Always Right Match Committee - Round 1 of the finals vs Eagles or Saints

Wally still looks tender. Doing drills but you can see not 100%. Not an injury you want to carry into a big game. Will be interesting to see where he is at same time next week. I remember Jose Romero carrying one into the Prelim in 97 and we left out Kolyniuk. It cost us.

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Originally Posted by Bullies

Wally still looks tender. Doing drills but you can see not 100%. Not an injury you want to carry into a big game. Will be interesting to see where he is at same time next week. I remember Jose Romero carrying one into the Prelim in 97 and we left out Kolyniuk. It cost us.

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I guess the difference here is that we aren't leaving out Kolynuik, we are leaving out Sam Lloyd. Much better risk/reward ratio in Mitch's favour.

Mitch will have a jab and be fine.

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Originally Posted by 1eyedog

Mitch will have a jab and be fine.

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Yep he wouldn't be having jab at training just in the real stuff.

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/...26-p55zh9.html

September 26, 2020 — 11.27am
After being ambushed in last year's elimination final, when Greater Western Sydney took a physical approach into the finals, the Western Bulldogs will be on the front foot when they meet St Kilda in next Saturday's elimination final.

After that loss, which saw star midfielder Marcus Bontempelli attacked relentlessly, premiership coach Luke Beveridge said they had been taught a valuable lesson that had not been forgotten.

"When you think back to that final it was a bit extreme. As I've said before it was a credit to the GWS outfit to do what they did and they almost won the whole thing off that template," Beveridge said.

"I think it's just an awareness of how physical the challenge of the game may be. I think both teams will prepare for that. It's tempering your focus on that with getting your core style established in the game. That's our challenge and we'll do our best to meet that head on."

The Bulldogs rediscovered their form in 2020 when they took it up to the Giants in round three, winning 10 of their final 15 matches to slot into seventh spot, the fourth time under Beveridge they have made an elimination final.

Bontempelli, who was named in the All-Australian team for the third time after another outstanding season, said the increased intensity in finals was a layer of the game they needed to prepare for but he said it would be dangerous to focus on that aspect too much.

"Understanding it is a key component of the game is important but then not letting it throw out the balance of the rest of our style and the way we want to play the game," Bontempelli said.


High flying forward Aaron Naughton will play despite having surgery to fix a fracture of the cheekbone while smart forward Mitch Wallis is a "near certainty" to play after hurting his shoulder against Fremantle.

"'Naughts' will be fine to play. He's a bit out of sync now because of having surgery but he'll train with the group on Monday and have a week together with the whole squad," Beveridge said.

The Bulldogs played eight of their 10 matches in Queensland at Metricon Stadium on the Gold Coast where they are staying but Bontempelli said playing at the Gabba held no fears for the Bulldogs.

Beveridge said the club was rapt that three Bulldogs, Bontempelli, Jackson Macrae and Caleb Daniel had been named in the All-Australian team and defended the decision to name Bontempelli and Macrae in positions they hardly played in this season.

"He's played there a little bit and I know there's some conjecture around specialist roles but I think if you ask the hypothetical, 'If Marcus played in the forward line all year how many goals would he kick?' He could possibly win the Coleman," Beveridge said.

"If you ask any backman, 'What sort of forward line would you want to play against?' If it's got Bontempelli, [Patrick] Dangerfield and [Dustin] Martin in it, as opposed to some of those boys who missed out, who had outstanding years, I think they'd probably rather play against the other lads.

"They've all earned it and Marcus has been outstanding."

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Originally Posted by 1eyedog

Mitch will have a jab and be fine.

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Jab the lot if needed. No second chances now.

Has a 2016 feel about it didn’t it

AFL.com predicted teams:

St Kilda v Western Bulldogs, Gabba, 4.40pm AEST

St Kilda

B: Callum Wilkie, Dougal Howard, Ben Paton
HB: Nick Coffield, Jake Carlisle, Ben Long
C: Bradley Hill, Seb Ross, Hunter Clark
HF: Jack Billings, Tim Membrey, Jack Sinclair
F: Rowan Marshall, Max King, Dan Butler
Foll: Paddy Ryder, Jack Steele, Zak Jones
I/C: Dan Hannebery, Jarryn Geary, Jack Lonie, Josh Battle
Emerg: Dean Kent, Nick Hind, Jonathon Marsh, Dylan Roberton

In: Zak Jones
Out: Dean Kent (omitted)

UNAVAILABLE: Jade Gresham (back)

NOTES: Should Lonie be passed fit with bone bruising to his knee, the biggest selection headache will come down to who falls out for Jones. Flip a coin between Kent or Sinclair, with the latter being selected purely because he's had more impact in the last month. Carlisle will be needed for his experience against the Dogs' tall timber. - Mitch Cleary

Western Bulldogs

B: Zaine Cordy, Alex Keath, Caleb Daniel
HB: Hayden Crozier, Ryan Gardner, Easton Wood
C: Lachie Hunter, Josh Dunkley, Bailey Smith
HF: Ed Richards, Josh Bruce, Patrick Lipinski
F: Mitch Wallis, Aaron Naughton, Marcus Bontempelli
Foll: Tim English, Jack Macrae, Tom Liberatore
I/C: Taylor Duryea, Jason Johannisen, Bailey Williams, Laitham Vandermeer
Emerg: Roarke Smith, Jordon Sweet, Matt Suckling, Lewis Young

In: Laitham Vandermeer
Out: Roarke Smith (omitted)

UNAVAILABLE: Toby McLean (knee), Lin Jong (ankle), Rhylee West (groin), Josh Schache (Achilles), Cody Weightman (ankle)

NOTES: There will be nervous waits for Laitham Vandermeer, Mitch Wallis and Aaron Naughton who all need to pass fitness tests to be ready for the elimination final. Roarke Smith has been handy across the wing and half-back line, but he and Patrick Lipinski seem like the two that might be expendable if Vandermeer or Matt Suckling get brought back in. - Jourdan Canil

It’d be a brave call to bring in Vandermeer and also drop Smith who’s probably playing his best football. I’ll back the MC. Ha! They got us here so I’ll trust their judgement.

Naughton sporting a helmet at training today. We’ll have dual helmet wearers Saturday arvo.

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Originally Posted by bulldogsthru&thru

It’d be a brave call to bring in Vandermeer and also drop Smith who’s probably playing his best football. I’ll back the MC. Ha! They got us here so I’ll trust their judgement.

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I think Vandermeer plays if he is ready it’s just a matter of who goes out.

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Originally Posted by bulldogsthru&thru

Naughton sporting a helmet at training today. We’ll have dual helmet wearers Saturday arvo.

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Hopefully, he can kick like Caleb too :p

Josh Bruce left the hub at the weekend for the birth of his second child. All going well, under protocols set to rejoin the Dogs training group soon

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Originally Posted by bornadog

Josh Bruce left the hub at the weekend for the birth of his second child. All going well, under protocols set to rejoin the Dogs training group soon

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So he would have missed it had we played the eagles.

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Originally Posted by bulldogsthru&thru

So he would have missed it had we played the eagles.

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Looks like it

Would prefer Lippa over Suckers he played great against the Dockers. So did Roarke, but he's depth and needs to make way for Laith if he's passed fit.