TonyK
CibbuanoMatch Preview: Western Bulldogs v St Kilda
August 25th 2006 03:00
WESTERN BULLDOGS v ST KILDA
WHERE & WHEN: Telstra Dome, 7:40pm (AEST), Friday, August 25
TV & RADIO: Channel 9 (Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Sydney, Brisbane), ABC, 3AW, Triple M (Melbourne, Adelaide)
HEAD TO HEAD: Western Bulldogs 68, St Kilda 69, 2 Draws
LAST TIME: St Kilda 13.14 (92) bt Western Bulldogs 11.12 (78), Telstra Dome, Round 6, 2006.
TAB Sportsbet: Western Bulldogs $1.80, St Kilda $1.90
The Bulldogs returned to form last week against the Crows with the attacking brand of running football which saw them lead the competition after four rounds.
Some may say Adelaide threw the game away by shutting the match down with a five-goal lead in the bank, but the Dogs didn't allow them to play their natural running game from half-back which triggered the remarkable turnaround.
The Dogs are currently sitting in seventh spot, after a poor month of form which saw them lose three of their last four prior to last Saturday's upset win.
Therefore tonight's clash against the Saints at the Telstra Dome is crucial, pinch this one and with a more than winnable game against Essendon to close the season out it isn't out of the realms of possibility that the Doggies could host a final in the first week.
However, that could all count for very little with Victorian sides currently occupying the bottom three rungs of the top eight.
St Kilda have had the wood over the Bulldogs in recent times, with the Saints winning four of their past five encounters, and the spoils being shared in the sides six clashes at the Telstra Dome.
After a wretched run with injury, the Doggies received some good news this week with midfielder Daniel Giansiracusa to return from a hamstring strain, and veteran Brett Montgomery, who is in the club's best 22 according to coach Rodney Eade to commence from a calf injury.
Meanwhile, the Saints were bitterly disappointing against Fremantle last week in Perth, after kicking the first two goals of the match they never really looked in the hunt from there on in as the Dockers cruised to a 58-point win.
The Saints failed to play the percentages in the wet conditions and paid the ultimate price.
Despite that the Saints are still an outside chance to clinch a top four berth with a game against Brisbane at the Gabba in round 22 a match you would expect them to win.
Like the Dogs, St Kilda have had a horror run with injuries this season, but welcome back embattled forward Aaron Hamill who hasn't played since round seven after injuring his posterior cruciate ligament.
Hamill's fitness has to be a concern to the match committee, and the question has to be asked is an underdone Hamill of more value than any other player on St Kilda's list.
You would expect him to play no more than 15 minutes each quarter in an attempt to stretch the Bulldogs defence.
This is all well and good on paper, but if the ball goes to ground the Dogs defenders will be able to run the ball out at will, which is where a large base of their attacking plays are made from.
The midfield battle will be where this game is won or lost, and the Bulldogs clearly have the edge in this department, with Scott West who collected a staggering 45 possessions last week and young gun Adam Cooney who had 33 touches and booted five goals leading the way.
The Saints midfield is struggling to keep pace with the modern game, and the club is clearly missing Lenny Hayes who has been sidelined for the bulk of the year with a knee injury.
Hayes absence has meant opposition sides have been able to target Nick Dal Santo and skipper Luke Ball and quell their influence.
With the Clarke brothers clearly underdone, Hamill also lacking match fitness and the Saints midfield in dire need of some run, you would expect the Bulldogs to run over the top in a hard-fought contest. Bulldogs by 22 points.
WESTERN BULLDOGS
B: McMahon, Harris, Morris
HB: Smith, Hargrave, Gilbee
C: Cooney, S.West, Ray
HF: Boyd, Johnson, Power
F: Robbins, Grant, Giansiracusa
FOLL: Street, Cross, Griffen
I/C: Birss, Faulkner, Minson, Montgomery
EMG: Addison, McGuinness, Wight
IN: Giansiracusa, Montgomery
OUT: Addison, Wight
ST KILDA
B: Voss, Hudghton, Baker
HB: Gram, S.Fisher, L.Fisher
C: Goddard, Ball, Montagna
HF: X.Clarke, Riewoldt, Hamill
F: Milne, Gehrig, Ackland
FOLL: Koschitzke, Dal Santo, Harvey
I/C: R.Clarke, Peckett, Powell, Rix
EMG: Fiora, Gilbert, McQualter
IN: Ackland, Hamill, Powell
OUT: Blake (ribs), Thompson (adductor), Fiora
Field umpires: Allen, Kennedy, Jeffrey
WHERE & WHEN: Telstra Dome, 7:40pm (AEST), Friday, August 25
TV & RADIO: Channel 9 (Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Sydney, Brisbane), ABC, 3AW, Triple M (Melbourne, Adelaide)
HEAD TO HEAD: Western Bulldogs 68, St Kilda 69, 2 Draws
LAST TIME: St Kilda 13.14 (92) bt Western Bulldogs 11.12 (78), Telstra Dome, Round 6, 2006.
