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AFL coaches are fond of saying they don’t look past the next match but Western Bulldogs mentor Rodney Eade had more than today’s match against Carlton on his mind this week.
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Eade is well aware the Dogs need to clinch the points against the Blues at Telstra Dome to give them momentum going into a difficult run home.
With the finals now firmly at the front of the club’s plans, they can’t afford slip-ups against sides lower down on the ladder.
It is also vital for the side to regain some confidence after being embarrassed in a final term wipeout against Geelong last week.
“We knew going into the Geelong game we’ve got a tough run home – Carlton, and then we play three away games in the last five weeks, Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide and we play the Kangas (North Melbourne) again,” Eade said.
“We know where we’re at in that situation which I think will be a good lead into the finals.”
The Blues will be playing for their finals ambitions tonight so Eade is not about to under-estimate the side which is rebounding from successive losses.
While Carlton went down in a narrow clash to Sydney last week, Eade said the side was “pretty impressive” on the field.
“They’re a good running side and their pressure was pretty good,” he said.
“They worked extremely hard and I don’t think we’re under any illusions of where they’re at.
“They’ve got some really key players, if you want to look at that angle, but the other angle is more about what we’ve got to worry about.
“I think we’ve got to get back on the horse with what our strengths have been this year.
“We’ve got to win the stoppages, win the midfield and with the contested ball, but that’s the same every week and that’s the focus again.”
Eade said playmaker Brad Johnson would be fit to play despite suffering an ankle injury last week.
Johnson has been used in a different role recently, away from the goals, but the Bulldogs will still be relying on small forwards to score.
Carlton have been over-reliant on full-forward Brendan Fevola and if Brian Lake keeps him quiet, the Blues have little to fall back on.
He has kicked just one goal in his past two matches against the Bulldogs, but at least he won’t be distracted today by contract talks – his deal with the club has been put on hold until the end of the year.
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