Our opponents next week: West Coast Eagles

[Dry Rot]

Did the Eagles play poorly yesterday or the Tigers really well?

How do you rate our chances?

[Go_Dogs]

Hansen and Lynch will probably destroy us.

Hopefully we contest and pressure hard, do the work that we need to. I don't expect us to win, but there is no reason why we can't. West Coast are bound to lose a game soon, and we play reasonably well out west. Pressure the ball carrier, be efficient and effective with our ball movement, run the lines, kick long, spot up passes and keep them guessing.

To win Cooney and Griffen both need to play better - although I thought it was Griff's best game of season proper.

[Bulldog Revolution]

The Eagles have been incredibly consistent over the past 3 seasons.

They dont destroy teams the way a lot of other top sides have done historically but they generally grind out good results (39W-10L) over the past 3 seasons in home and away games.

They pressure, close down space in the midfield and punish teams out of the centre square. They have a group of runners whose work ethics are incredible (Kerr, Cousins, Braun, Stenglein, Cox) and a lot of developing players Waters, BJones, Selwood, Priddis, Rosa etc.

They are an extremely disciplined team, guys like Chick, RJones, Armstrong, Glass, always do the team things, spoil, chase, shepherd. And they have guys like Embley, Staker, Wirrapunda, Hunter that on their day can kill you

[firstdogonthemoon]

If we play like we did against hawthorn we will be fertiliser.

[bornadog]

Its going to be a case of can we stop their midfield feeding the Lynches and Hansens in the forward line. Richmond put a lot of pressure on West Coast and nearly got there in the end. We need first use of the ball out of the centre, to have any chance at all. Yesterday Cooney was tagged by Sewell and was well and truly fixed up for the day. I don't think will happen against WC, as its not really their style. If anything they will try and stop Westy, who is in brownlow form. We can't aford the turnovers next week as they will eat us alive.

One thing, we will see where we are at, at this stage of the year.

[BulldogBelle]

Well we all don't have to be Einsteins to know that this will be a very difficult game for us over in the West, but we have nothing to lose whatsoever and everything to gain if we can knock those Eagles off their perches. I can just see the newspaper headlines - "The Dogs are Back" or "Dog Attack - Eagles left Shellshocked".

Well I can hope cant I .......

[southerncross]

This from the Age

WEST COAST
B: Hurn Glass Wirrpanda
HB: Waters Hunter Selwood
C: Embley Priddis Braun
HF: Chick Hansen Stenglein
F: Armstrong Lynch R Jones
FOLL: Cox Judd Rover: Kerr
I/C: B Jones Rosa Seaby Staker
EMER: Fletcher Graham LeCras

WESTERN BULLDOGS
B: McMahon Harris Morris
HB: Gilbee Wight Hargrave
C: Eagleton West Power
HF: Giansiracusa Johnson Boyd
F: Murphy Darcy Akermanis
FOLL: Minson Cross Rover: Cooney
I/C: Higgins Griffen Ray Addison
EMER: Faulkner Harbrow Williams
IN: Addison
OUT: Robbins
LAST TIME 1SF West Coast 16.17 (113) d Western Bulldogs 5.9 (39) Subiaco
AT THIS GROUND West Coast 8, Western Bulldogs 3
IN THE 2000s West Coast 6, Western Bulldogs 4
COACHES Worsfold 3, Eade 2
UMPIRES 1 Donlon, 2 Vozzo, 6 Margetts
BETTING West Coast $1.24, Western Bulldogs $3.80
TV Fox Sports 1, 4pm
RADIO SEN, 774 ABC
Summary The Western Bulldogs have shown in the recent past that - last year's first semi-final excepted - the Eagles hold few fears for them. The Bulldogs won at Subiaco in the corresponding home and away fixture last year and have the manpower to manufacture another upset. The Eagles' stellar form without fallen star Ben Cousins and in the face of nationwide off-field criticism must have bolstered their confidence but much will depend on the midfield where the masterly Chris Judd and Daniel Kerr will face Bulldogs Daniel Cross, Adam Cooney and 32-year-old Scott West who is playing like he has another five years in him. Key The Bulldogs' ability to hold Eagles forwards Quinten Lynch and Ashley Hanson and keep a close eye on David Wirrpanda at the same time is likely to be a major factor in the outcome.