TAB Sportsbet: Western Bulldogs $1.80, St Kilda $1.90
The Bulldogs returned to form last week against the Crows with the attacking brand of running football which saw them lead the competition after four rounds.
Some may say Adelaide threw the game away by shutting the match down with a five-goal lead in the bank, but the Dogs didn't allow them to play their natural running game from half-back which triggered the remarkable turnaround.
The Dogs are currently sitting in seventh spot, after a poor month of form which saw them lose three of their last four prior to last Saturday's upset win.
Therefore tonight's clash against the Saints at the Telstra Dome is crucial, pinch this one and with a more than winnable game against Essendon to close the season out it isn't out of the realms of possibility that the Doggies could host a final in the first week.
However, that could all count for very little with Victorian sides currently occupying the bottom three rungs of the top eight.
St Kilda have had the wood over the Bulldogs in recent times, with the Saints winning four of their past five encounters, and the spoils being shared in the sides six clashes at the Telstra Dome.
After a wretched run with injury, the Doggies received some good news this week with midfielder Daniel Giansiracusa to return from a hamstring strain, and veteran Brett Montgomery, who is in the club's best 22 according to coach Rodney Eade to commence from a calf injury.
Meanwhile, the Saints were bitterly disappointing against Fremantle last week in Perth, after kicking the first two goals of the match they never really looked in the hunt from there on in as the Dockers cruised to a 58-point win.
The Saints failed to play the percentages in the wet conditions and paid the ultimate price.
Despite that the Saints are still an outside chance to clinch a top four berth with a game against Brisbane at the Gabba in round 22 a match you would expect them to win.
Like the Dogs, St Kilda have had a horror run with injuries this season, but welcome back embattled forward Aaron Hamill who hasn't played since round seven after injuring his posterior cruciate ligament.
Hamill's fitness has to be a concern to the match committee, and the question has to be asked is an underdone Hamill of more value than any other player on St Kilda's list.
You would expect him to play no more than 15 minutes each quarter in an attempt to stretch the Bulldogs defence.
This is all well and good on paper, but if the ball goes to ground the Dogs defenders will be able to run the ball out at will, which is where a large base of their attacking plays are made from.
The midfield battle will be where this game is won or lost, and the Bulldogs clearly have the edge in this department, with Scott West who collected a staggering 45 possessions last week and young gun Adam Cooney who had 33 touches and booted five goals leading the way.
The Saints midfield is struggling to keep pace with the modern game, and the club is clearly missing Lenny Hayes who has been sidelined for the bulk of the year with a knee injury.
Hayes absence has meant opposition sides have been able to target Nick Dal Santo and skipper Luke Ball and quell their influence.
With the Clarke brothers clearly underdone, Hamill also lacking match fitness and the Saints midfield in dire need of some run, you would expect the Bulldogs to run over the top in a hard-fought contest. Bulldogs by 22 points.
WESTERN BULLDOGS
B: McMahon, Harris, Morris
HB: Smith, Hargrave, Gilbee
C: Cooney, S.West, Ray
HF: Boyd, Johnson, Power
F: Robbins, Grant, Giansiracusa
FOLL: Street, Cross, Griffen
I/C: Birss, Faulkner, Minson, Montgomery
EMG: Addison, McGuinness, Wight
IN: Giansiracusa, Montgomery
OUT: Addison, Wight
ST KILDA
B: Voss, Hudghton, Baker
HB: Gram, S.Fisher, L.Fisher
C: Goddard, Ball, Montagna
HF: X.Clarke, Riewoldt, Hamill
F: Milne, Gehrig, Ackland
FOLL: Koschitzke, Dal Santo, Harvey
I/C: R.Clarke, Peckett, Powell, Rix
EMG: Fiora, Gilbert, McQualter
IN: Ackland, Hamill, Powell
OUT: Blake (ribs), Thompson (adductor), Fiora
Field umpires: Allen, Kennedy, Jeffrey
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