Last time we met

Round 22, 2018

Western Bulldogs 10.6.66 defeated Carlton 7.7.49

  • Josh Dunkley was dominant with 36 possessions and could have been better, kicking 0.3
  • Simmo had 35 possessions and kicked a goal
  • Tom De Koning played his first game for the club
  • Paddy Dow put us in front with 14 minutes to go
  • Jed Lamb gave away a 50m penalty and the Dogs ran away

What I’m excited about

  • Cripps v Bontempelli. The comparisons will be with them for the remainder of their careers and whenever they match up it’s a delight for all footy fans. Bontempelli is more of a smooth mover with time and precision whereas Cripps is just a real grunt of a player and a true “footballer” in the old school sense
  • All adversity that one endures leads to breakthroughs of growth and I expect us to have a sour taste in our mouth all week which in turn spurs us to work harder. Jacob Weitering is one in particular that I saw after the game addressing the players, something I had not yet seen. That growth excites me.
  • Our backline is actually pretty solid, led by Jones and Weitering. With Williamson edging closer to a return, we will be locked and loaded in that area for the remainder of the season.
  • Another opportunity for our midfielders and forwards to reach the cohesion that’s needed. We had some great patches of composure last week and I look forward to us hopefully focussing on that again and really training it hard.
  • The dogs are a team that also plays in waves, yet to put together a consistent 4 quarter performance. If we can nullify their momentum when it does come, we are a chance
  • Kreuzer will play this week and we all know how much better we are as a side when the big fella is in there.

What I’m mindful of

  • Are we a side that is ready to cope with a stinging loss like last week and respond? Will players go into their shells in fear of not wanting to make a mistake? We have players who play with a flair (SPS, Dow, Fisher) and I wonder what their mental fortitude is like.
  • When the dogs get on a run, they are brilliant, seriously brilliant. I worry about our ability to stop their momentum because it comes from their relentless pressure
  • Josh Dunkley looms as the exact type of player that we traditionally struggle against. A medium sized forward who can also go through the midfield and dominate.
  • The Dogs have a quietly elite midfield now that Libba is back in the fold. If we can’t beat them at stoppages, we will be in for a long afternoon

Team Changes

OUT - Setterfield (suspension) | Lobbe | Casboult | O’Brien

IN - Kennedy | Kreuzer | Silvagni | Cuningham

Prediction

I’m scarred from last week. Dogs by 22