[Raw Toast]

V interested to see how Eade coaches against Woosha in this one. Thought Eade used Worsfold's inflexibility against him at the G in 05 and was again on top in the H&A game last year, but that Worsfold clearly triumphed in the semi-final. Hunter on Grant was v good and the Eagles sagged back a bit to try and negate our run and shore-up their defence.

I'd like to see Eade try and break them open a bit more than last time, as I can't see us winning a slog - we matched them for a quarter last time (the 2nd quarter) and might improve from that, but they still have bigger bodies that can run all day. What they don't have is as much pace as us, and I think we're one team who'll benefit from the absence of Cousins.

I wouldn't mind seeing Darcy play chf at times so that we've got a target to bomb to when running out of defence, with the added benefit of isolating Johnson in the goal-square. We won't be able to do this all day but it might be a place to start as it might take some defender's out of their comfort zone, and mean that our run doesn't break down early (our confidence in it seems a little brittle if the games against Adelaide and the Saints are any indication).

Murphy and our other leading hff's will be important, as will Wight I reckon. The Eagles win-loss record with Hansen in the team is pretty amazing (if they're not undefeated they are pretty close). Wight would seem a good match for Hansen as he won't be outbodied which enables him to play him really close. If he gives him a meter then Hansen will win out on the lead most times.

Should Harris play on Lynch or should he take someone like Rowan Jones and zone off? I'd like to see him start off on Lynch as he's a confidence player and they rely quite heavily on him. That said, I wouldn't be surprised to see Shaggy take him at some stage as Lynch is not a great contested mark.

I think we're a better chance than the $3.80 the bookies are quoting, and am not sure Cousins being back in town will help them.

[LostDoggy]

The Eagles have been incredibly consistent over the past 3 seasons.

They dont destroy teams the way a lot of other top sides have done historically but they generally grind out good results (39W-10L) over the past 3 seasons in home and away games.

They pressure, close down space in the midfield and punish teams out of the centre square. They have a group of runners whose work ethics are incredible (Kerr, Cousins, Braun, Stenglein, Cox) and a lot of developing players Waters, BJones, Selwood, Priddis, Rosa etc.

They are an extremely disciplined team, guys like Chick, RJones, Armstrong, Glass, always do the team things, spoil, chase, shepherd. And they have guys like Embley, Staker, Wirrapunda, Hunter that on their day can kill you

This is a huge ask for us. As you say the Eagles have just been so strong for so long and their list is one of the youngest in the competition. Terrifically balanced squad as well with brilliant ruckman and a dynamic midfield including Kerr and Judd. It's going to be a huge task to beat them but we are one of the teams that could upset their game.

[southerncross]

IT'S as if Jordan McMahon was traumatised by events in Perth in September last year.
McMahon learns hard lesson

