The second-last match of NAB Cup action this weekend sees the Western Bulldogs take on Carlton at Etihad Stadium. Join us for live scores and a blog of all the action from the first bounce at 5.40pm AEDT this evening.
The Western Bulldogs were largely unimpressive in week one of the NAB Cup.
They accounted for a spirited GWS Giants outfit before putting up a good fight against Collingwood, eventually going down by nine points in what was the second match of that triangular series at Blacktown.
New coach Brendan McCartney has selected a strong squad for tonight’s clash, with Brownlow Medallist Adam Cooney and the much-maligned Brian Lake both named.
Liam Jones, Bob Murphy, Daniel Cross, Matthew Boyd, Shaun Higgins and Ryan Griffen are also in the squad for the clash.
The Dogs have a good record at their home track Etihad Stadium, and have accounted for Carlton in five of their last eight matches in the AFL competition, including in the last two meetings between the sides– the latter, a match I covered for The Roar, saw the Dogs surprise a highly-fancied Blues team under the roof.
Conversely, Carlton has left out some guns for tonight.
The Blues will rely upon Marc Murphy and Matthew Kreuzer to lead what will be a relatively inexperienced team selected by coach Brett Ratten.
Captain Chris Judd isn’t in the squad; neither are key talls Jarrad Waite and Michael Jamieson. All three will be greatly missed by a Carlton team that underwhelmed in Adelaide last weekend.
Carlton was horrible in the first half of their match against Port Adelaide – a match they went onto to lose by six points. Against the Crows, the Blues improved somewhat but still came up short, with a super goal separating the two teams at the conclusion.
Tonight I’m going with the Western Bulldogs. I think they’ve picked close to their best squad for the match. The Blues looked like they needed the run last time and without Judd, Waite and Jamison will be vulnerable once again.
I’m going with a two-goal margin for the Dogs.
Can the Blues get on the board in 2012 with a win this evening, or will McCartney’s young pups get a confidence boost in the lead-in to the season proper?
It promises to be another interesting window as to how each side are going, and we’ll be covering the match with live scores and a blog from the commencement at 5.40pm AEDT. If you’re watching or following along, give us your thoughts in the space below.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Excellent pre-season game, great call jc!
Justin Cinque
Expert
Thanks for joining us for a NAB Cup classic.
Justin Cinque
Expert
WHat an unbelievable game. I hope you enjoyed the call. If you're a fan of either of these two teams, you've got something to take away from it. Fingers crossed that the injuries to Laidler and Williams are not too serious.
Justin Cinque
Expert
FULL TIME Western Bulldogs 0.11.8.74 Carlton 0.11.4.70 This was a fair-dinkum game of football and we can read something into it. I thought Eddie Betts, Levi Casboult and Sean Hampson impressed for Carlton. The big news for the Dogs was that Brian Lake was fantastic in the first half. He was subbed out at Half time. Will Minson kicked four goals and took three ripping marks. Tory Dickson kicked the winning goal and looked quite good in the second half. He's a relatively-big built forward who can lead up and can snap a goal. He showed us all of that tonight. The big injury news out of the game is that the Dogs lose Tom Williams to a dislocated shoulder. The Blues have lost Jeremy Laidler to a dislocated knee. That's a one to four week injury.
Justin Cinque
Expert
This on Dickson straight from the AFL website: Dickson comes to the Whitten Oval from the Bendigo Bombers, where he kicked 48 goals in 19 games for the VFL side in season 2011. The 24 year-old is a hard bodied hit-up forward that can also play through the midfield. Dickson proved his goal-kicking ability, slotting 112 majors for reputed suburban club Noble Park in 2010. In addition to his stint at Bendigo, Dickson has previously played at the VFL level for Frankston where he won the club's best and fairest award in 2009.
