The Western Bulldogs have ranked sixth across the AFLW competition for most difficult teams to play against.

Using a formula devised by womens.afl experts Sarah Black and Gemma Bastiani, only Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane, Fremantle and North Melbourne ranked above the young Pups.

The Bulldogs’ upcoming opponents, Carlton, rank seventh.

The formula involves assigning each club a points rating based on several factors, including their ladder position last season, and the average experience of players lost or gained during the most recent off-season.

The higher the number, the stronger the team in season seven.

Based on these standings and the values of each team’s opponents being added together, the Bulldogs have been analysed as having the 12^th-most difficult fixture.

In season seven, the Bulldogs defeated GWS (ranked ninth-most difficult), Port Adelaide (16^th), Fremantle (4^th), Hawthorn (15^th), St Kilda (13^th) and West Coast (=17^th) while suffering losses to North Melbourne (5^th), Geelong (10^th) and Melbourne (1^st).