Better outcome: Western Bulldog Jordan McMahon is hopeful his side can perform better against West Coast at Subiaco today, despite barely remembering the Bulldogs thrashing it received from the Eagles last year. Picture: George Salpigtidis
I ask him a simple question about the Western Bulldogs' semi-final loss to West Coast and he looks me in the eye and goes blank. He's not sure whether he played midfield or in defence; unsure, actually, whether he started on the ground or the interchange bench.
He thinks he might have played on "Rosa and maybe Jones, B. Jones" (Matt Rosa and Brett Jones), concluding he probably played midfield.
I look back in amazement. We're talking of a game played less than eight months ago, the second final of his AFL career.
"It's like I don't want to remember the damn thing," he says sheepishly.
That's what the Eagles in full flight can do to their victims.
That's why the Bulldogs' return visit this afternoon carries special significance.
They copped a hiding in September, beaten by 74 points after kicking 5.9 for the night in front of more than 40,000 fanatics.
Champion Data informs us McMahon started on the bench. He got his chance after 13 minutes and spent his time on various opponents, including the two Joneses, Brett and Rowan, and Sam Butler and Steven Armstrong.
The Doggies are back in Perth as the popular nomination as Victoria's best hope in 2007. Whether it's merit or by default, we shall know more tonight.
"I think we were beaten by a much more mature side last year," McMahon says. Physically and in terms of experience.
"They knew what they were doing, what they were coming up against. It was a whole new thing for us, a whole new experience."
Brad Johnson kicked three goals for the Doggies, Scott West had 29 disposals and West Coast barged on towards the flag.
It was a nightmare, one that alerted an entire club to the work ahead to match the big boys.
"We all knew we put up a disappointing effort," he says.
"We got beaten horribly. We know we had to change things. Attitudes as well."
McMahon has a couple of theories of his own.
It was the club's first time in finals since 2000 and the Doggies had systematically destroyed Collingwood the previous week in front of 84,000, securing Rohan Smith's dream of finishing with 300 games in the process.
"That was like the game. I don't know if we were content to be in that position (playing finals) but I'd played one final and we won it and I thought, 'How good is this'?"
He sees a fundamental difference this time.
"There's not as much on the line, at stake. It's not a knockout (game). We know we're going to be playing football after this weekend, that's guaranteed."
He said the club needed to remain committed to its twin tasks: making the final eight, and claiming a spot in the top four.
Personally, he is enjoying the best stretch of his 101-game career. "Playing OK, yeah," he says. "I'm happy with it. It's more about consistency. No specific reason. Probably maturity. I'm coming up 24."
He played all 24 games last year, finishing 10th in the best-and-fairest, and has been even better this year. An average of almost 25 disposals a week is most impressive for a small defender, and his pace and searching left foot give him huge rebound value.
He is over his early misgivings about what he saw as being banished to defence by Rodney Eade. "We have a good little unit back there. I get along well with Ryan Hargrave and Brian Harris. Then you've got Lindsay Gilbee, who's a good fella, and Dale Morris who's a really good guy, and the others.
"It helps being mates. We can read each other and we're honest with each other.
"Sometimes if you're not good mates, you can take the old constructive criticism thing in a pretty negative way.
"With your mates, they're not criticising you for a crap reason, they genuinely want to make things better."
He said there were no rifts or cliques among the player group.
"The whole group is solid. When I first got to the club, it didn't feel like that. There were certain guys who didn't divide the group but kind of accentuated the differences between people, and those guys left.
"Now we're pretty tight."
I take a wild guess and ask if he is referring to people such as Richmond's Nathan Brown, and he just laughs.
He is a friendly, open young man. After arriving 40 minutes late, he apologises profusely, greets photographer George Salpigtidis warmly and with his name, orders himself a chocolate milkshake and settles in for a chat.
He is enjoying being seen as a senior player and the trappings: things like the Peter Jackson ads in which five of the Doggies model smart suits.
Dougie Hawkins might shake his head at the sight of McMahon, Daniel Giansiracusa and company on display in expensive threads, but the player profile at Whitten Oval has changed dramatically in a generation.
McMahon says his football improved from the moment coach Rodney Eade threw him a challenge as soon as he arrived as coach for the 2005 season.
"He put me under the pump. He challenged me. He put it straight to me. He pulled me aside and said, 'Look, I've heard these things about you. Basically, you're at the crossroads'
"He said he didn't know first hand: 'This is basically a challenge to you to see where you're at, how you're going to go'."
Eade was querying McMahon's attitude generally, and his on-field performances.
"That was fair enough," McMahon says. "I wanted to prove him wrong."
While Eade has to be happy with McMahon, he wasn't happy with many last Sunday night after the scrappy performance against Hawthorn.
"Not at all," says McMahon.
"He said he would have been happy before the game to think we would have won by what we did, but it was the way we went about it.
"Even though we won, we were pretty horrible. I thought there was a lot of improvement in us. So much improvement.
"We've got a long way to go."
Yet there is an obvious feeling of anticipation and confidence in the camp.
"We're going over with the mindset we can win. We beat 'em pre-season. They might not have been full strength, we might have taken it more seriously than them, but we beat 'em.
"That West Coast game (final) was a reality check."

