WHERE & WHEN:At the MCG, 2.10pm, Sunday 1 July
MEDIA COVERAGE: Channel7 (Melbourne 3pm, Adelaide1.30pm, SA Regional 4.30pm, Perth 2pm, New South Wales 2pm, Queensland2pm), Triple M, 3AW, K-Rock, ABC Radio (Melbourne, Canberra,Hobart, Darwin), NIRS (Perth,Brisbane, Darwin), 6PR, afl.com.au
HEAD-TO-HEAD:Played: 140, Kangaroos: 67, Western Bulldogs: 70, Drawn: 3
LAST TIME:Kangaroos 13.16 (94) d Western Bulldogs 12.10 (82), round 14, 2006, at the MCG
TAB Sportsbet:Kangaroos: $1.94, Western Bulldogs: $1.80
MILESTONES:
Should Chris Grant play this week, he will notch up his337th official game, which will take him clear of John Rantall and intooutright 11th spot in the history of the game. He will be listed behind MichaelTuck (426 games), Kevin Bartlett (403), Simon Madden (378), Craig Bradley(375), Bernie Quinlan (366), John Blakey (359), Bruce Doull (356), Paul Roos(356), Robert Harvey (350), and Doug Hawkins (350).
Grant started playing in 1990 and is participating in his18th season, but is yet to play a senior game this year owing to surgery toremove bone spurs from his pubic bone. The much-loved Bulldog has been slowlyreturning to form in the VFL and is reportedly close to breaking into thesenior side.
Nathan Eagleton will have to wait another two weeks to rackup his 150th club game owing to a two-match suspension, while the Kangarooswill have two milestones to celebrate with Glenn Archer playing his 300thcareer match, and Leigh Brown playing his 100th in the blue and white.
INJURIES:
The Bulldogs will miss Robert Murphy for one to two weeks,after the forward injured his "other" hamstring against the Dockersin Darwin.
Young gun Tim Walsh's disastrous run with injuries hascontinued with the key position prospect sidelined with a hamstring complaintfor the next three weeks, after he sat out last season owing to a kneereconstruction.
Ball magnet Daniel Cross (strained medial ligament) won't beback for at least five weeks, while Ryan Griffen (dislocated knee cap andmedial strain) will be out for another six.
The Kangaroos look like getting back Daniel Wells, who hasbeen out of action since round seven with a knee injury and was a latewithdrawal in the first week of the split round, while Blake Grima and DavidTrotter (both hamstrings) are still a week from becoming available.
Rookie Leigh Adams (thumb) faces two weeks on the sidelines,while Daniel McConnell (shoulder) is out for seven weeks. Josh Gibson (head) islisted as indefinite but isn't expected to play this year, while NathanThompson is out for the year with a knee injury.
RECENT HEAD TO HEADHISTORY:
The Dogs have the recent wood over the Kangaroos and havewon four of their last six clashes. But it's the Kangaroos who hold currentbragging rights at the home of football having won by 12 points in their lastmeeting, in round 14 last season.
RECENT FORM:
The Bulldogs went into the mid-season break on a highfollowing their 26-point win over the Dockers up in Darwin in the first week of the split round.After trailing for much of the game, they staged a strong second half to grabtheir second win in a row, which enabled them to enter the second half of theseason in seventh place.
They've been winning in spurts and have not recorded more thantwo consecutive wins this season, but their past two triumphs – which have bothbeen on the road – will give them confidence.
The Kangaroos, who also played in the first week of thesplit round, were downed by the Crows at Carrara,which gave them only their second loss in nine weeks. The 46-point loss forcedthem to launch the second half of their season from ninth position, but Sydney's loss toCollingwood on Saturday night means they hold the spot by a clear four points.
RED HOT PLAYERS:
Brad Johnson kicked five goals two weeks ago against theDockers, while Lindsay Gilbee and Matthew Boyd teamed up admirably to cover forthe absence of Cross. Jordan McMahon was also impressive after spending a weekin the VFL, while Brian Harris was good on Matthew Pavlich.
In the Kangaroos' 46-point loss to the Crows, impressiveperformances were few and far between, but Adam Simpson, Brent Harvey, HamishMcIntosh and Lindsay Thomas were all good.
THE X-FACTOR:
Rather than name a Bulldogs player who will provide an addedspark to the side, this week's challenge will require a lift from playersacross the board in order to cope with the added emotion of Kangaroo greatGlenn Archer's 300th game.
It was proven last week that inspirational milestones canresult in extraordinary performances when the Saints managed to celebrateRobert Harvey's 350th game with a win over the Eagles at Subiaco.
It begs the question: will Archer's big moment provide theKangaroos with that all-important X-Factor, or will the Bulldogs find a way tonullify a side determined to get up for one of its favourite sons?
WHAT THE COACH SAYS:
"Glenn is held in such high regard within thecompetition, let alone the Kangaroos, obviously his teammates are going want todo well for him. But, I think that sort of emotion and euphoria can probablylast 10 or 15 minutes.
"Our next three games are against teams that are equal with us, so itcertainly is an important time for us. But I think the good thing is that allteams have got their futures in their own hands." – Rodney Eade.
