AFL Game Day Round 8, 2018 - Western Bulldogs V Brisbane Lions at Etihad Stadium, Docklands

[Eastdog]

Get your predictions in: margin, our first goal kicker and our best on ground

Margin: Dogs by 23 points

Our First Goal Kicker: Patrick Lipinski

Our Best On Ground: Toby McLean

Go Bulldogs!!

[bornadog]

Dogs by 15 points
First goal kicker: Gowers
BOG: Macrae

[LostDoggy]

Dogs by 7
1st goal: Dunkley
BOG: Naughton

[Eastdog]

http://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2018/8/wb-v-bl

Match review: Western Bulldogs v Brisbane
Ryan Davidson May 8, 2018 2:31 PM

SUMMARY
Many will expect the Bulldogs to chalk up their third win on the trot against a winless Brisbane side on the road, but this clash is unlikely to see the Dogs run rampant. Due to a long injury list, the home side will likely go in younger and less experienced than the Lions, and without a consistent form line. Brisbane was brave against Collingwood last week but couldn't finish off the Pies when they had the chance late in the final term. A mouthwatering match-up between star Lions forward Eric Hipwood and impressive Bulldog draftee Aaron Naughton should be worth the admission price alone, while the Dogs will be hoping superstar midfielder Marcus Bontempelli overcomes a hip complaint, so he can go to head to head with the Lions' brilliant playmaker Dayne Zorko.

WHERE AND WHEN: Etihad Stadium, Saturday, May 5, 7.25pm AEST
TV AND RADIO: Click here for broadcast guide

LAST FIVE MEETINGS
R20, 2017, Western Bulldogs 14.19 (103) d Brisbane 13.11 (89) at the Gabba
R5, 2017, Western Bulldogs 17.20 (122) d Brisbane 14.6 (90) at Etihad Stadium
R5, 2016, Western Bulldogs 17.18 (120) d Brisbane 10.7 (67) at Etihad Stadium
R23, 2015, Brisbane 19.16 (130) d Western Bulldogs 19.8 (122) at the Gabba
R12, 2015, Western Bulldogs 22.14 (146) d Brisbane 11.8 (74) at Etihad Stadium

THE SIX POINTS
1. The Bulldogs sit a lowly 15th for scoring, averaging just 74 points per game, but they’re first for marks inside 50 averaging 14. The Lions are 16th for scoring, 16th for inside 50s and 17th for marks inside 50.

2. The Western Bulldogs have had the better of Brisbane recently, winning the last three matches, and four of the last five.

3. The Lions have yet to win an opening quarter this season, kicking a total of just 88 points while conceding 213. The Bulldogs haven’t started games well either, winning three opening quarters while conceding 157 points to their 147.

4. This is the 14th time the sides will play at Etihad Stadium, with the Bulldogs winning eight games to five. Brisbane doesn’t enjoy a good recent record at the venue, losing seven of their last nine.

5. Another loss for Brisbane and it will be the first time since 2011 they’ve lost their first seven games of a season. The club's worst ever start to a season occurred in 1991 when they lost their first nine matches.

6. Dayne Zorko sits sixth overall in the Schick AFL Player Ratings, with 562 ranking points. Marcus Bontempelli is the Bulldogs' highest ranked player, sitting in 10th position with 528 points.

IT'S A BIG WEEK FOR …
Returning to his brilliant best against Collingwood last week after being subdued by taggers in recent rounds, Dayne Zorko will need to produce another starring performance against a very competent Bulldog midfield.

PREDICTION: Western Bulldogs by 21 points


http://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/ne...h-dogs-v-lions

Four things to watch: Western Bulldogs v Brisbane Lions
Troy Daniel May 10, 2018 7:34 PM

1. Dayne & Dayne

Sounds more like a law firm than a couple of footballers, but Brisbane’s dynamic duo have been in tip-top form lately and the success or not of the Dogs’ decision on how to limit their influence could have a major impact on who’s singing the song on Saturday night and who isn’t.

The Dogs have tagged more regularly this season than they have in the past, which Luke Beveridge put down to ‘our mix and our makeup’ in Tuesday’s press conference.

