The Western Bulldogs and the Fremantle Dockers may be in for the most intriguing game of the round at Etihad Stadium today. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 1.10pm AEST.
Prior to the year one would’ve seen little appeal in this fixture, merely pencilling it in as another win for the Dockers on the road to a likely finals campaign.
However, the Bulldogs resurgence at the start of this year that has seen them topple West Coast, Richmond, Adelaide and most notably Sydney in the opening weeks of the season gives this fixture a whole new flavour.
If the Bulldogs had won against the Saints last week we might even be talking them up as a top four chance. Unfortunately though, Bulldogs fans saw their team give up a 55-point lead in the second half.
So the question is: which are the real Bulldogs? The fast-playing, dominant side we saw before half time last week, or the lethargic losers we saw in the second?
In the same way that a much-needed win can be a circuit breaker and get a team back on track, sometimes an unexpected loss can send a side into a downward spiral and the Bulldogs will want to work hard to avoid that.
However, in a team that is based strongly around its impressive youth, there may be only so much they can do as young legs do tire more quickly.
Fremantle on the other hand are in truly superb form. They’ve won six straight to start the year, are undefeated in 2015, and have a two game advantage at the top of the ladder.
Nat Fyfe is in truly incredible form and has become the raging Brownlow favourite, and it’s not too early I think to say that the Dockers have taken the lead as premiership favourites for the year.
They look like a side that’s determined to win above all else, and you’d expect that to shine through again this week.
Prediction
Whether or not the Bulldogs best will show up is iffy. But we know what we will get from Freo. I’m tipping the Dockers.
Fremantle by 18 points.
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Kaity
Guest
Freo is awesome They are the best
Kaity
Guest
I'm so happy that freo won by 13 points
13th Man
Guest
Yeah the umpiring wasn't great but we have benefited from some umpires this year so i guess it evens out. Bulldogs really are the goods. Makes you wonder what they were doing against the Saints last week? In the end good win for Freo, probably shouldn't have got that close but still we take the 4 points! As for Fyfe, i really hope it isn't a suspension, shouldn't be. I think probably Careless, Low impact, body - $1500 (down to $1000 with early plea
13th Man
Guest
Should be careless-low impact $1000
Freo As
Guest
Need to look at those odds for the Scraggers seeing some September action, even allowing for any youthful dropping off, they're worth a punt.
Balthazar
Guest
Yep I can see a fine but if he loses a week for that I would be very disappointed
PilbaraFrenzy
Guest
R4, Nic Natanui $1000 - careless, low impact R2, Mitch Duncan $1000 - intentional, low impact R1, Jamie Elliot $1000 - careless, low impact R1, Zac Clarke $1000 - careless, low impact R1, Brad Ebert $1000 - intentional, low impact All good I reckon!
13th Man
Guest
it better not
13th Man
Guest
yeah hopefully just a fine that means he is still eligible for the brownlow
XI
Roar Guru
They've been pretty ordinary all year. Although that report is understandable. Will probably cost Fyfe 2 grand, 5 at the most.
Balthazar
Guest
Terrible, terrible umpiring. After the 17-4 free kick count last year in the Freo v Dogs it was 12-2 at half time. Freo couldn't buy a free kick in its forward half. and some really weird frees at centre clearances. And that report... seriously???? If I wasn't so charitable I would think Leigh Fisher and Stevic don't like the Dockers. Don't think Fisher, for example, has any history against the team or Ross Lyon. Oh wait... Dogs were great to watch. Umpiring still killed the game for me
garygazman
Guest
Dogs lucky to be any where near freo, worst umpiring I have seen this year, I think umpires extremely biased and the free kicks show this.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Good call Josh, worthy of a top 6 clash, Freo enhance their reputation as the team to beat this year.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Tweet from dockers: Fremantle Dockers @freodockers 2m2 minutes ago That's a club record fifth straight away win! Seven in a row to start the year! #AFLDogsFreo #foreverfreo
Josh
Expert
Josh
Expert
Josh
Expert
Josh
Expert
FULL TIME WESTERN BULLDOGS 14.4.88 FREMANTLE 15.11.101 Dockers get the win!
Mister Football
Roar Guru
enough time for pav to stretch it out to 13 pts
Josh
Expert
GOAL FREMANTLE 0:28 REMAINING Boom! Matthew Pavlich slams home a fifth goal and the Dockers will win. 13 points the lead. WESTERN BULLDOGS 14.4.88 FREMANTLE 15.11.101