EasternWest
31-03-2011, 01:52 PM
When and Where
Sunday April 3
1.10 pm
Etihad Stadium
Last time they met
Round 12, Sunday June 13 2010
Etihad Stadium
Western Bulldogs 17.19 121
Brisbane Lions 8.8 56
WB Best: Cooney, Hall, Lake
BL Best: Black, Rischitelli, Buchanan
Major Goal Kickers
WB: Hall 6
BL: Buchanan 3
Last 5 games head to head
Rd 12 2010 WB 17.19 121 BL 8.8 56
Rd 4 2010 BL 13.23 101 WB 12.7 79
SF2 2009 WB 16.11 107 WB 8.8 56
Rd 20 2009 WB 15.12 102 BL 12.12 84
Rd 20 2008 BL 13.12 90 WB 10.19 79
Form leading in
Western Bulldogs
The supporters of the Whitten Oval breed must have been disappointed with the type of football their players dished up for the opening round of the season. After a competitive first stanza the Doggies were subsequently outplayed and outclassed for three straight quarters. It was a smashing, and only made worse by the fact that it came at the hands of the reviled Bombers.
There were few positives for the Bulldogs to come from the match. Libba Jr. looked good before fading, and by all reports an undermanned and inexperienced backline performed manfully under heavy fire. The selection of only one ruckman raised a few eyebrows amongst the faithful, and their concerns were justified when the mobile duo of Hille and Ryder ran rampant. To top it all off, emerging young back man Easton Wood was lost for up to two months with an ankle injury.
Gilbee should come back in and slot into the position vacated by Wood. It would be hoped that he can reverse the current trend of his form and find the dash and precision disposal by foot that is so vital to the Dogs. Minson is almost certain to return after the ruck debacle, but the question of who he replaces needs answering. For team balance, Jones seems the obvious exclusion, but at 20 years of age and a key forward of the future, it’s imperative that the coaching staff get games into him.
Addison returns from suspension and can be expected to inject his usual mix of aggression and toughness if selected. Mitch Wallis may be selected to make his debut, with Barlow and Moles sure to be in the mix also. One of Hill or Stack may be unlucky to be dropped for team balance.
A proliferation of one speed midfielders and a complete absence of forward line pressure are two areas that the Bulldogs coaching staff will need to address.
Brisbane Lions
After a torrid 2010 that culminated in the departure of two of their most talented, and one of their most unpredictable, the Lions performed admirably in a slugfest with the Dockers, only to lose a heartbreaker at the death. Stymied by a litany of injuries, and hampered by an early substitution, they were reduced to only 19 fit players for most of the fourth quarter. Losing unfashionable but versatile utility Staker, potentially for the season, is quite a blow as his experience and mobility will be greatly missed.
A shocking injury to Captain Jonathan Brown and the late withdrawal of perennial ball magnet Luke Power only served to hinder their cause further, but they would be happy that their list of best players for the game includes emerging young talent in Rockliff, Rich and Hanley. Despite the loss, the Lions can be proud of the fortitude of their players in trying circumstances.
Potential Line Ups
Western Bulldogs
B: Stack, Markovic, Morris
HB: Murphy, Williams, Gilbee
C: Griffen, Boyd, Ward
HF: Higgins, Grant, Giansiracusa
F: Addison, Hall, Cooney
Foll: Hudson, Cross, Liberatore
I/C: Picken, Minson, Djerrkura, Sherman
Emg: Wallis, Barlow, Hill
Brisbane Lions
B: McGrath, Merrett, Hanley
HB: Adcock, Patfull, Stiller
C: Redden, Black, Rockliff
HF: Power, Clark, O’Brien
F: Beams, Maguire, Banfield
Foll: Leuenberger, Rich, Raines
I/C: Polkinghorne, Buchanan, Lester, Bewick
Emg: Collier, Sheldon, ?
