SUMMARY
North Melbourne will be out to boost the second-lowest percentage of teams in the top eight against an injury-ridden Western Bulldogs outfit on the scoring-friendly Etihad Stadium track. While the Dogs will lose captain Easton Wood and Brownlow Medal fancy Jack Macrae to hamstring injuries, the Kangaroos, fresh off the bye, will have a near full-strength side with the likely return of key cogs Jarrad Waite (calf) and Jed Anderson (hamstring). The midfield appears the biggest advantage the Roos will have, with former Bulldog Shaun Higgins and Ben Cunnington in All Australian form. Todd Goldstein is likely to provide his midfielders with silver service against a hurt and malfunctioning Dogs ruck division. With Wood out, Jackson Trengove will have the massive task of organising a young and inexperienced back against the twin towers of Ben Brown and Waite. This clash could get very ugly, very quickly.
WHERE AND WHEN: Etihad Stadium, Saturday, June 23, 7.25pm AEST
TV AND RADIO: Click here for broadcast guide
LAST FIVE MEETINGS
R14, 2017, Western Bulldogs 15.17 (107) d North Melbourne 16.10 (106) at Etihad Stadium
R4, 2017, Western Bulldogs 12.17 (89) d North Melbourne 12.14 (86) at Etihad Stadium
R20, 2016, Western Bulldogs 9.7 (61) d North Melbourne 7.5 (47) at Etihad Stadium
R6, 2016, North Melbourne 9.7 (61) d Western Bulldogs 6.9 (45) at Etihad Stadium
R22, 2015, Western Bulldogs 14.12 (96) d North Melbourne 10.13 (73) at Etihad Stadium
THE SIX POINTS
1. The Western Bulldogs have struggled to score this season, ranked 15th for goals per game with an average of 9.6. They've reached 100 points in a game just twice.
2. The Bulldogs have had the better of the Kangaroos recently, winning the last three games and four of the last five after North Melbourne's streak of four straight wins in 2012-14.
3. The Dogs play a strongly uncontested style of football, ranked fifth for uncontested possessions with an average of 236.6 per game, a long way ahead of the Kangaroos, who are 16th averaging 207.2.
4. The teams have played 23 times at Etihad Stadium with the Kangaroos winning 12 games to 11; the Dogs are three wins from seven games at Etihad this season, while North Melbourne has recorded three wins and two losses.
5. The Kangaroos have been popular with the umpires this season, ranked first for free kicks with 24.2 per game. Ben Brown is fifth in the competition for free kicks with 32 received. The Bulldogs are ninth with an average of 22.5 per game.
6. Marcus Bontempelli is the highest-positioned Bulldog in the Schick AFL Player Ratings. in 10th spot overall with 539.9 ranking points. Ben Cunnington is best-placed Kangaroo in 14th spot (522.5 points).
IT'S A BIG WEEK FOR …
Premiership Bulldog and diminutive playmaker Caleb Daniel collected just five possessions and failed to lay a tackle in the loss to Port Adelaide last week.
PREDICTION: North Melbourne by 45 points