But who is the target? Dayne Zorko was everywhere against the Pies on the weekend, but fellow Dayne, of the Beams variety, was good too and is a potential game breaker.

A couple of big decisions await. Watch this space.

-

2. The skipper

From Ballarat to Melbourne, it was easily the week’s most talked about hip.

Both Chris Bell and Luke Beveridge said if it got through training on Thursday Marcus Bontempelli would be picked, and that’s what’s happened, which is good for the Dogs and probably not so good for the Lions.

The 22-year-old will again skipper the side in Easton Wood’s absence, but the big question is where he’ll play?

In the Round 6 win over the Blues he picked up a season-high 30 touches playing mostly midfield, but with Tim English out and Tom Boyd likely to be carrying the ruck load, we might see Bont in front of goal a bit more.

He’s too good to not kick a bag sooner rather than later, so here’s hoping it’s this week.

-

3. The magnificant Jack Macrae

Do you think Jack Macrae’s been enjoying reading the papers lately?

He’s been called the competition’s most in-form midfielder and on Monday the Herald Sun asked on whether he was the best player in the AFL on the back of his second straight 40 possession performance at Mars Stadium.

Granted, they were talking about his Supercoach numbers (he’s now in first place ahead of Max Gawn), but there’s no doubting the 23-year-old has found an extra gear this year.

The bad news for Brisbane is he also has a good record against the Lions, averaging 32 touches per game since 2014.* He even had a career high in hitouts (2) against them a couple of years ago, so there’s that.

*This doesn’t include the final round of 2015 where he had 15 touches because it would have ruined the argument.

-

4. Fight Club

It could be a season defining four weeks coming up for the Dogs.

The next month looks like this: the Lions this weekend, then the Crows in Adelaide, followed by Collingwood and Melbourne back at Etihad.

And Brisbane, who were good last week, will be desperate to register their first win of the season on Saturday, so despite their ladder position it would be unwise to take it this one easy.

So, don’t be fooled by the Fox Sports 3 scheduling, there’ll be a bit in this one, and wherever you sit on the ‘state of the game’ stuff, you’ll be getting a good old fashioned street fight if you tune in.

Is it Saturday yet?

Exclusive to westernbulldogs.com.au

[Twodogs]

Dogs by 46
First goal, mr William Gowers.
BOG, mr Mitchell J. Wallis.

[Greystache]

Dogs by 25
BOG Macrae
First goal Boyd

[ratsmac]

Dogs by 10
First goal - The Bont
BOG - Macrae

[Eastdog]

I revised my margin down. Was Dogs by 37 to Dogs by 23.

We need to be on from the start. They have been good in a lot of their games this years despite not winning.

[Twodogs]

I revised my margin down. Was Dogs by 37 to Dogs by 23.

We need to be on from the start. They have been good in a lot of their games this years despite not winning.

What has changed your mind Easty? Is it the blustery wind?

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Dogs by 17 points
First goal Lipinski
BOG: Macrae

[Eastdog]

What has changed your mind Easty? Is it the blustery wind?

Yeah just on their recent form and they nearly knocked off the Pies last week but we should have enough to win by a few goals again. We are a young side who I think has done well this year so far. It's been tough but we are hanging in there.

[Twodogs]

Yeah just on their recent form and they nearly knocked off the Pies last week but we should have enough to win by a few goals again. We are a young side who I think has done well this year so far. It's been tough but we are hanging in there.

We are just hanging in and we must win this if we are to have any chance of making the final eight.

I'm worried though. Brisbane have been a bogey side for us over the last few years. That loss we had in BMac's last year was pretty much why he got the lemonade.

[bornadog]

We are just hanging in and we must win this if we are to have any chance of making the final eight.

I'm worried though. Brisbane have been a bogey side for us over the last few years. That loss we had in BMac's last year was pretty much why he got the lemonade.

They have only won one of the last 5, and that was the last game in 2015 just before we played finals.

[Rocket Science]

Reckon they'll get us.

Lions by 31
BOG Macrae
First sausage JJ

[GVGjr]

Dogs by 16 points.
BOG McLean
First goal Dunkley