The AFL 2019 Season is here, and for the Western Bulldogs, a match-up with the Sydney Swans on Saturday night at Marvel Stadium looms as a massive game for both sides. Forget about the Bulldogs' 2018 campaign. Forget about how Sydney ended their finals campaign last year so dismally. Forget about the JLT results, and you can certainly forget about that horrendous one-off Thor-inspired guernsey that the Bulldogs are pulling on this weekend.
There isn't going to be a better game than this for the Bulldogs to set their season up. Last year, they were completely abysmal against Greater Western Sydney and overall, it set the tone of a disasterous season. A win against Sydney here can set a more positive pace for what lies ahead for the Bulldogs. Particularly in their first month as games against Hawthorn, Gold Coast, Collingwood and Carlton all lie ahead. I'd say win three of those first five and it sets the tone.
Having said this, I guarantee Sydney won't be pushovers in this contest. Funny how a lot of people have already written this side off. I'll admit, I don't have them in my top eight this year, but I still expect them to challenge and give the better sides a real fist of things. They have their old stars back for another year, but can the kids such as Heeney, Mills, Hayward and others find another gear and prove the doubters wrong? It hasn't been the first time a side has written the Swans off early in the year.
Both teams will walk into Marvel Stadium with so much to prove. I think this game has the potential to be a real game of the round candidate. These two played out a thriller last time they played and have played in some good games of football in recent years. Buckle up for another beauty.
The Teams
Western Bulldogs
NEW: Bailey Smith (AFL Draft), Taylor Duryea (Hawthorn), Sam Lloyd (Richmond) NOTABLE OMISSIONS: Jason Johannisen (Ankle), Dale Morris (Knee), Tom Boyd (Back), Liam Picken (Concussion)
B: Taylor Duryea, Zaine Cordy, Hayden Crozier HB: Caleb Daniel, Easton Wood, Matthew Suckling
C: Lachie Hunter, Tom Liberatore, Jack Macrae
HF: Billy Gowers, Josh Schache, Josh Dunkley
F: Toby McLean, Aaron Naughton, Sam Lloyd
FOL: Tim English, Marcus Bontempelli, Mitch Wallis
INT: Bailey Smith, Ed Richards, Tory Dickson, Bailey Williams
EMG: Lewis Young, Jackson Trengove, Fergus Greene, Will Hayes
The big talking point seems to be there defence, but I'll mention that a bit more down the piece. Let's talk about what I like here. Bailey Smith – who was the Bulldogs' first pick in last year's AFL Draft – will play his first game on Saturday night. I really like this, he played both JLT games, albeit on limited minutes, but he's shown enough to suggest he'll be a gun once he can adapt to the pace of the game. Tim English will play majority of his game in the ruck, which is good – he needs the games. With Jackson Trengove named emergency, you'd reckon Josh Schache will be the second option when English needs a rest.
Sam Lloyd showed plenty of nice things in the JLT and looked pretty much set from his first hitout against Gold Coast. Taylor Duryea will provide an experienced head in defence. It'll be good to see Tom Liberatore back out there after he missed pretty much all of last year rupturing his Anterior Cruciate Ligament. Last, but not least, I'm happy to see Tory Dickson named. Say what you want about his bad run of injuries, but he is one of a rare few in this team who can currently be consistently accurate in front of goal. He didn't play either JLT game, so one could consider it a gamble.
Sydney Swans
NEW: Nick Blakey (AFL Draft), Ryan Clarke (North Melbourne)
NOTABLE OMISSIONS: Daniel Menzel (Groin), Sam Naismith (Knee), Nick Smith (Hamstring)
B: Callum Mills, Dane Rampe, Lewis Melican
HB: Jarrad McVeigh, Heath Grundy, Jake Lloyd
C: Ryan Clarke, Josh Kennedy, Oliver Florent
HF: Luke Parker, Sam Reid, Tom Papley
F: Callum Sinclair, Lance Franklin, Nick Blakey
FOL: Aliir Aliir, George Hewett, Zak Jones
INT: Will Hayward, Isaac Heeney, Harry Cunningham, Jordan Dawson
EMG: Jackson Thurlow, Ben Ronke, Colin O'Riordan, Justin McInerney
Alright, let's talk Sydney's forwards against the Bulldogs' defence here. They have Callum Sinclair, who is 200 centimetres tall, Lance Franklin, who is 196cm, Sam Reid who is 195cm, and debutant Nick Blakey, who is 195cm. Also add in Aliir Aliir, who is 196cm who will rotate with Sinclair in the ruck. This is a pretty tall back line. What about the Bulldogs' defence? The two tallest are Zaine Cordy who is 191cm and Easton Wood, who is 186cm. They also have Aaron Naughton, who is a bit taller, but considering he'll play more forward, this is a bold move.
