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Match Preview Round 13
Western Bulldogs vs North Melbourne
Sunday 2.10pm MCG
Ch#7 at 3pm (Vic)
Ladder Positions
Dogs are 3rd. 8 Wins & 4 Losses. 123.89%
Kangas are 12th. 4 Wins & 8 Losses. 76.27%
Dogs av scores: 112 - 90 (2nd best attack & 6th best defence)
Kangas av scores: 73 - 95 (worst attack & 9th best defence)
At the Selection Table
Dogs
Stephen Tiller (hip) - 2 weeks
Tom Williams - test
Tim Callan - test
Pressing for selection Andrejs Everitt after a good game last week. Tim Callan could be a good match up for Lindsay Thomas. Will the Dogs be tempted to giva another youngster like Sam Reid a run?
Kangas
Daniel Wells (groin), test
Brent Harvey (elbow), test
Jesse Smith (hamstring/ankle), test
Ben Warren (cheekbone), test
Matt Campbell (hamstring), 1-2 weeks
Jack Ziebell (leg), 6 – 10 weeks
Brent Harvey is a real chance to return after missing around 8 weeks. Losing Ziebell is a massive blow. Despite his youth he gave the kangas midfield some energy.
What the Stats Say
Top 5 Goalkickers
Dogs - 21 Johnson, Akermanis, 19 Hill, 17 Giansiracusa, 16 Hahn
Kangas - 18 Hale, 13 Thomas, 11 Edwards, Warren, Petrie
Top 5 Disposals
Dogs - 325 Boyd, 309 Cross, 264 Gilbee, 251 Giansiracusa, 245 Cooney
Kangas - 307 Simpson, 229 Harding, 223 Swallow, 213 McMahon, 210 Firrito
Top 5 Marks
Dogs - 92 Lake, 74 Johnson, 64 Hargrave, 63 Eagleton, 62 Hill
Kangas - 77 Harding, 72 Petrie , 68 McMahon, 65 McIntosh, 60 Simpson
The Lead Up
The Dogs will come in well rested, confident and in white hot form. Cooney is starting to fire, Boyd has been outstanding all year, the defence is settled and the goal scoring options are numerous. The Dogs can also expect more from Murphy and Williams in the second half of the season.
The Kangas it could be argues are in turmoil. A change of coach sees Darren Crocker in the hotseat after the seemingly amicable departure of Laidley. However the spectre of Nathan Buckley looms on the horizon as a possible coaching option for them and speculation about Buckley and others will continue. There is further conjecture about the Kangas off field situation which must also cast a shadow over the club.
Will the change of coach and the desire to prove the knocker wrong (again) help inspire the famous old shinboner spirit? Or has that one been flogged to death and in any case there is no Archer to fly the flag?
The Key Match Ups
Picken v Harvey
Welcome back to AFL footy Boomer. Picken cut him out the first time around and in doing so saved the day for the Dogs. Picken is better now with several scalps to boast about and developing a real sense of belonging in the Bulldogs line up, whereas Harvey will be underdone after a long lay off.
Boyd v Wells
Boyd has been our best midfielder all year and will no doubt lead the charge again. However Wells when on song is a genuine match winner and must be treated with extreme caution. So Boyd is my man to curb his influence yet counter attack against him.
Hale v Lake
Hale is the lead man in the worst attack in the AFL. Lake is the ideal match up for him as he can contest in the air against him and then run off. The Kangas are likely to send Petrie deep forward to torment us which could cause a problem if Williams doesn't play.
The Game Plan
We know what the Dogs will try and do. Run, carry and use multiple scoring options. The Dogs will look to cut out the 1 or 2 danger men the Kangas have with highly skilled negators in Morris and Picken. The rest will be open slather. Eade will back our men to beat most of their opponents after that.
What will the Kangas do to stop us? Hard to say with a new coach. I expect they will play a dour style of game. Plenty of one on ones with Firrito, Harding, Power, Pratt and the like to stick tight to our playmakers. They will look to hurt us on the counter and try to move the ball quickly and long to their tall targets.
The danger for the Dogs will be if the game gets bogged down and we can't get our runners and loose men to run rampant.
The Result
The Dogs will kill them.
If the Kangas play tight it may work on some players for some of the time but it won't work on all of the players all of the time. We have too many options in midfield and up forward for them to contain. They have a reasonably solid defence but lack game breakers across the field. Even more so if Wells is shut down. In attack they are impotent.
Expect Aker, Hill, Murphy, Cooney to have a day out. Boyd, Cross & Picken to continue their fine form and don't be surprised if Minson kicks a few more.
