Where and when: Docklands, Saturday August 8, 2.10pm AEST
Head to head: Western Bulldogs 13 wins, West Coast 24 wins, one draw
Last time: West Coast 17.14 (116) d Western Bulldogs 12.11 (83), round four, 2009, at Subiaco Oval
MISSING IN ACTION
Western Bulldogs
Robert Murphy (hamstring) – 1 week
Scott Welsh (ankle) – 1 week
Tim Callan (lower back) – 1 week
Stephen Tiller (groin) – 1 week
Daniel Giansiracusa (knee) – 2 weeks
Shaun Higgins (hamstring) –2 weeks
West Coast
Jamie McNamara (corked thigh) – test
Matt Spangher (hamstring) – test
Brett Jones (thigh) – 1 week
Mark Nicoski (back) – 1-2 weeks
Dean Cox (groin) – indefinite
Daniel Kerr (abdominal strain) – indefinite
Beau Waters (elbow) – season
Luke Shuey (leg) – season
FORM
Western Bulldogs: WLWLW
West Coast: LLLLW
SUMMARY
They celebrated Brad Johnson's club games record with a 31-point victory over Fremantle at Docklands, with Jason Akermanis (five goals), Brennan Stack (four), and midfielders Daniel Cross, Adam Cooney and Matthew Boyd the main instigators.
Meanwhile, the Eagles (13th) dispelled tanking speculation when they overcame a bruised and battered Essendon by 27 points to record their fifth win for the season and end a four-match losing streak.
Mark LeCras (three goals) and Ben McKinley (four) provided the side with its firepower, while Matt Priddis (34 disposals), Andrew Embley (31), Adam Selwood (29) and Brad Ebert (28) were also very good.
West Coast beat the Bulldogs at their own running game at Subiaco in round four; the first of three straight losses for the Dogs.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Brennan Stack (Western Bulldogs)
The young indigenous forward replaced Robert Murphy to kick four goals in just his second game last week. With Murphy set for one more week on the sidelines, Stack will want to ensure selectors can't make any easy decisions by producing another impressive performance.
Mark Seaby (West Coast)
The Eagles have indicated their forgotten ruckman could play alongside Nic Naitanui given the Dogs' tendency to rotate big men Ben Hudson and Will Minson. Having requested an end of season trade, a game in Melbourne could be viewed by Seaby as an audition of sorts for clubs scouting for a back-up big man. Watch for a big performance if he gains a call up.
QUESTION MARKS
The Bulldogs have lost four of their past five games against the Eagles. Can they overcome those recent struggles to counter Collingwood's bid to steal third spot?
Will the Eagles make it two from two, and win their first game at Docklands since round 21, 2007?
Dean Cox (31 hit-outs and 25 touches) and Daniel Kerr (29 disposals and eight clearances) were key figures in the Eagles' round four triumph. What bearing will their absence have?
Will the Eagles' decision to travel one day before the game instead of the standard two have the desired effect on the players' concentration?
WHO WILL WIN AND WHY
The Dogs, while they managed to beat Fremantle for Johnson's record and Lindsay Gilbee's late father, were not at their best last weekend. They were lethargic after half time and should have been able to bury Mark Harvey's struggling side by much more than they did.
The Eagles had a win last week, but it was against a battered side that won't play finals. Their away record – which is two games' shy of the Sydney Swans 21-match interstate losing streak – has not been good in recent times. They will also be without the two players – Cox and Kerr – that drove their last win over the Dogs.
The Bulldogs proved last week they can kick goals without a handful of their regular forwards, and they'll be itching to make a statement after last week's unimpressive win.
PREDICTION
Western Bulldogs by 49 points
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