[southerncross]

Good article on the Bulletin Board about the last time we played the Eagles.

Why the Dogs copped a Rocket

[southerncross]

This from the Australian.

Johnson relishes spaces out west

WESTERN BULLDOGS captain Brad Johnson is confident a return to Subiaco Oval today will help him find his match-winning touch.

That is unusual for two reasons. First, it is rare the brilliant Bulldog is not at the peak of his form, such has been his consistency over a 14-year career. But only two goals from his past two matches is well below the Bulldog's usual return, even though he did gather plenty of the ball against Hawthorn and Richmond.
And to hope to be a match-winner against West Coast, on its home turf, would be beyond most players, particularly when Johnson's mooted opponents include last year's All Australian fullback Darren Glass and Adam Selwood, recognised league-wide as the consummate blanket.
Johnson, though, has a habit of defying accepted trends. Last year, he kicked 74 goals as a sole forward-line target, a remarkable feat given he stands just 182cm.
But he believes a broader Bulldogs attack can spring a surprise on the unbeaten Eagles today.
"Over the past two weeks, we have had a number of goalkickers, and that is really positive for the scoreboard," Johnson said.
"With Luke Darcy and Robert Murphy, it has allowed me to be a little bit more flexible. It does not matter who gets the goals.
"It is certainly a ground that we don't fear, but it is a massive challenge for us."
Johnson, 30, has good reason to be confident he will rise to the challenge.
He was superb when the Bulldogs upset West Coast at Subiaco Oval by nine points in round 13 last year, kicking six of his side's 10 goals while playing on Mark Nicoski, who is sidelined today with injury.
Although West Coast avenged the defeat with a dominant 74-point win in the first semi-final last September, Johnson stood tall, contributing more than half the Bulldogs' score on Brett Jones, who has been outstanding in recent weeks.
Little wonder West Coast coach John Worsfold is particularly wary of Johnson's match-winning influence.
Worsfold said he still wasn't sure how to oppose the Bulldog, who he described as "a great player".
"It is a tough one. It is well documented that he has got great running ability, he's a great mark and an excellent kick, so it takes a special player to be able to cover all facets of his game.
"One of the key things is obviously trying to limit the amount of easy football that gets to him. That helps whoever is on him the most."
Regardless of his opponent, Johnson said he was grateful that Subiaco's wide expanses gave forwards a chance against the Eagles' premiership-winning defence.
"They have got some fantastic players in defence, as well, some great players on every line, so it is an awesome challenge," he said.
"It is certainly a massive ground, but there is a little bit more room there (for forwards)."
"We are pretty evenly matched, and we are confident in our own ability."
While Johnson has been restricted over the past fortnight, the outstanding returns of Darcy and Murphy, both gaining in confidence after serious knee injuries, have been a boon for the Bulldogs.
Against Richmond, they kicked four goals each in the Bulldogs' 32-point win, while Murphy was again in form in his side's 17-point defeat of Hawthorn last weekend.
But it was the form of youngster Shaun Higgins, who kicked three goals against Hawthorn, that really caught Johnson's eye.
He said Higgins, the club's top draft pick in 2005, was a player whose impact was likely to increase throughout the year.
"Shaun is a fantastic talent and he has really worked extremely hard to make himself a better player," he said.
"Without a doubt, he will keep improving. He has got a great head on his shoulders (and) he would love to push himself into the midfield as the year goes on."
Young Bulldog Dylan Addison replaces Matthew Robbins for the match, while the Eagles have named an unchanged side.
Eagles assistant coach Darren Harris yesterday insisted champion ruckman Dean Cox would play, although he appeared to be moving with difficulty during a morning training session.