Scraggers
28-07-2011, 05:01 PM
When and Where
Saturday, July 30,
2:10pm EST
Etihad Stadium
Last time they met
Round 9 2011 (Patersons Stadium) W.C. Eagles 26.19 (175) defeated Western Bulldogs 8.4 (52)
(I still bear the emotional scars)
Last 5 games head to head
Round 13 2010 – West Coast Eagles (59) beaten by Western Bulldogs (119)
Round 19 2009 – Western Bulldogs (97) beaten by WC Eagles (102) (Docklands)
Round 4 2009 – WC Eagles (116) defeated Western Bulldogs (83) (Subiaco)
Round 6 2008 – Western Bulldogs (134) defeated WC Eagles (74) (Docklands)
Round 17 2007 – Western Bulldogs (71) beaten by WC Eagles (158) (Docklands)
Form leading in
WC Eagles W B W L W
W. Bulldogs W W W L L
SUMMARY (quoted from AFL website) [Link] (http://www.afl.com.au/tabid/16931/Default.aspx#fixtureid=5616&tab=Preview)
The past two weeks have been disappointing for the Bulldogs. Between rounds 13 and 16, they arrested the form slide that saw them fall as low as 13th on the ladder after the round 12 loss to St Kilda. They beat Adelaide, Gold Coast, Melbourne and Carlton in successive weeks, before falling to North Melbourne by 31 points in round 17. On the weekend - and in Barry Hall's final outing at the SCG after his retirement announcement last week - they lost to the Sydney Swans by 39 points, which has made a potential finals berth tough.
Compounding the Dogs' situation - and the fact they face four teams above them in their last five games - is their growing injury list. Adam Cooney (knee), Shaun Higgins (knee), Dale Morris (groin), Daniel Cross (concussion), Lindsay Gilbee (calf), Liam Jones (knee), Liam Picken (thigh) and Nathan Djerrkura (achilles) are reported as in doubt, while Bob Murphy (groin) is no guarantee to return this week.
Meanwhile, it's been a different story for the Eagles. With the exception of their round 17 loss to St Kilda at Etihad Stadium, they haven't been beaten since round 10 and sit half a game off the fourth-placed Carlton. Sunday evening's one-point win over Fremantle increased their chances of securing a home final, as it moved them a game and a half above the Swans, who are sixth, and two over their cross-town rivals. They have emerged as a threat to the Blues and Hawks, who are holding the bottom two positions in the top four, and could still press for that all-important double chance in September.
Sunday's Western Derby ended in amazing circumstances after Fremantle reeled in the Eagles' 22-point lead in the last quarter to set up a chance to pinch the game. Matt Rosa was penalised for a deliberate out of bounds in the dying seconds, which handed Hayden Ballantyne a shot at goal after the siren. His long kick hit the post after it looked like sailing through for a goal, and the Eagles hung on to a one-point victory.
Potential Line Ups
WEST COAST EAGLES (11 wins 5 losses)
B: Shannon Hurn, Darren Glass, Will Schofield
HB: Beau Waters, Eric Mackenzie, Scott Selwood
C: Andrew Embley, Matthew Priddis, Matthew Rosa
HF: Mark Nicoski, Josh Kennedy, Jack Darling
F: Mark LeCras, Quinten Lynch, Nic Naitanui
Foll: Dean Cox, Adam Selwood, Luke Shuey
I/C: Bradley Ebert, Ashley Smith, Daniel Kerr
Sub: Patrick McGinnity
Possible Ins : Daniel Kerr
Possible Outs: Andrew Gaff
WESTERN BULLDOGS (7 wins 10 losses)
B: Easton Wood, Tom Williams, Lukas Markovic
HB: Dylan Addison, Dale Morris, Robert Murphy
C: Daniel Cross, Matthew Boyd, Liam Picken
HF: Callan Ward, Liam Jones, Luke Dahlhaus
F: Daniel Giansiracusa, Barry Hall, Jarrad Grant
Foll: Ben Hudson, Ryan Griffen, Jason Tutt
I/C:, Justin Sherman, Andrew Hooper, Christian Howard
Sub: Thomas Liberatore
Possible Ins: Robert Murphy, Justin Sherman, Jason Tutt (debut), Christian Howard
Possible Outs: Shaun Higgins, Adam Cooney, Nathan Djerrkura, Lindsay Gilbee
Christian Howard to play if Robert Murphy (groin) doesn’t come up, Ryan Hargrave to play if Dale Morris (groin) doesn’t get through training. Jordan Roughead to play if Liam Jones (knee) doesn’t make it through training.
