Head to head: Essendon 87 wins, Western Bulldogs 59 wins, two drawn
Last time: Western Bulldogs 15.13 (103) d Essendon 11.4 (70), round 16, 2009, at Etihad Stadium
MISSING IN ACTION
Essendon
Ricky Dyson (knee) - test
Cale Hooker (hamstring) - 2-3 weeks
Jason Laycock (foot) - TBC
Jake Melksham (ankle) 1-2 weeks
Henry Slattery (ribs) - 1 week
Western Bulldogs
Ayce Cordy (shoulder) - season
Brad Johnson (achilles) - 3 weeks
Lukas Markovic (shoulder) - test
Robert Murphy (knee) - 2-3 weeks
Shane Thorne (knee) - 9 weeks
Callan Ward (groin) - 1 week
FORM
Essendon: LWLWW
Western Bulldogs: WLWWW
SUMMARY
The Bombers strung two wins together for the first time this season with their 35-point triumph over Richmond. The Dreamtime at the 'G victory keeps them in contention with teams circling the top eight and level with Melbourne, the Brisbane Lions and North Melbourne on points.
David Hille was the Bombers' best player against the Tigers with three goals and 26 touches. It was the second consecutive game where the ruckman stood out, after he booted four goals against St Kilda in round eight.
The Bulldogs are finally starting to hit their straps after a patchy start to the season. They've won their last three games against Melbourne, the Sydney Swans and North Melbourne, with their 70-point win over the Roos boosting their percentage and handing them fourth spot.
While Barry Hall's report against Scott Thompson was the main story from Saturday's game, Adam Cooney's blistering form and Brian Lake's 41 possessions and 22 marks were decided highlights.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Young defender Tayte Pears might not want to replicate Thompson's approach to curtailing Hall considering the Kangaroos backman was left wedged in a headlock by one of the toughest players going around. With Hall's patience no doubt frayed by the encounter, Pears might want to stick to traditional curbing methods.
At the other end of the ground, it's worth keeping an eye on Brian Lake as it's become a toss-up knowing how the big defender will play. Will he sneak forward for a couple of goals, like he did against the Demons and Swans, or will he rack up huge stats and take more marks than anyone else on the field?
QUESTION MARKS
Can the Bombers do what they did to St Kilda and upset an expected finalist?
Will Matthew Knights find a spot for Mark Williams to come into the side and play his first senior game since round four?
How many Dream Team coaches will add Lake to their team after he scored the highest tally of points - 192 - in the history of the competition last week?
WHO WILL WIN AND WHY
While the Bombers have somewhat proven themselves capable of taking on the big guns, it's hard to see them beating the Dogs. Rodney Eade's team started slowly but they're clicking into gear even without a few key players contributing. With goalkickers aplenty, their midfield firing and their backline sound, they're becoming a force.
PREDICTION
Western Bulldogs by 32 points.
Chat with host Luke Holmesby and other fans in the AFL Match Centre on afl.com.au from 7.10pm Friday or join the conversation on Twitter: #aflbombersdogs.
The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