Key Match ups
Minson/Hudson vs. Leuenberger/Clark
Once bitten, twice shy. There’s simply no way the Bulldogs can risk the one ruck approach again, particularly against a side that has two fairly competent rucks of their own. Ascendency in the ruck and first use of the ball will go a long way to determining the outcome of the match. The Bulldogs playing two rucks is not the real issue here though, it’s what role the resting ruckman is able to perform, given neither Minson nor Hudson are really versatile enough to play elsewhere. The compromised bench may become an issue, and I fear Liam Jones will be sacrificed for team balance.
Markovic vs. Clark
The absence of Brown might force Clark to play as more of a permanent forward, which probably suits the Bulldogs. Whilst Clark is fairly mobile, he’s neither as strong nor as quick off the mark as Brown. Markovic has performed well in the preseason, and did a reasonable job on Hurley last week.
What of Lake? It’s my thinking that in the absence of Brown, the Dogs coaching staff might give Lake another week off while the opportunity is there. Conversely, they may see it as a chance for him to gain match fitness against an inferior opponent. It could go either way, but I’m in favour of Lake’s omission.
Boyd vs. Black
How good is Simon Black? An evergreen competitor that racks up possessions and uses it smartly. He’s not overly fast or overly elusive, but he just gets the job done. For the Bulldogs, the centre square haemorrhaging simply must stop. One of Boyd, Cross or Ward simply has to sacrifice their game to become a lockdown player. Given that Ward is an in and under type, I’d like to see him continue to be encouraged to go after the ball.
Boyd and Cross have both performed as taggers, and one of them must go back to that for team balance. It could be either but my preference is for Boyd, as captain, to show real leadership and display by his actions in clamping down on Black, that he will do whatever is necessary for us to win.
Hall vs. Merrett
Hall gave Merrett a decent touch up when these two teams met in round 12 last year. The big forward finished with 6.1 and three goal assists. His speed has belied his age in his time at the Dogs, and once he gets a break he’s hard for a full back to catch. Hall remains the focal point for the Bulldogs entries, and if he can find the ball like he did last time, then he may have a day out.
I like Merrett as a footballer, and he’s usually a good match up for the Lions on Hall. He’s strong and quick off the mark, so he can normally hold his own in a wrestle or a race. The Lions will want a better showing from him this time.
Where the game will be won and lost
The knee heard around the world. The fortunes of the Brisbane Lions rest so heavily on the shoulders of Brown that when McPharlin accidentally rearranged his face, the Lions chances seem shattered too. Without Brown up forward, it’s can’t see how the Lions will find the firepower to beat the Dogs. Looking through the Lions list, it’s hard to see who can come in to play his role. I’ve gone for Maguire who is due back from injury this week and has played forward at times.
It shouldn’t be overlooked that when the Lions last beat the Dogs, Fevola kicked four goals and could have had eight. So in the space of a year, the Lions have gone from having two spearheads to none. This should allow the Dogs backline some reprieve in terms of danger men, and also give the defensive unit the chance to gel together a bit more while not under sustained attack.
It’s absolutely imperative that the Dogs forward line finds a way to create pressure. Constant harassment must be the key, particularly from the likes of Djerrkura, Grant and Addison if he plays forward. I can’t imagine that the Sherman/Djerrkura substitution will occur again, as their speed will be key to giving the Dogs a different look.
Black and Power aside, the Lions midfield is relatively green, and I’d like to think that the Bulldogs mids will be stung into action and keen on making a real impact this game. I’d expect a more physical imposition of will, and wouldn’t be surprised to see Giansiracusa and Higgins rotated more through the middle.
No real surprises then that I think the game will be won here. Hard ball gathers by Ward, Cross/Boyd (see above) and even Gia out to the fleet footed runners for forward line delivery. In a perfect world, that’s what we’d see every week, but it should be expected this week particularly as we should impose ourselves on the Lions youngsters.
Verdict
This game is an opportunity for the Dogs to drive some credibility back into their reputation, battered after a poor opening showing against Essendon. On paper and in recent results, the Lions are an inferior side, and if we regard ourselves as serious contenders, then we should be making an example of them.
Our players will want to make amends, and we should demolish the Lions.
