St Kilda vs Western Bulldogs
Saturday 25 May 2013, 4:40pm
Venue: Etihad Stadium

Head to head:
Round 18, 2012: St Kilda 16. 22. (118) defeat Western Bulldogs 6. 6. (42), Etihad Stadium
Round 3, 2012: Western Bulldogs 5. 10. (40) defeated by St Kilda 15. 13. (103), Etihad Stadium
Round 12, 2011: St Kilda 12. 9. (81) defeat Western Bulldogs 8. 9. (57), Etihad Stadium
Preliminary Final, 2010: St Kilda 13. 10. (88) defeat Western Bulldogs 8. 16. (64), MCG

Last time they met:

  • Nick Riewoldt had 14 marks – seven of which were inside 50, which he converted into four goals and three behinds.
  • Brendon Goddard (33), Leigh Montagna (32), Lenny Hayes (28), Nick Dal Santo (28) and Matthew Boyd (27) were the main possession winners on the day – the next highest rating Bulldog was Ryan Griffen with 23.
  • The Bulldogs were inexperienced in comparison to the Saints, averaging 78.1 games experience, while St Kilda had played 117 games on average

Recent Form:
Western Bulldogs
A Rising Star nomination to Jack Macrae was the main highlight in the loss to the Gold Coast Suns last weekend. Senior Coach Brendan McCartney this week attributed short lapses in performances – particularly in red time – as to why opposition sides were able to break free and keep the Bulldogs out of games. Claiming the Club is closer to producing good results than many think, McCartney’s men will be hoping for a full four quarter effort against St Kilda.

St Kilda
With two wins in eight games so far this season, St Kilda are finding themselves in a similar predicament to the Bulldogs, trying to balance youth and aging veterans. An upset against Carlton in round seven proves they cannot be underestimated but as a club, they will be looking to find consistency in the coming weeks.

Key Matchups and Gamebreakers:

  • Young midfielder Jack Steven has stepped up alongside Leigh Montagna to both become central figures in St Kilda’s engine room this season. Finding a career best 39 disposals against Carlton last fortnight, Steven’s stocks are rising as he begins to have more influence over the game.
  • Ranking equal fifth in the race for the Coleman Medal Nick Riewoldt is in fine form. Kicking three or more goals in five games this year, his athleticism and aerobic capacity continues to pose as a hard match up. It is likely both Jordan Roughead and Dale Morris could spend time on the veteran forward.
  • The run produced by Ryan Griffen, Robert Murphy and round eight Rising Star Nominee Jack Macrae will be vital on Saturday, with Adam Cooney missing through injury. Macrae’s ability to step up last weekend in a career best game will put him in good stead to maintain the momentum and provide assistance to the veterans on the wing.