Editor
The Western Bulldogs are back in the AFL top eight after a controversial one-point win over North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium.
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Final score
Western Bulldogs 15.17.107
North Melbourne Kangaroos 16.10.106
The Western Bulldogs will be looking to fight their way back into the top eight when they take on a struggling North Melbourne Kangaroos side at the wrong end of the ladder. Catch all the live scores, highlights and AFL action on The Roar from 7:25pm (AEST).
The defending champions, the Bulldogs, have slipped away over the past two months, losing their last two in a row and four of their last five games as they look to stay in touch with the finals race.
A dismal effort in attack over the last two weeks has seen them put on only 42 and 56 points against the Swans and Demons respectively, eventually going down by 57 to Melbourne at home just six days ago.
In those same two games, they’ve averaged just five goals in the first half and conceded 13 as the premiership winners continue to throw execution out the window.
Despite sitting in 10th on the ladder with six wins and just as many defeats, a win today will shoot them back into the top eight, leaping over the Bombers and Swans and even beyond if they can really pile on the pain for the Kangaroos.
It’s not so pleasant for the Kangaroos who are languishing down in second last, sitting in 17th with just four wins to their name this season.
They too are coming off back to back defeats, including a 17-point loss to the Saints last week, failing to come back late after kicking just four goals in the opening three quarters.
In a somewhat odd statistic of low-scoring contests, the Roos have the third worst attack in the league, averaging 81 points per game, but also have the third-best defence in the league, conceding just 84 points a game.
A win today for North Melbourne could actually see them jump as high as four spots into 13th, putting them just one position behind the Dogs who will fall below the Saints on percentage if they lose by even the smallest of margins.
These two have already played each other once this year, with the Dogs coming back in the final quarter to hold onto a 3-point win back in Round 4.
That win was the third victory for the Bulldogs in the last four encounters between the two.
Team News
The defending premiers have been forced into a couple of changes this week with injury playing a part in the line up for Luke Beveridge.
Tom Boyd and Lin Jong have both been ruled out with calf and ACL injuries respectively, allowing Jack Redpath and Tom Campbell to come into the side.
For the Kangaroos, they will welcome back polarising ruckman Majak Daw who has been called up for just his second game in the AFL this season.
Also being promoted from the VFL this week is former skipper and 11-year Kangaroos veteran Andrew Swallow, joining Daw on the interchange.
Jamie Macmillan comes back into the side after missing the Roos loss to St Kilda last week with a hamstring strain.
In terms of omissions, Kayne Turner has been ruled out with a knee injury, while Lachlan Hansen and Jed Anderson have been sent down to the VFL in favour of the aforementioned additions.
Prediction
Both sides really, really need this win today after struggling in the opening half of the season.
Things are looking better for the Bulldogs in the grand picture but the Kangaroos are still in it among a tight race in the bottom ten.
Both teams have really struggled with scoring points in recent times as well but I think the Bulldogs might just have the edge to turn it around with a big performance at home.
Bulldogs to win by 7