Dogs by 68 points.
Sunday April 3
1.10 pm
Etihad Stadium
Last time they met
Round 12, Sunday June 13 2010
Etihad Stadium
Western Bulldogs 17.19 121
Brisbane Lions 8.8 56
WB Best: Cooney, Hall, Lake
BL Best: Black, Rischitelli, Buchanan
Major Goal Kickers
WB: Hall 6
BL: Buchanan 3
Last 5 games head to head
Rd 12 2010 WB 17.19 121 BL 8.8 56
Rd 4 2010 BL 13.23 101 WB 12.7 79
SF2 2009 WB 16.11 107 WB 8.8 56
Rd 20 2009 WB 15.12 102 BL 12.12 84
Rd 20 2008 BL 13.12 90 WB 10.19 79
Form leading in
Western Bulldogs
The supporters of the Whitten Oval breed must have been disappointed with the type of football their players dished up for the opening round of the season. After a competitive first stanza the Doggies were subsequently outplayed and outclassed for three straight quarters. It was a smashing, and only made worse by the fact that it came at the hands of the reviled Bombers.
There were few positives for the Bulldogs to come from the match. Libba Jr. looked good before fading, and by all reports an undermanned and inexperienced backline performed manfully under heavy fire. The selection of only one ruckman raised a few eyebrows amongst the faithful, and their concerns were justified when the mobile duo of Hille and Ryder ran rampant. To top it all off, emerging young back man Easton Wood was lost for up to two months with an ankle injury.
Gilbee should come back in and slot into the position vacated by Wood. It would be hoped that he can reverse the current trend of his form and find the dash and precision disposal by foot that is so vital to the Dogs. Minson is almost certain to return after the ruck debacle, but the question of who he replaces needs answering. For team balance, Jones seems the obvious exclusion, but at 20 years of age and a key forward of the future, it’s imperative that the coaching staff get games into him.
Addison returns from suspension and can be expected to inject his usual mix of aggression and toughness if selected. Mitch Wallis may be selected to make his debut, with Barlow and Moles sure to be in the mix also. One of Hill or Stack may be unlucky to be dropped for team balance.
A proliferation of one speed midfielders and a complete absence of forward line pressure are two areas that the Bulldogs coaching staff will need to address.
Brisbane Lions
After a torrid 2010 that culminated in the departure of two of their most talented, and one of their most unpredictable, the Lions performed admirably in a slugfest with the Dockers, only to lose a heartbreaker at the death. Stymied by a litany of injuries, and hampered by an early substitution, they were reduced to only 19 fit players for most of the fourth quarter. Losing unfashionable but versatile utility Staker, potentially for the season, is quite a blow as his experience and mobility will be greatly missed.
A shocking injury to Captain Jonathan Brown and the late withdrawal of perennial ball magnet Luke Power only served to hinder their cause further, but they would be happy that their list of best players for the game includes emerging young talent in Rockliff, Rich and Hanley. Despite the loss, the Lions can be proud of the fortitude of their players in trying circumstances.
Potential Line Ups
Western Bulldogs
B: Stack, Markovic, Morris
HB: Murphy, Williams, Gilbee
C: Griffen, Boyd, Ward
HF: Higgins, Grant, Giansiracusa
F: Addison, Hall, Cooney
Foll: Hudson, Cross, Liberatore
I/C: Picken, Minson, Djerrkura, Sherman
Emg: Wallis, Barlow, Hill
Brisbane Lions
B: McGrath, Merrett, Hanley
HB: Adcock, Patfull, Stiller
C: Redden, Black, Rockliff
HF: Power, Clark, O’Brien
F: Beams, Maguire, Banfield
Foll: Leuenberger, Rich, Raines
I/C: Polkinghorne, Buchanan, Lester, Bewick
Emg: Collier, Sheldon, ?
