westernbulldogs.com.au looks at four hot topics ahead of Sunday’s clash with Carlton at Etihad Stadium.
History awaits
The Dogs will not only be shooting for five straight wins over the Blues when the two sides cross swords on Sunday afternoon, but a win will call for a minor re-writing of the record book: the Dogs having never beaten the ‘baggers more than four times on the trot since their first match back in July 1925 (we lost that one by 13 points for what it’s worth).
In fact, you’d have to go back to the mid-eighties for the last time they got close, between round 21, 1984 and round 9, 1986. The next time the two sides met didn’t go so well, the Blues handing out a 79-point lashing at Waverley Park.
It was the first time the two sides had battled out that way since 1981 and ended up being the last clash between the pair at the old VFL Park.
Probably a good thing.
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Bulls on Parade
Broadcast legend Bruce McAvaney is prone to the odd burst of hyperbole, and he was particularly colourful the last time the Marcus Bontempelli and Carlton bull Patrick Cripps stood side by side in round 6 this season.
Cripps was dominant in the first term, picking up 10 disposals and five clearances, before Luke Beveridge sent Lin Jong and Bontempelli to curb the Carlton star. Bont then got busy himself, reeling off 11 touches, two inside 50s and two score involvements to help send the Dogs into the main break 23 points up.
It prompted this outburst from Macca: “The two young stars, the two young champs. Don’t you love it.”
Yeah, we do. Good for Dogs fans, good for Blues fans and good for the ‘state of the game’. It’s not often you see really good players go one on one all day but here’s hoping we see it at least for a bit on Sunday.
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The Men’s Department
Despite some complications, Caleb Daniel is not only equipped with a fresh new haircut, he’s also in his best form of the season, last week racking up a career-high 40 touches.
It’s been partly instigated by a change in role, with CD spending more time in defence, or the ‘men’s department’ as it’s also known, and using his footy smarts and superior ball use to quarterback the Dogs’ drive out of defence. When he’s good, he’s very good, Caleb, and the Dogs are a better team when the former #46 pick is finding the footy.
It's a good excuse to roll out these highlights again. Daniel came on as the sub (remember them?) back in round 14, 2015 and had a debut to remember against the Blues.
14 disposals, five marks and one goal later, a cult hero, and genuine Bulldog weapon, was born.
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Clearance Kings?
Now, while 10th v 14th in the second to last round might not scream appointment TV, even neutrals should pencil this one in, especially if you enjoy yourself some midfield craft.
It’s a bit of a cliché, but this one really should be won or lost in the engine room and the Blues, led by Cripps, are pretty good out of the middle.
Get this, who is the third-best centre clearance team in the competition? That’s right, it’s Carlton. The Dogs are 10th.
Cripps is a beast, but Zac Fisher is pretty good too and if the Dogs are to get the points they’ll need to win this battle. Stats, though, don’t always tell the full story and as Luke Beveridge said here, the Dogs’ midfield has looked formidable in recent times, so as Ed Richards’ great uncle Lou used to say, we could be in for a ring-a-ding-ding battle this weekend.
Is it Sunday yet?