Ayce Cordy (instead of Roughead) and Mitch Wallis (instead of Tutt) could also be in the mix.
(At the rate we are losing players to injury, I could even be in with a chance for a game :D )
How do we win?
Last time we met, the Eagles forward and defensive pressure was immense. Our ball carriers had no time to dispose of the ball effectively. Our running game was shut down.
To beat the Eagles we have to match their pressure on the ball carriers and their intensity.
The Eagles rest their rucks in the forward line … with Kennedy, Darling and Lynch already testing our defensive talls, we need to play tall in defence. Williams, Markovic and Morris (if fit) will match these three well, but with Cox or Naitanui resting or drifting into attack we could be stretched (pun intended).
Next is closing down Embley, Priddis, Rosa, Selwood, Kerr, Shuey etc. … Cox and Naitanui are giving these six first use of the ball; and with a depleted midfield (injuries) we need to match-up vigorously. Picken, Cross, Boyd (especially) need to play shut-down roles.
Last, but probably most important, is finding an avenue to score … Barry Hall has had a stellar last three weeks up forward, he needs support.
Two weeks ago, St. Kilda showed it is possible to shut down the Eagles and still score; they played an extra man in defence, flooding the Eagles forward-line and looked to play on at all costs through the middle of the ground. Their midfield pressure, spread from the contest and kicking efficiency resulted in six unanswered goals in the first quarter.
What does this mean? … If it bleeds, we can kill it !!!
Quirky Facts
In the 34 Western Derbys that have been played, only two teams that have won the Derby and then travelled the next week have backed up with another win. (bad grammar, I know, but you get the point)
If Tutt plays, he will be the twelfth player to debut this season for the Western Bulldogs (Djerrkura, Liberatore, Markovic, Sherman, Wallis, Skinner, Howard, Mulligan, Barlow, Dahlhaus, & Schofield) and the eighth to play his first AFL game.
Verdict
With the Quirky Facts in mind … Bulldogs by 1 point. (probably more wishful thinking than anything else ... but the power of positive thought and all that)
Saturday, July 30,
2:10pm EST
Etihad Stadium
Last time they met
Round 9 2011 (Patersons Stadium) W.C. Eagles 26.19 (175) defeated Western Bulldogs 8.4 (52)
(I still bear the emotional scars)
Last 5 games head to head
Round 13 2010 – West Coast Eagles (59) beaten by Western Bulldogs (119)
Round 19 2009 – Western Bulldogs (97) beaten by WC Eagles (102) (Docklands)
Round 4 2009 – WC Eagles (116) defeated Western Bulldogs (83) (Subiaco)
Round 6 2008 – Western Bulldogs (134) defeated WC Eagles (74) (Docklands)
Round 17 2007 – Western Bulldogs (71) beaten by WC Eagles (158) (Docklands)
Form leading in
WC Eagles W B W L W
W. Bulldogs W W W L L
SUMMARY (quoted from AFL website) [Link] (http://www.afl.com.au/tabid/16931/Default.aspx#fixtureid=5616&tab=Preview)
The past two weeks have been disappointing for the Bulldogs. Between rounds 13 and 16, they arrested the form slide that saw them fall as low as 13th on the ladder after the round 12 loss to St Kilda. They beat Adelaide, Gold Coast, Melbourne and Carlton in successive weeks, before falling to North Melbourne by 31 points in round 17. On the weekend - and in Barry Hall's final outing at the SCG after his retirement announcement last week - they lost to the Sydney Swans by 39 points, which has made a potential finals berth tough.
Compounding the Dogs' situation - and the fact they face four teams above them in their last five games - is their growing injury list. Adam Cooney (knee), Shaun Higgins (knee), Dale Morris (groin), Daniel Cross (concussion), Lindsay Gilbee (calf), Liam Jones (knee), Liam Picken (thigh) and Nathan Djerrkura (achilles) are reported as in doubt, while Bob Murphy (groin) is no guarantee to return this week.
