An unchanged Western Bulldogs team will endeavour to return to the winners’ list when it takes on Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night.
The Bulldogs fell to a narrow nine-point loss to Collingwood last week, but have won just one of their past five matches.
However, they sit just two games behind the seventh-placed Power.
A win could be crucial in the context of the Bulldogs’ season, and could see them move within four points of the top eight after 15 rounds.
However, that will be no easy task against a Power line-up which is coming off a win against ladder-leader Geelong.
The midfield battle will be crucial to the contest.
Jack Macrae (78 disposals in the past fortnight), Josh Dunkley and Marcus Bontempelli have been in hot form for the Dogs in recent weeks, while Travis Boak (32 disposals per game in 2019), Ollie Wines and Robbie Gray lead a potent Power engine room.
Lewis Young, Toby McLean, Laitham Vandermeer and Lachie Young have been named as the Bulldogs’ emergencies.
ROUND 15 TEAM
B: Jason Johannisen, Jackson Trengove, Bailey Williams
HB: Caleb Daniel, Zaine Cordy, Easton Wood
C: Lachie Hunter, Bailey Smith, Pat Lipinski
HF: Matt Suckling, Josh Schache, Sam Lloyd
F: Marcus Bontempelli, Aaron Naughton, Tory Dickson
Foll: Tim English, Josh Dunkley, Jack Macrae
Int: Hayden Crozier, Taylor Duryea, Ed Richards, Roarke Smith
Emer: Lewis Young, Toby McLean, Laitham Vandermeer, Lachie Young
MATCH DETAILS
Port Adelaide v Western Bulldogs
Adelaide Oval
Saturday 29 June
7.40 AEST / 7.10 ACST
For match information, click here.
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LAST TIME THEY MET
Round 19, 2018 – Port Adelaide ran away with a 44-point win in Ballarat, after leading by just four points at the major break. Charlie Dixon was the match-winner for the Power, slotting five goals. Jackson Trengove impressed against his former side with 22 disposals and 28 hit-outs, while Jack Macrae (36 disposals) and Lachie Hunter (35) found plenty of the ball. Now-Kangaroo Jared Polec had 32 disposals for the Power, while Bulldog Fergus Greene snagged a goal in his AFL debut.
BROADCAST INFO
TV – Channel 7, FOX Footy
Radio – Triple M, SEN/AFL Nation, ABC, FiveAA
