GVGjr
03-04-2015, 07:31 PM
The off season drama in 2014 is now long behind us and a new look Western Bulldogs team coached by Luke Beveridge takes on the West Coast Eagles.
2015 AFL SEASON, ROUND 1 - MATCH PREVIEW
WESTERN BULLDOGS versus WEST COAST EAGLES
Docklands, Saturday April 4th, 7:20pm
SPORTS ODDS
Western Bulldogs - $2.60
West Coast Eagles - $1.52
RECENT FORMLINE: PREVIOUS TWO ENCOUNTERS:
Round 1, 2014 - West Coast Eagles 21.8 (134) defeated Western Bulldogs 11.3 (69)
Round 18, 2013 - Western Bulldogs 16.15 (111) defeated West Coast Eagles 13.11 (89)
SELECTION TABLE: WESTERN BULLDOGS
The Bulldogs are missing many of their prime movers from last season and have said adios to Griffen, Cooney, Higgins, Jones, Tutt and Giansiracusa and our senior coach from last year just to name a few. We have also lost our best player in Tom Liberatore for the balance of the season. If a crisis creates opportunities then the Whitten Oval is a great place to be.
Tuesdays news that cleared the Bombers from their supplements scandal has given something back to the Bulldogs with the good news that our leading goal kicker from last year in Stu Crameri is available for selection and has been rushed into the team albeit probably slightly underdone.
SELECTION TABLE: WEST COAST EAGLES
The Eagles are missing some quality players from last season and have had some injury concerns to deal with and the loss of Eric McKenzie would be something the Bulldogs are hoping to exploit.
TEAMS:
WESTERN BULLDOGS
B Easton Wood, Jordan Roughead, Dale Morris
HB Robert Murphy, Michael Talia, Matthew Boyd
C Lin Jong, Jack Macrae, Liam Picken
HF Tory Dickson, Jack Redpath, Stewart Crameri
F Jake Stringer, Tom Boyd, Luke Dahlhaus
Fol Will Minson, Mitch Wallis, Marcus Bontempelli
I/C Jarrad Grant, Mitch Honeychurch, Jason Johannisen, Brett Goodes
Emg Nathan Hrovat, Koby Stevens, Ayce Cordy
New Tom Boyd
WEST COAST
B Samuel Butler, Jeremy McGovern, Brad Sheppard
HB Shannon Hurn, Mitchell Brown, Matt Rosa
C Andrew Gaff, Luke Shuey, Elliot Yeo
HF Chris Masten, Tom Lamb, Mark LeCras
F Jamie Cripps, Josh J. Kennedy, Scott Lycett
Fol Nic Naitanui, Matt Priddis, Sharrod Wellingham
I/C Jackson Nelson, Patrick McGinnity, Scott Selwood, Dom Sheed
Emg Jamie Bennell, Kane Lucas, Simon Tunbridge
New Tom Lamb, Jackson Nelson
SOME RANDOM OBSERVATIONS
- Both teams have tall forwards that might stretch the opposition defenders
- Josh J Kennedy has regularly been a handful for our defenders and we should all be praying that Roughead has a great game.
- Mark LeCras had a day out against us last time and he is a player we will need to reign in.
- Our prize recruit over summer Tom Boyd will be our back up ruckman and it's going to be a huge ask for Minson and Boyd to break even with Nic Nat and Lycett.
- The reigning Brownlow Medalist Matt Priddis will be a handful so expect Picken and Wallis to be matched up against him at times.
- The form and undoubted talent of Marcus Bontempelli has occupied a lot of the media focus and I'd expect the Eagles to try something to curb his influence.
KEY MATCH UPS:
Roughead vs Kennedy
Morris vs LeCras
Talia vs Lycett
Minson vs Naitanui
Macrae vs Gaff
Brown vs Redpath
Hurn vs Grant
Sheppard vs Stringer
Rosa vs Crameri
Wallis vs Priddis
THE VERDICT:
This should be a cracking game and an important one for two teams wanting to be relevant in the competition in the 2015 season.
The Bulldogs go in with their tallest forward line I think I have ever seen and will be hoping that the scoreboard will keep ticking over by a variety of goal kickers.
We have also placed a high emphasis on players being versatile over the off season so we will be rotating players all over the ground. If this works well it will give us the edge we need.
