SUMMARY
A brilliant victory over the Swans has the Bulldogs brimming with confidence and sitting inside the top four at 4-1 after five rounds. Old-timers Matthew Boyd and Bob Murphy have been rejuvenated under new coach Luke Beveridge, while youngsters Lin Jong and Lukas Webb have slotted seamlessly into the senior side. St Kilda, on the other hand, will be ruing missed opportunities against Essendon. The Saints played bold football and had veteran Adam Schneider kicked accurately in the dying minutes, they probably would have come away with the win. Skipper Nick Riewoldt and midfielder Leigh Montagna would be welcome inclusions for the game against the Dogs, with both a 50-50 chance to return.
WHERE AND WHEN: Etihad Stadium, Saturday, May 9, 2.10pm AEST
TV AND RADIO: Click here for broadcast guide
LAST FIVE TIMES
R20, 2014, Western Bulldogs 18.14 (122) d St Kilda 15.9 (99) at Etihad Stadium
R9, 2013, Western Bulldogs 17.8 (110) d St Kilda 15.11 (101) at Etihad Stadium
R18, 2012, St Kilda 16.22 (118) d Western Bulldogs 6.6 (42) at Etihad Stadium
R3, 2012, St Kilda 15.13 (103) d Western Bulldogs 5.10 (40) at Etihad Stadium
R12, 2011, St Kilda 12.9 (81) d Western Bulldogs 8.9 (57) at Etihad Stadium
THE SIX POINTS
1. The Saints haven't beaten the Bulldogs since 2012, with the Bulldogs winning their last two encounters.
2. Contested possession has been a strength of both sides so far this season. The Bulldogs are ranked No.4 in the competition, averaging 145.5 per game, while the Saints come in at No.6 with an average of 144.4 per game.
3. Jake Stringer has been in fine form this year, kicking 12 goals in the first five games of the season. The Bulldog kicked four goals last time these two sides met and caused plenty of headaches for the Saints defenders, and will once again be a danger man.
4. The Bulldogs' pressure has been fantastic in 2015, so it's no surprise they are the No.1 tackling side in the AFL at the moment. They're averaging 77.2 tackles per game. The Saints are ranked seventh with 70 per game.
5. The Saints have the edge over the Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium, having won 11 games to seven at the venue.
6. David Armitage has been in red-hot form this season. The midfielder is the Saints' No.2 ranked player, according to the AFL's Official Player Ratings, trailing Jack Steven. Already this season Armitage has jumped from the No.77 to No.60 and looks set to continue his rise.
IT'S A BIG WEEK FOR …
Adam Schneider, who missed two golden chances late in the game against the Bombers and will be looking to make amends. Coach Alan Richardson admitted after the loss that Schneider's inaccuracy in front of goal was disappointing but he wouldn't be chastised for it. With a week to stew on it, you can be sure that Schneider will make every effort to atone for his errant goalkicking.
PREDICTION: Western Bulldogs by 18 points