Justin Cinque
Expert
FULL TIME Western Bulldogs 0.11.8.74 Carlton 0.11.4.70 You will have to travel miles, go back through years of achival footage to find a better pre-season match than that one. What a game. The Dogs win by four points. The hero is Tory Dickson. Not DIXON but Dickson. What a game he played. I can't tell you a lot about him. I don't think he's ever played a game of footy before in the AFL and he doesn't have a wikipedia page but we'll see what we can find. He kicked the winning goal for the Dogs in the last minute of the game. The Blues were good today and so were the Western Bulldogs. Carlton led by less than kick for the last ten minutes. The Dogs pressured and pressured and pressured and finally got their reward. They got the winning goal with 53 seconds to go.
Justin Cinque
Expert
20 seconds to go. Ball on the deck . Yarran can't win it. Banged clear. 5 secs left. SIREN. Dogs win.
Shaneygrog
Guest
Go Dogs.....
Justin Cinque
Expert
Clearance to Carlton. Higgins takes the acrobatic mark in D.
Justin Cinque
Expert
0:53 to go Q4 Western Bulldogs 0.11.8.74 Carlton 0.11.4.70 Dogs by 4. 53 seconds to go.
Justin Cinque
Expert
Wallis went to Addison. Big kick to HF. Jones to HF. Minson dropped the mark. DIXON. DIXON. Snaps. Snaps a.....GOOOOOOOOOOOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLL That will win it for the Dogs.
Justin Cinque
Expert
1:35 to go Q4 Western Bulldogs 0.10.8.68 Carlton 0.11.4.70 Slow build-up from the Dogs.
Justin Cinque
Expert
2 to go Q4 Western Bulldogs 0.10.8.68 Carlton 0.11.4.70 Dahlhaus with no help from teammates can only get it to the wing. Dogs win it at HB. It has to be now.
Justin Cinque
Expert
2 to go Q4 Western Bulldogs 0.10.8.68 Carlton 0.11.4.70 Dogs go I50. No-one there. Henderson takes the uncontested mark. It's been all the Dogs for about five minutes and their poise at HF has let them down. Blue ball on the wing.
Justin Cinque
Expert
3 to go Q4 Western Bulldogs 0.10.8.68 Carlton 0.11.4.70 Long ball inside 50. Massive mass og players. Gibbs for Carlton to the wing. Markovic wins a stoppage. Next goal win this. There's a big call but i'll stick by it.
Justin Cinque
Expert
3 to go Q4 Western Bulldogs 0.10.8.68 Carlton 0.11.4.70 Turnover big one. Here come the Blues. Grant spots up Jones at 50. Long ball to Higgins. Was he legged? No! THrow-in. In the pocket for the WB. Minson to Higgins. Carrazzo at HB. Blues try to slow it down.
Shaneygrog
Guest
Maybe Dalhouse for Brownlow instead of Lake?
Justin Cinque
Expert
5 to go Q4 Western Bulldogs 0.10.8.68 Carlton 0.11.4.70 Poor pass by Carrazz. Blues on the HBF trying to work something. They're in front. Clock suits them. 5:06 to go... Plenty of time still left though. Higgins to Boyd on the wing. Griffen I50. Thornton takes the big mark and the Blues break off HB.
Justin Cinque
Expert
6 to go Q4 Western Bulldogs 0.10.8.68 Carlton 0.11.4.70 DAHLHAUS AWESOME> Inside 50. MInson. Minson. Beats his man. SNap smothered. Blues off HB. Lucas to Markovic marks off HB. This is seriously unbelievable footy in the NAB> What a game.., Dogs of HB. Free to the bLues now on the wing. I can't keep up.
Justin Cinque
Expert
6 to go Q4 Western Bulldogs 0.10.8.68 Carlton 0.11.4.70 McLean to Gibbs near the circles. Scotland. Davies sends it to FF> Davies to FF> Roughhead to Markovic. Wood for the Dogs. Gia marks. Plays for 50. Umpy wasn't born yesterday. Off HB Dogs chip around...