Key Match ups
Minson/Hudson vs. Leuenberger/Clark
Once bitten, twice shy. There’s simply no way the Bulldogs can risk the one ruck approach again, particularly against a side that has two fairly competent rucks of their own. Ascendency in the ruck and first use of the ball will go a long way to determining the outcome of the match. The Bulldogs playing two rucks is not the real issue here though, it’s what role the resting ruckman is able to perform, given neither Minson nor Hudson are really versatile enough to play elsewhere. The compromised bench may become an issue, and I fear Liam Jones will be sacrificed for team balance.
Markovic vs. Clark
The absence of Brown might force Clark to play as more of a permanent forward, which probably suits the Bulldogs. Whilst Clark is fairly mobile, he’s neither as strong nor as quick off the mark as Brown. Markovic has performed well in the preseason, and did a reasonable job on Hurley last week.
What of Lake? It’s my thinking that in the absence of Brown, the Dogs coaching staff might give Lake another week off while the opportunity is there. Conversely, they may see it as a chance for him to gain match fitness against an inferior opponent. It could go either way, but I’m in favour of Lake’s omission.
Boyd vs. Black
How good is Simon Black? An evergreen competitor that racks up possessions and uses it smartly. He’s not overly fast or overly elusive, but he just gets the job done. For the Bulldogs, the centre square haemorrhaging simply must stop. One of Boyd, Cross or Ward simply has to sacrifice their game to become a lockdown player. Given that Ward is an in and under type, I’d like to see him continue to be encouraged to go after the ball.
Boyd and Cross have both performed as taggers, and one of them must go back to that for team balance. It could be either but my preference is for Boyd, as captain, to show real leadership and display by his actions in clamping down on Black, that he will do whatever is necessary for us to win.
Hall vs. Merrett
Hall gave Merrett a decent touch up when these two teams met in round 12 last year. The big forward finished with 6.1 and three goal assists. His speed has belied his age in his time at the Dogs, and once he gets a break he’s hard for a full back to catch. Hall remains the focal point for the Bulldogs entries, and if he can find the ball like he did last time, then he may have a day out.
I like Merrett as a footballer, and he’s usually a good match up for the Lions on Hall. He’s strong and quick off the mark, so he can normally hold his own in a wrestle or a race. The Lions will want a better showing from him this time.
Where the game will be won and lost
The knee heard around the world. The fortunes of the Brisbane Lions rest so heavily on the shoulders of Brown that when McPharlin accidentally rearranged his face, the Lions chances seem shattered too. Without Brown up forward, it’s can’t see how the Lions will find the firepower to beat the Dogs. Looking through the Lions list, it’s hard to see who can come in to play his role. I’ve gone for Maguire who is due back from injury this week and has played forward at times.
It shouldn’t be overlooked that when the Lions last beat the Dogs, Fevola kicked four goals and could have had eight. So in the space of a year, the Lions have gone from having two spearheads to none. This should allow the Dogs backline some reprieve in terms of danger men, and also give the defensive unit the chance to gel together a bit more while not under sustained attack.
It’s absolutely imperative that the Dogs forward line finds a way to create pressure. Constant harassment must be the key, particularly from the likes of Djerrkura, Grant and Addison if he plays forward. I can’t imagine that the Sherman/Djerrkura substitution will occur again, as their speed will be key to giving the Dogs a different look.
Black and Power aside, the Lions midfield is relatively green, and I’d like to think that the Bulldogs mids will be stung into action and keen on making a real impact this game. I’d expect a more physical imposition of will, and wouldn’t be surprised to see Giansiracusa and Higgins rotated more through the middle.
No real surprises then that I think the game will be won here. Hard ball gathers by Ward, Cross/Boyd (see above) and even Gia out to the fleet footed runners for forward line delivery. In a perfect world, that’s what we’d see every week, but it should be expected this week particularly as we should impose ourselves on the Lions youngsters.
Verdict
This game is an opportunity for the Dogs to drive some credibility back into their reputation, battered after a poor opening showing against Essendon. On paper and in recent results, the Lions are an inferior side, and if we regard ourselves as serious contenders, then we should be making an example of them.
Our players will want to make amends, and we should demolish the Lions.
Dogs by 68 points.