Ryan Clarke crossed over from North Melbourne during the trade period and has slotted in quite nicely over the pre-season. I like that George Hewett and Zak Jones named to start in the middle. Hewett's contested possession work perhaps goes a little underrated outside of Sydney, and I think everyone knows Zak Jones can go as hard at the ball - or at the opposition sometimes – as anyone else. This could enable Luke Parker to play more forward this year and he certainly knows how to kick a goal or two.
Recent History (Past 10 Meetings)
Round 4, 2018 – Marvel Stadium: Western Bulldogs 11.13.79 def by Sydney 13.8.86
Round 12, 2017 – SCG: Sydney 12.16.88 def Western Bulldogs 6.6.42
Round 2, 2017 – Marvel Stadium: Western Bulldogs 16.14.110 def Sydney 13.9.87
Grand Final, 2016 – MCG: Western Bulldogs 13.11.89 def Sydney 10.7.67
Round 15, 2016 – SCG: Sydney 11.13.79 def by Western Bulldogs 13.5.83
Round 5, 2015 – SCG: Sydney 10.13.73 def by Western Bulldogs 11.11.77
Round 22, 2014 – Marvel Stadium: Western Bulldogs 9.13.67 def by Sydney 20.10.130
Round 19, 2013 – Marvel Stadium: Western Bulldogs 15.9.99 def by Sydney 21.8.134
Round 21, 2012 – Marvel Stadium: Western Bulldogs 13.7.85 def by Sydney 26.11.167
Round 10, 2012 – SCG: Sydney 20.12.132 def Western Bulldogs 5.10.40
Players To Watch
Western Bulldogs – Aaron Naughton
Very interesting to hear during the week that Aaron Naughton will be played more as a forward to start the 2019 year off. His debut season last year was nothing short of impressive, even to the point where he finished in the top four of the club's best and fairest count. He played a little bit up forward last year and impressed at times. He played up forward in the pre-season game against St. Kilda and finished with three goals. We know he's got good marking hands and he's been handy for a goal or two in the past, but I'm a bit indifferent about this move – especially with an undersized defence.
Sydney – Lance Franklin
It's going to be a big season for one of the game's biggest names. Is 2019 the year that he reaches 1000 career goals? Currently he's on 917 goals and to reach a milestone only few have reached, he's going to have to kick 83 goals this year. He's only kicked 83 or more once and that was when he kicked the ton in 2008. He managed 81 goals in 26 games in 2016, so he's a sneaky chance to get it done this year. With the new '6-6-6' rule in place for the new year and combine it with his past history against the Bulldogs (25 goals in 7 games as a Swan), he could be in with a big one against an undersized defence.
Final Verdict - Western Bulldogs By 13 Points
It's a new year, and whilst my expectations on the Bulldogs aren't so big, I think this is a game that they need to come out and show the AFL world that they won't be pushovers this year. The fact that they are walking in with an undersized defence against the likes of Buddy, Sam Reid (Kicked six on the Bulldogs last time he was at Marvel) and others concerns me. But I think that the Bulldogs are up for the challenge and I'll back Luke Beveridge and the team in for their first win of 2019.
I don't know what to make of the Swans. They've got the stars on every line, but Buddy can't be 100 percent after an injury-interrupted pre-season and the fact he hardly trained in 2018 has been well documented. There's a few kids in this team that are either just starting to flourish or they are just finding their bearings at AFL level. Time will tell if whether or not they learned from their dismal Elimination Final exit last year.