.83 def West Coast 11.9.75 Round 21, 2015 - Subiaco: West Coast 25.12.162 def Western Bulldogs 13.7.85 Round 1, 2015 - Etihad Stadium: Western Bulldogs 14.13.97 def West Coast 14.3.87 Round 1, 2014 - Subiaco: West Coast 21.8.134 def Western Bulldogs 11.3.69 Round 18, 2013 - Etihad Stadium: Western Bulldogs 16.15.111 def West Coast 13.11.89 Round 6, 2013 - Subiaco: West Coast 21.11.137 def Western Bulldogs 10.7.67
Players To Watch
Western Bulldogs
Jack Macrae
Marked his return from a minor hamstring injury last week like he was never out of the team, recording 33 disposals, eight tackles and six clearances, and given that the side will be without Marcus Bontempelli for another week, he will be the main man in the middle. He had a remarkable game against the Eagles in their last encounter, securing 31 disposals, six clearances and three goals and must try and emulate those efforts if the Bulldogs are to pull off an upset victory.
Toby McLean
It's great to see another premiership player commit to the Bulldogs as McLean signed a three-year extension, which will see him remain at Whitten Oval until 2022. He has become a very important member of the midfield group over the past 12 months. Averages a career-high 24 disposals per game, but it's his tackling which has impressed me the most – he averages nearly six tackles per game and if he can bring some pressure to the Eagles' on-ballers, that will go a fair way into helping the team.
West Coast
Josh Kennedy
Came back into the side last week against the Pies, and looked very good, kicking three goals. This is a huge danger for the Bulldogs as Kennedy has more often than not destroyed them off his own boot. In 14 games against the Bulldogs, Kennedy has managed to kick 48.18 – which is the most goals he has kicked against any team in his career. He hasn't played in the last two contests against them, but his last match saw him kick 3.6 in round eight last year, when it could've easily been the other way around, possibly more.
Andrew Gaff
This is another man that enjoys playing the Bulldogs. Whilst Andrew Gaff is having himself another fine year as an outside midfielder, he often saves his best performances against the Western Bulldogs, averaging 28 disposals per game and kicking seven goals across 12 meetings in his career. His form at the moment suggests that he will be a contender for a spot on the wing in the All-Australian team. In 2018, Gaff is averaging 30.8 disposals, three tackles and 3.6 clearances per game – those last two being career-highs.
Final Verdict
There are a lot of factors that will say that the Western Bulldogs will lose and lose badly to West Coast here. The most obvious ones are the home-ground advantage that West Coast have, and the extraordinarily poor third quarters that the Bulldogs have had this year. They have only won four quarters this year, and coming up against a team that looks a certainty for the top-four at least, I can't see them improving on this occasion.
The Eagles have won seven of their nine games at Optus Stadium and the Bulldogs have lost 10 of their last 11 games in Perth – it's clear that they don't like playing over there and there's nothing in their football this year that suggests that they're ready to buck the trend. The trio of LeCras, Kennedy and Darling are going to prove too much for a Bulldog defence that has struggled all season long and for a team that is third in the league in scoring, they will relish this opportunity to get a big score on the board.
Brace yourselves for a contest that could get very ugly, very early.
West Coast By 65 Points