Round 5: Carlton V Western Bulldogs | Preview

Last time we met

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

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.

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

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

IN - Kennedy | Kreuzer | Silvagni | Cuningham

I’m scarred from last week. Dogs by 22