Bulldogs by 10 points with a strong finish.
2015 AFL SEASON, ROUND 1 - MATCH PREVIEW
WESTERN BULLDOGS versus WEST COAST EAGLES
Docklands, Saturday April 4th, 7:20pm
SPORTS ODDS
Western Bulldogs - $2.60
West Coast Eagles - $1.52
RECENT FORMLINE: PREVIOUS TWO ENCOUNTERS:
Round 1, 2014 - West Coast Eagles 21.8 (134) defeated Western Bulldogs 11.3 (69)
Round 18, 2013 - Western Bulldogs 16.15 (111) defeated West Coast Eagles 13.11 (89)
SELECTION TABLE: WESTERN BULLDOGS
The Bulldogs are missing many of their prime movers from last season and have said adios to Griffen, Cooney, Higgins, Jones, Tutt and Giansiracusa and our senior coach from last year just to name a few. We have also lost our best player in Tom Liberatore for the balance of the season. If a crisis creates opportunities then the Whitten Oval is a great place to be.
Tuesdays news that cleared the Bombers from their supplements scandal has given something back to the Bulldogs with the good news that our leading goal kicker from last year in Stu Crameri is available for selection and has been rushed into the team albeit probably slightly underdone.
SELECTION TABLE: WEST COAST EAGLES
The Eagles are missing some quality players from last season and have had some injury concerns to deal with and the loss of Eric McKenzie would be something the Bulldogs are hoping to exploit.
TEAMS:
WESTERN BULLDOGS
B Easton Wood, Jordan Roughead, Dale Morris
HB Robert Murphy, Michael Talia, Matthew Boyd
C Lin Jong, Jack Macrae, Liam Picken
HF Tory Dickson, Jack Redpath, Stewart Crameri
F Jake Stringer, Tom Boyd, Luke Dahlhaus
Fol Will Minson, Mitch Wallis, Marcus Bontempelli
I/C Jarrad Grant, Mitch Honeychurch, Jason Johannisen, Brett Goodes
Emg Nathan Hrovat, Koby Stevens, Ayce Cordy
New Tom Boyd
WEST COAST
B Samuel Butler, Jeremy McGovern, Brad Sheppard
HB Shannon Hurn, Mitchell Brown, Matt Rosa
C Andrew Gaff, Luke Shuey, Elliot Yeo
HF Chris Masten, Tom Lamb, Mark LeCras
F Jamie Cripps, Josh J. Kennedy, Scott Lycett
Fol Nic Naitanui, Matt Priddis, Sharrod Wellingham
I/C Jackson Nelson, Patrick McGinnity, Scott Selwood, Dom Sheed
Emg Jamie Bennell, Kane Lucas, Simon Tunbridge
New Tom Lamb, Jackson Nelson
SOME RANDOM OBSERVATIONS
- Both teams have tall forwards that might stretch the opposition defenders
- Josh J Kennedy has regularly been a handful for our defenders and we should all be praying that Roughead has a great game.
- Mark LeCras had a day out against us last time and he is a player we will need to reign in.
- Our prize recruit over summer Tom Boyd will be our back up ruckman and it's going to be a huge ask for Minson and Boyd to break even with Nic Nat and Lycett.
- The reigning Brownlow Medalist Matt Priddis will be a handful so expect Picken and Wallis to be matched up against him at times.
- The form and undoubted talent of Marcus Bontempelli has occupied a lot of the media focus and I'd expect the Eagles to try something to curb his influence.
KEY MATCH UPS:
Roughead vs Kennedy
Morris vs LeCras
Talia vs Lycett
Minson vs Naitanui
Macrae vs Gaff
Brown vs Redpath
Hurn vs Grant
Sheppard vs Stringer
Rosa vs Crameri
Wallis vs Priddis
THE VERDICT:
This should be a cracking game and an important one for two teams wanting to be relevant in the competition in the 2015 season.
The Bulldogs go in with their tallest forward line I think I have ever seen and will be hoping that the scoreboard will keep ticking over by a variety of goal kickers.
We have also placed a high emphasis on players being versatile over the off season so we will be rotating players all over the ground. If this works well it will give us the edge we need.
Bulldogs by 10 points with a strong finish.