Dogs by 45+
Western Bulldogs vs North Melbourne
Sunday 2.10pm MCG
Ch#7 at 3pm (Vic)
Ladder Positions
Dogs are 3rd. 8 Wins & 4 Losses. 123.89%
Kangas are 12th. 4 Wins & 8 Losses. 76.27%
Dogs av scores: 112 - 90 (2nd best attack & 6th best defence)
Kangas av scores: 73 - 95 (worst attack & 9th best defence)
At the Selection Table
Dogs
Stephen Tiller (hip) - 2 weeks
Tom Williams - test
Tim Callan - test
Pressing for selection Andrejs Everitt after a good game last week. Tim Callan could be a good match up for Lindsay Thomas. Will the Dogs be tempted to giva another youngster like Sam Reid a run?
Kangas
Daniel Wells (groin), test
Brent Harvey (elbow), test
Jesse Smith (hamstring/ankle), test
Ben Warren (cheekbone), test
Matt Campbell (hamstring), 1-2 weeks
Jack Ziebell (leg), 6 – 10 weeks
Brent Harvey is a real chance to return after missing around 8 weeks. Losing Ziebell is a massive blow. Despite his youth he gave the kangas midfield some energy.
What the Stats Say
Top 5 Goalkickers
Dogs - 21 Johnson, Akermanis, 19 Hill, 17 Giansiracusa, 16 Hahn
Kangas - 18 Hale, 13 Thomas, 11 Edwards, Warren, Petrie
Top 5 Disposals
Dogs - 325 Boyd, 309 Cross, 264 Gilbee, 251 Giansiracusa, 245 Cooney
Kangas - 307 Simpson, 229 Harding, 223 Swallow, 213 McMahon, 210 Firrito
Top 5 Marks
Dogs - 92 Lake, 74 Johnson, 64 Hargrave, 63 Eagleton, 62 Hill
Kangas - 77 Harding, 72 Petrie , 68 McMahon, 65 McIntosh, 60 Simpson
The Lead Up
The Dogs will come in well rested, confident and in white hot form. Cooney is starting to fire, Boyd has been outstanding all year, the defence is settled and the goal scoring options are numerous. The Dogs can also expect more from Murphy and Williams in the second half of the season.
The Kangas it could be argues are in turmoil. A change of coach sees Darren Crocker in the hotseat after the seemingly amicable departure of Laidley. However the spectre of Nathan Buckley looms on the horizon as a possible coaching option for them and speculation about Buckley and others will continue. There is further conjecture about the Kangas off field situation which must also cast a shadow over the club.
Will the change of coach and the desire to prove the knocker wrong (again) help inspire the famous old shinboner spirit? Or has that one been flogged to death and in any case there is no Archer to fly the flag?
The Key Match Ups
Picken v Harvey
Welcome back to AFL footy Boomer. Picken cut him out the first time around and in doing so saved the day for the Dogs. Picken is better now with several scalps to boast about and developing a real sense of belonging in the Bulldogs line up, whereas Harvey will be underdone after a long lay off.
Boyd v Wells
Boyd has been our best midfielder all year and will no doubt lead the charge again. However Wells when on song is a genuine match winner and must be treated with extreme caution. So Boyd is my man to curb his influence yet counter attack against him.
Hale v Lake
Hale is the lead man in the worst attack in the AFL. Lake is the ideal match up for him as he can contest in the air against him and then run off. The Kangas are likely to send Petrie deep forward to torment us which could cause a problem if Williams doesn't play.
The Game Plan
We know what the Dogs will try and do. Run, carry and use multiple scoring options. The Dogs will look to cut out the 1 or 2 danger men the Kangas have with highly skilled negators in Morris and Picken. The rest will be open slather. Eade will back our men to beat most of their opponents after that.
What will the Kangas do to stop us? Hard to say with a new coach. I expect they will play a dour style of game. Plenty of one on ones with Firrito, Harding, Power, Pratt and the like to stick tight to our playmakers. They will look to hurt us on the counter and try to move the ball quickly and long to their tall targets.
The danger for the Dogs will be if the game gets bogged down and we can't get our runners and loose men to run rampant.
The Result
The Dogs will kill them.
If the Kangas play tight it may work on some players for some of the time but it won't work on all of the players all of the time. We have too many options in midfield and up forward for them to contain. They have a reasonably solid defence but lack game breakers across the field. Even more so if Wells is shut down. In attack they are impotent.
Expect Aker, Hill, Murphy, Cooney to have a day out. Boyd, Cross & Picken to continue their fine form and don't be surprised if Minson kicks a few more.
Dogs by 45+
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