AFL Season 2008: Round 6 Match Preview - Bulldogs v Eagles

[Mantis]

RS, what a great analysis! You have done a fantastic job compiling all that info. Very impressive.

Even though the Eagles are on a downer at the moment - they still shouldn't be taken lightly. We have to be switched on from the onset and take a stranglehold on the game very early in the piece - crucial we kick off to a good start in the first Qtr.

We have had this opportunity in the past 2 games and fluffed it... What will change this week?

[firstdogonthemoon]

Rocket Science - this preview is mind bogglingly good. I was going to see it is the sort of stuff I would expect to see in one of the papers but.........

its much better than that!

I agree with everything everybody else said.

[lowedog]

Intersting stat. They havent played a victorian club yet. Will be interesting to see how we match up physically with no Judd/Cousins. Also with Hudson in the ruck contests, see how cox travels under some more pressure. I reckon we'll bounce back well, and run over them. I'm hoping that anyway!

[Topdog]

Fantastic review. This is a danger game for us and really I think we have to win if we want to finish top 4. The last of our 6 straight in Melbourne and its only going to get tougher after this.

[MrMahatma]

We should win this. If we're going to push for a top 4 spot, we need this win. It's all well and good looking at 4 1/2 wins from 5 matches, but this is one we should win regardless of the past few weeks, and must win to push for top 4.

I'll be gutted if we lose this one. I just hope the boys are 100% switched on and go back to the hassling and close checking we did in the early rounds.

[Bulldog Revolution]

KEY DUELS:

GRIFFEN versus WIRRPANDA
Two creative and determined playmakers go head to head. Griffen needs to rebound with the footy but must also ensure Wirrpanda, who was a rare bright spot for his well-beaten team last round, isn't granted excess leeway to spark his squad.

HARGRAVE versus MCKINLEY
With 12 goals in 3 games this year, the AFL's newest rising star nominee must be respected. Hargrave needs to exercise some discipline and take the stoppers role seriously but should have the nouse to best his junior opponent over the long haul.

CROSS versus EMBLEY
The pair most likely to succumb to leather poisoning. It'll be interesting to see which coach holds their nerve if both are racking up the touches at will.

THE SMOKEY (2): If the Eagles swing Adam Hunter forward, Cameron Wight or Dale Morris must be on their game, and more likely both of them if Ash Hansen is recalled this week. It isn't beneath Worsfold to attempt the predictable if generally effective 'stretch them for talls' approach.

Fine match preview Rocket

I wonder if:

Callan might get Wirrapanda given he has been playing forward

Hargrave to run with Embley on a wing - in some ways Embley perhaps plays the way we might use Hargrave

I am wondering who Waters will pick up, is he playing more midfield this season and might he spend time on former junior teammate ACooney?

Brett Jones is my eagles smokey - I think hes a very underrated player

We should win this. If we're going to push for a top 4 spot, we need this win. It's all well and good looking at 4 1/2 wins from 5 matches, but this is one we should win regardless of the past few weeks, and must win to push for top 4.

I think this will be a far more difficult game for us to win that people are expecting. We have never beaten the Eagles at the Dome and clearly they smashed us last year. They've been down but they have a lot of good footballers

[1eyedog]

What time is game time please? 7.10pm?

[craigsahibee]

Must always respect the eagles no matter where they are on the ladder. Mid field is the key again. We need 6 or 7 goals from those players rotating through the middle along with contributions from Aker, Welsh, Johnno and Will. Not confident. I'll say us by 15 points.

[Go_Dogs]

I'm going to be listening in online tonight as the game isn't being televised on FTA or Fox...

Starting to get a bit nervous about this. We're going to need to attack this match really hard, win contested ball, take them on and set up our fast running, space creating game.

[Sockeye Salmon]

I can't believe the odds for tonight's game.

We're $1.20 & WC are $4.20.

We deserve to be favorites but that's ridiculous.

[Rocket Science]

I'm going to be listening in online tonight as the game isn't being televised on FTA or Fox...

Hmmm...You sure? According to the TV guide CH 10's televising the game from 7:30pm

http://melbourne.citysearch.com.au/t...tvGuideTable_1
"Watch all the action as Western Bulldogs take on West Coast in round six of the competition."

[1eyedog]

I can't believe the odds for tonight's game.

We're $1.20 & WC are $4.20.

We deserve to be favorites but that's ridiculous.

That's not based on our form it looks as if it is based on our ladder position 4-1-0. On the contrary $4.20 for the Eagles looks like it is both based on their form and their ladder position. They are crap and the money reflects it but are we that good? These are the ones we drop.

[1eyedog]

I'm going to be listening in online tonight as the game isn't being televised on FTA or Fox...

Starting to get a bit nervous about this. We're going to need to attack this match really hard, win contested ball, take them on and set up our fast running, space creating game.

Yep Channel 10 7.30pm

[Go_Dogs]

Adelaide viewer.

[Mofra]

Excellent work RS, could not have read any better from the experts.

McKinley is one I'm interested in - he's 186cm so the same size as Griff, I'm not sure Shaggy would be the best match up for him (to a wing on Embley might be his go, especially is Eagle is out of form). Perhaps this could be a Gilbee special, given there isn't too much height difference and being inexperienced he might sacrifice his attacking instincts if playing on a genuine playmaker. His WAFL reports tend to suggest he was getting one of the main opposition stoppers so a run-off type may worry him more than a Callan/Morris/Addison type.