1. It’s on for young and old(er)
One career starts, as another resumes.
Young gun Rhylee West will make his AFL debut in red, white and blue, while premiership defender Dale Morris will return from – another – ACL injury mid-way through a season.
It’s a big day for the Bulldogs.
West has been described as a “tough” player by coach Luke Beveridge, who will bring some added intensity to the forward line and potentially the midfield.
Dale Morris? We all know what to expect there.
2. One week at a time
It’s boring, but it couldn’t be more true.
And this weekend is that important, for the Bulldogs and the Dockers.
Bevo has conceded that ‘there’s no wriggle room’ if the Bulldogs want to keep their finals aspirations alive, and that a win against the Dockers is essential.
Only a narrow percentage differential splits the teams on the ladder.
The winner stays in touch with the eight, and the loser slips potentially two games and a percentage buffer behind.
3. Go big or go home
Fremantle will fly over plenty of tall timber.
The Dockers’ line-up will boast three genuine ruckmen in Aaron Sandilands, Rory Lobb and Sean Darcy – and it’s easy to see two of them in attack at any given time.
Sandilands (211 centimetres), Lobb (206 centimetres) and Darcy (202 centimetres) pose a sizeable threat.
It looms as a big test for the likes of Tim English and Jackson Trengove, plus potentially Zaine Cordy and Dale Morris in key defensive posts.
4. Clash of the titans
Will we see Marcus Bontempelli and Nat Fyfe go head-to-head at stoppages?
It’s a tantalising prospect.
Fyfe returns to the Dockers’ line-up after missing their narrow win last week through injury, while Bontempelli was well held against St Kilda.
Both are among the competition’s elite – with Fyfe rated second in the AFL Player Ratings and Bontempelli tenth.
Fyfe has had more of the ball in 2019, averaging 29.1 to 26.3 disposals per game, but Bontempelli has gained more metreage, with an average of 506.8 metres per game to 362.2.
