Geelong has won four of its past five against the Western Bulldogs with two of those wins coming at Etihad Stadium. Geelong maintained its unbeaten start to the season with a convincing 70-point win over North Melbourne at Skilled Stadium last Saturday.
The Bulldogs backed up their win over Adelaide with a hard-fought seven-point victory over the much-improved Melbourne at the MCG last weekend. The Dogs currently occupy third place on the AFL ladder with a 5-3 win-loss record..
MEDICAL ROOM: The Cats welcome back stars Gary Ablett and Paul Chapman from groin and back injuries respectively. Shannon Byrnes (hamstring) and veteran defender Darren Milburn (ankle) will miss while ruckman Brad Ottens remains unavailable due to a knee injury sustained in round two against Richmond. Matthew Egan (foot), Josh Hunt (knee) and youngster Mitch Brown (broken leg) will miss the remainder of the season. For the Bulldogs, classy youngster Shaun Higgins returns from a groin injury. Ryan Hargraves (quad), Dylan Addison (knee) and Andrejs Everett (foot) are unavailable while forward Robert Murphy will miss at least two weeks with a hamstring injury.
KEY MATCH-UPS:
Andrew Mackie vs. Jason Akermanis
Akermanis continued his recent run of good form against the Demons with 19 possessions and four goals – three of which came in the second term when his side was under the pump.
The three-time Brisbane premiership player will need to be watched closely in what will be his 300th game as he has a habit of performing well on the big stage.
Mackie is a mobile defender and will most likely be given first crack at the dangerous Dogs’ star.
The 24-year-old will need to be switched on defensively for the full four quarters as Akermanis has shown in the past fortnight that he is still capable of breaking a game wide open in the space of a quarter.
Expect Mackie, who racked up 29 possessions and booted two goals in the win over the Kangaroos, to run off Akermanis at every available opportunity and try and hurt him on the rebound.
Liam Picken vs. Joel Selwood
Selwood has been one of his side’s most consistent midfielders so far in 2009, averaging just under 30 possessions per game.
The impressive 20-year-old was among the Cats’ best against the Roos with 31 disposals – 18 of which came by hand.
If the Bulldogs are going to be any hope of containing Geelong’s multi-pronged attack they will need to shut-down their running game.
In order to do that they will need to quell the influence of the likes of Selwood who is damaging with his ability to win the football in close and dish it off by hand to find his teammates in space.
Picken has been given some big tagging roles so far this season and will most likely be given the task of running with Selwood on Friday night.
The Bulldogs will need Picken to employ a tight tag and deny Selwood any time or space at the stoppages otherwise he will punish the Dogs with his clean use of the football.
Cameron Ling vs. Adam Cooney
Cooney played a key role in the Dogs’ last win over the Cats in round one, 2007, helping himself to 29 disposals, two goals and four inside 50’s in a performance that earned him the two Brownlow medal votes.
The 2008 Brownlow medallist is damaging with his ability to break the lines and deliver the football inside 50.
Shutting down his run and carry will be a key for Geelong if they are going to keep the Bulldogs’ mid-sized forwards quiet.
Expect Ling to be given the task of tagging Cooney in what will be a pivotal duel in determining the outcome of this match.
Ling won’t give Cooney any time or space in which to work in and will also win his fair share of the football in order to make the classy 23-year-old accountable.
Don’t be surprised if Ling, who is good overhead and a reliable kick for goal, pushes forward at every available opportunity and tries to hurt Cooney on the scoreboard.
Dale Morris vs. Steve Johnson
Johnson failed to kick a goal against North but he was still influential, racking up 31 possessions and pumping the football inside 50 13 times.
The 25-year-old, who leads Geelong’s goal kicking with 21 majors, not only kick goals but also consistently sets up scoring opportunities for his teammates with his creative use of the football.
If the Bulldogs are going to record a season-defining win they will need to curtail the influence of Johnson who was among his side’s best the last time these two sides met during the home-and-away season with 24 disposals and three goals in round 16.
Morris is able to match Johnson in the air and at ground level and looms as the obvious candidate to line-up on the classy Geelong forward in what shapes as being an intriguing battle.
In Geelong’s two wins over the Bulldogs last season they entered inside their forward line 55 or more times.
If Morris is going to have any hope of containing Johnson he will need his midfield to suffocate the Cats’ run with relentless pressure and deny them use of the corridor otherwise the Geelong star will receive an endless supply of quality football.
VERDICT: The Western Bulldogs have won five of their eight games this season but all of those wins have come against sides that occupy the bottom five places on the AFL ladder. Friday night will show us how good Rodney Eade‘s men are in 2009. Geelong has conquered all comers even without their best player in Ablett who has missed the past two weeks and with him and Chapman back in the side they should have a touch too much class and depth through the middle for a Bulldogs side that is yet to prove it is the real deal this season.
Cats by 21 points.
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