The Western Bulldogs have made just the one change ahead of Saturday night’s clash with Richmond, with defender Matthew Boyd returning to the side in place of Bailey Dale.

Boyd missed last Friday night’s nail-biting clash with Greater Western Sydney after developing some general soreness after the round five match against Brisbane, but has been named in the back-pocket for what will be his 288^th game for the Club.

Big man Tom Campbell has recovered from an ankle complaint and has been named as an emergency alongside Dale, and Lukas Webb, who collected 32 disposals, took eight marks and kicked a goal in the latest in a run of impressive VFL performances last Friday night.

Richmond won their first five matches of the season before going down to the Crows at Adelaide Oval last weekend, but coach Luke Beveridge said the Tigers have demonstrated what they’re capable of and the Dogs will need to be ready for their best.

“We need to be prepared, they’ve played some great football,” he told gathered media on Thursday morning.

“Even in the first quarter last week they were very good again, there was a change in the complexion of the game after that for one or two reasons, but we’ll be preparing for their best. 

“They’ve obviously changed quite dramatically from a personnel point of view when you distinguish 2016/17 so they’re a fairly different side, their KPIs and all of the statistics around them are so different to what they were last year.”

For a full match preview click here, and for information on starting times and tickets, click here.

AFL Round 7 Western Bulldogs v Richmond Tigers
Saturday 6 May, 2017, 7:25pm
Venue: Etihad Stadium

IN: M. Boyd
OUT: B. Dale