The Western Bulldogs are chasing their first win for the season as they host St Kilda this evening at Etihad Stadium. Join us from 7.40pm AEST for minute-by-minute commentary and live score updates.
This is likely to be a close game with two evenly matched teams both coming out of their recent premiership windows, and looking to rebuild again under first time coaches.
The Saints currently have the wood over the Bulldogs, having won the last six encounters, including two preliminary finals.
The Bulldogs are yet to win a game, but showed last week against Adelaide that they are capable of putting together good patches of football when they came from well behind to momentarily take the lead in the final quarter.
An interesting aspect about the game is that just as Scott Watters works to expand on the Saints’ previous dour gameplan, Brendan McCartney is aiming to improve the Bulldogs’ capacity to lock down teams and win the footy back.
To succeed the Bulldogs will be hoping that the return of form last week of both Brian Lake and Lukas Markovic will continue as they try to keep Nick Riewoldt and Justin Koschitzke contained.
The skipper, Matthew Boyd, has been in good form and Bob Murphy is the all-important release valve from half-back, but he doesn’t have many big targets to aim for so it’s a matter of tight, crisp passes to keep the footy.
Luke Dahlhaus is excellent when the footy hits the deck, but he needs help, and unfortunately Shaun Higgins has been in patchy form.
The St Kilda defence looks more that capable of keeping their opponents to a losing score, led by Sam Fisher and assisted by Sam Gilbert, and of course Brendon Goddard is never too far away helping the defence and starting quick counter-attacks.
The midfield clash looks a beauty with Nick Dal Santo and Lenny Hayes up against Adam Cooney and Ryan Griffen, the Bulldog pair being slightly under done.
A recent good record on the part of the Saints, plus the fact that their forwards look more threatening than their opposite number, means a St Kilda win by 15 points.
Can the Bulldogs notch up their first win of 2012 tonight? It’s Saturday night footy coming from Etihad Stadium, and throughout all four quarters we’ll have live scores and commentary beginning at 7.40pm AEST so if you’re watching or following along, leave us a comment in the space below.
The Cattery
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That's it for me, thanks for joining me tonight, enjoy the rest of your weekend
The Cattery
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FT WB 5.10 (40) Sts 15.13 (103) believe it or not, the dogs kicked the last 3 goals of the game, partially papering over the fact that they were thrashed in every position all over the ground, dogs half hung on till half time, but could only manage a goal, the minute the sts won the clearances in the 3rd quarter, the floodgates opened up, and the dogs were never going to hold that sts forward line, game over.
The Cattery
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Q4 1 to go WB 5.10 Sts 15.13 counting down now till end of game, throw in dogs fwd 50, might be time for them to sneak another, sts have put their cue away, and dogs have earned a free, about 35m out, it's Gia, lining up his second, just misses
The Cattery
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Q4 1 to go WB 5.9 Sts 15.13 dogs work it forward through HIggins and Jones, Cross with quick hands gets it to Djerrkura and he kicks truly from 40m on run
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Q4 2 to go WB 4.9 Sts 15.13 a rare defensive error from sts, Cooney mops up, snaps from 35m and its the dogs 2nd for the quarter
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Q4 3 to go WB 3.9 Sts 15.13 Cooney on his left foot, puts it into the hot spot, and then two big bulldogs collide with each other! Boyd with the snap, out on the full, even when the dogs have the ball they can't score!
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Q4 4 to go WB 3.9 Sts 15.13 dogs force the ball through the middle, some pretty sloppy handball in there, but Djerrkura makes space for himself and then shoots from 35m and misses everything
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Q4 6 to go WB 3.9 Sts 15.13 sts playing around with it, and why not, keep the dogs to 2 goals means a massive % booster Djerrkura in middle of ground, goes long, and Griffen takes it with flight of the ball, he'll line up from around 35m, gets it
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Q4 7 to go WB 2.9 Sts 15.13 Cross snaps, misses, dogs can't buy a goal at the moment
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Q4 8 to go WB 2.8 Sts 15.13 Boyd wins the free, good tackling, outside 50, puts it to top of goal square, easy grab to Mcevoy
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Q4 10 to go WB 2.8 Sts 15.13 I think Lake has just been reported? pretty soft report!! Higgins with free in the middle, goes wide to Picken and kickes it straight down a St Kilda throat straight into attack, long kick, and Riewoldt takes a ripper over the top of Lake, he's on the angle, poster! they've gone to video! what are you idiots doing - it was obviously a poster!!
The Cattery
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Q4 11 to go WB 2.8 Sts 15.12 straight out of the square, and it St Nick with the mark over Markovic, he'll line it up from 25 m directly in front and misses!
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Q4 11 to go WB 2.8 Sts 15.11 Sts with the numbers again, and it's Milne with the easy mark at the top of the goal square, another easy goal
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Q4 12 to go WB 2.8 Sts 14.11 Cooney trying hard to get his team back into the game, he hasn't had a lot of help, especially since half time
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Q4 14 to go WB 2.8 Sts 14.11 actually that last shot by Boyd wasn't a point missed everything
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Q4 14 to go WB 2.8 Sts 14.10 Cooney with some run and carry down the wing, spots up Higgins at top of 50, tries to play on, gets himself into trouble, gets it back, has a shot, can't make the distance, sts clear, back now with Boyd, having a set shot from an angle, about 40m, sprays its
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Q4 15 to go WB 2.8 Sts 14.10 straight out of the centre bounce, Hargraves with a flying shot, just misses
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Q4 17 to go WB 2.7 Sts 14.10 ball over the pack, Mine running onto ball, Murphy grabs him and brings him down and is pinged for holding the man, so it's the easiest of goals for MIlne, a series of frees going the sts way then
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Q4 18 to go WB 2.7 Sts 13.10 straight from kick out, it's Stanley with set shot from 50, just wrong side of post
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Q4 19 to go WB 2.7 Sts 13.9 no change to score, Boyd nearly spots up Hargreave, but can't take a relatively easy mark, snaps, rushed