Meanwhile, it's been a different story for the Eagles. With the exception of their round 17 loss to St Kilda at Etihad Stadium, they haven't been beaten since round 10 and sit half a game off the fourth-placed Carlton. Sunday evening's one-point win over Fremantle increased their chances of securing a home final, as it moved them a game and a half above the Swans, who are sixth, and two over their cross-town rivals. They have emerged as a threat to the Blues and Hawks, who are holding the bottom two positions in the top four, and could still press for that all-important double chance in September.
Sunday's Western Derby ended in amazing circumstances after Fremantle reeled in the Eagles' 22-point lead in the last quarter to set up a chance to pinch the game. Matt Rosa was penalised for a deliberate out of bounds in the dying seconds, which handed Hayden Ballantyne a shot at goal after the siren. His long kick hit the post after it looked like sailing through for a goal, and the Eagles hung on to a one-point victory.
Potential Line Ups
WEST COAST EAGLES (11 wins 5 losses)
B: Shannon Hurn, Darren Glass, Will Schofield
HB: Beau Waters, Eric Mackenzie, Scott Selwood
C: Andrew Embley, Matthew Priddis, Matthew Rosa
HF: Mark Nicoski, Josh Kennedy, Jack Darling
F: Mark LeCras, Quinten Lynch, Nic Naitanui
Foll: Dean Cox, Adam Selwood, Luke Shuey
I/C: Bradley Ebert, Ashley Smith, Daniel Kerr
Sub: Patrick McGinnity
Possible Ins : Daniel Kerr
Possible Outs: Andrew Gaff
WESTERN BULLDOGS (7 wins 10 losses)
B: Easton Wood, Tom Williams, Lukas Markovic
HB: Dylan Addison, Dale Morris, Robert Murphy
C: Daniel Cross, Matthew Boyd, Liam Picken
HF: Callan Ward, Liam Jones, Luke Dahlhaus
F: Daniel Giansiracusa, Barry Hall, Jarrad Grant
Foll: Ben Hudson, Ryan Griffen, Jason Tutt
I/C:, Justin Sherman, Andrew Hooper, Christian Howard
Sub: Thomas Liberatore
Possible Ins: Robert Murphy, Justin Sherman, Jason Tutt (debut), Christian Howard
Possible Outs: Shaun Higgins, Adam Cooney, Nathan Djerrkura, Lindsay Gilbee
Christian Howard to play if Robert Murphy (groin) doesn’t come up, Ryan Hargrave to play if Dale Morris (groin) doesn’t get through training. Jordan Roughead to play if Liam Jones (knee) doesn’t make it through training.
Ayce Cordy (instead of Roughead) and Mitch Wallis (instead of Tutt) could also be in the mix.
(At the rate we are losing players to injury, I could even be in with a chance for a game :D )
How do we win?
Last time we met, the Eagles forward and defensive pressure was immense. Our ball carriers had no time to dispose of the ball effectively. Our running game was shut down.
To beat the Eagles we have to match their pressure on the ball carriers and their intensity.
The Eagles rest their rucks in the forward line … with Kennedy, Darling and Lynch already testing our defensive talls, we need to play tall in defence. Williams, Markovic and Morris (if fit) will match these three well, but with Cox or Naitanui resting or drifting into attack we could be stretched (pun intended).
Next is closing down Embley, Priddis, Rosa, Selwood, Kerr, Shuey etc. … Cox and Naitanui are giving these six first use of the ball; and with a depleted midfield (injuries) we need to match-up vigorously. Picken, Cross, Boyd (especially) need to play shut-down roles.
Last, but probably most important, is finding an avenue to score … Barry Hall has had a stellar last three weeks up forward, he needs support.
Two weeks ago, St. Kilda showed it is possible to shut down the Eagles and still score; they played an extra man in defence, flooding the Eagles forward-line and looked to play on at all costs through the middle of the ground. Their midfield pressure, spread from the contest and kicking efficiency resulted in six unanswered goals in the first quarter.
What does this mean? … If it bleeds, we can kill it !!!
Quirky Facts
In the 34 Western Derbys that have been played, only two teams that have won the Derby and then travelled the next week have backed up with another win. (bad grammar, I know, but you get the point)
If Tutt plays, he will be the twelfth player to debut this season for the Western Bulldogs (Djerrkura, Liberatore, Markovic, Sherman, Wallis, Skinner, Howard, Mulligan, Barlow, Dahlhaus, & Schofield) and the eighth to play his first AFL game.
Verdict
With the Quirky Facts in mind … Bulldogs by 1 point. (probably more wishful thinking than anything else ... but the power of positive thought and all that)