The Western Bulldogs are back in the AFL top eight after a controversial one-point win over North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium.
» Click here to read the full match report
Final score
Western Bulldogs 15.17.107
North Melbourne Kangaroos 16.10.106
The Western Bulldogs will be looking to fight their way back into the top eight when they take on a struggling North Melbourne Kangaroos side at the wrong end of the ladder. Catch all the live scores, highlights and AFL action on The Roar from 7:25pm (AEST).
The defending champions, the Bulldogs, have slipped away over the past two months, losing their last two in a row and four of their last five games as they look to stay in touch with the finals race.
A dismal effort in attack over the last two weeks has seen them put on only 42 and 56 points against the Swans and Demons respectively, eventually going down by 57 to Melbourne at home just six days ago.
In those same two games, they’ve averaged just five goals in the first half and conceded 13 as the premiership winners continue to throw execution out the window.
Despite sitting in 10th on the ladder with six wins and just as many defeats, a win today will shoot them back into the top eight, leaping over the Bombers and Swans and even beyond if they can really pile on the pain for the Kangaroos.
It’s not so pleasant for the Kangaroos who are languishing down in second last, sitting in 17th with just four wins to their name this season.
They too are coming off back to back defeats, including a 17-point loss to the Saints last week, failing to come back late after kicking just four goals in the opening three quarters.
In a somewhat odd statistic of low-scoring contests, the Roos have the third worst attack in the league, averaging 81 points per game, but also have the third-best defence in the league, conceding just 84 points a game.
A win today for North Melbourne could actually see them jump as high as four spots into 13th, putting them just one position behind the Dogs who will fall below the Saints on percentage if they lose by even the smallest of margins.
These two have already played each other once this year, with the Dogs coming back in the final quarter to hold onto a 3-point win back in Round 4.
That win was the third victory for the Bulldogs in the last four encounters between the two.
Team News
The defending premiers have been forced into a couple of changes this week with injury playing a part in the line up for Luke Beveridge.
Tom Boyd and Lin Jong have both been ruled out with calf and ACL injuries respectively, allowing Jack Redpath and Tom Campbell to come into the side.
For the Kangaroos, they will welcome back polarising ruckman Majak Daw who has been called up for just his second game in the AFL this season.
Also being promoted from the VFL this week is former skipper and 11-year Kangaroos veteran Andrew Swallow, joining Daw on the interchange.
Jamie Macmillan comes back into the side after missing the Roos loss to St Kilda last week with a hamstring strain.
In terms of omissions, Kayne Turner has been ruled out with a knee injury, while Lachlan Hansen and Jed Anderson have been sent down to the VFL in favour of the aforementioned additions.
Prediction
Both sides really, really need this win today after struggling in the opening half of the season.
Things are looking better for the Bulldogs in the grand picture but the Kangaroos are still in it among a tight race in the bottom ten.
Both teams have really struggled with scoring points in recent times as well but I think the Bulldogs might just have the edge to turn it around with a big performance at home.
Bulldogs to win by 7
Lidcombe Oval
Guest
All you have to do is win no matter what- Dogs go on with Confidence to a likely 8 finish and Roos back to the drawing board to prepare for 2018 as no hope of making the 8.
Connor Bennett
Editor
Connor Bennett
Editor
» Click here to read the full match report FULLTIME The Bulldogs hold on in an absolute thriller against the Kangaroos, winning by a single point in a dramatic finish to the contest. The Kangaroos looked gone for all money, but they hit 26 points in a row inside the final ten minutes to draw level, but the Dogs only needed one with 30 seconds to go. The Dogs took control for the most part of the contest, holding out the Kangaroos despite some short and sharp charges by North Melbourne. The defending premiers just weren't able to really break away throughout the game and it nearly came back to haunt them but a Stringer behind in the dying moments was enough to get over the line. Bulldogs 15.17 (107) Kangaroos 16.10 (106)
Swannies
Guest
Phew...the Doggies just held on! But they should never have allowed North to get that close.
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' Kangaroos trying to clear it up the other end of the park... they don't have the time here... BULLDOGS WIN!!! Bulldogs 15.17 (107) Kangaroos 16.10 (106)
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' Bulldogs running it up the right boundary line off the Roos behind and they have plenty of room to move here... STRINGER MARKS IN FORWARD 50!! He's on a very tight angle here on the boundary line and 40 metres out. He hits it... but it's a behind!! One point is enough for the lead. ROOS BY ONE!! 30 seconds to go!! Bulldogs 15.17 (107) Kangaroos 16.10 (106)
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' Higgins snaps high towards goal for the Roos... but it's a behind!! SCORES ARE LEVEL!! 90 seconds on the clock!! Bulldogs 15.16 (106) Kangaroos 16.10 (106)
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' The Bulldogs are just trying to get the footy towards the other end of the stadium, they're on the backfoot and they need to slow the pace of this game down. Just two minutes on the clock. Bulldogs 15.16 (106) Kangaroos 16.9 (105)
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' The Roos continue to dominate the centre bounce and they clear up into the forward 50 once again. Cunnington takes the mark outside 50 but the long ball goes into the goal square... AND BEN BROWN HAS IT!! Hang on... it's a free for the Dogs!! Can you believe it, Brown had the mark right in front of goal but the obstruction has been called and the Dogs survive. Bulldogs 15.16 (106) Kangaroos 16.9 (105)
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' GOAL KANGAROOS!! Can you believe it they've hit a fourth in a row and it's Cunnington who bags his second of the term, wrestling his way through traffic, scooping up the loose ball from Daw and he snaps through a hundred sets of arms and through the sticks. One point in it!! Bulldogs 15.16 (106) Kangaroos 16.9 (105)
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' Another good clearance from the Roos off the centre bounce and they're right back on the attack now... but the Dogs make the save and they're desperately trying to get the footy up the other end of the park. Bulldogs 15.16 (106) Kangaroos 15.9 (99)
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' MAJAK DAW inside forward 50!! Takes a huge mark and this set shot is a massive moment in this game. GOAL KANGAROOS!! Daw has hit it through the sticks from the left boundary line and all of a sudden the lead is just 7 points with five minutes on the clock!! We're in for a big finish. Bulldogs 15.16 (106) Kangaroos 15.9 (99)
Swannies
Guest
Tom Campbell has been superb in the ruck tonight for the Dogs...has put Goldstein to shame really. How Scott continues to leave Pruess in the vfl is beyond me.
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' GOAL KANGAROOS!! They refuse to die the Roos!! Two in a row and they are just chipping away at this lead. Jarrad Waite hits his third of the night after Ben Brown picked him out just 25 from goal. A clinical finish from the set shot earns him the six points and the Dogs may just be getting a touch nervous. Bulldogs 15.16 (106) Kangaroos 14.9 (93)
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' Desperation really beginning to show now in the Kangaroos game with the clock playing against them as well as a rampaging Dogs side trying to finish them off. Bulldogs 14.16 (106) Kangaroos 13.9 (87)
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' Cunnington again through traffic... but this one doesn't quite find the mark from a very tight angle on the right boundary line. Bulldogs 14.16 (106) Kangaroos 13.9 (87)
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' GOAL KANGAROOS!! They're not giving up just yet! Ben Cunnington latches onto a nice little handball through traffic in the forward 50, snapping off the left boot through the centre gate for the crucial six points. Still time on the clock to pull this off. Bulldogs 14.16 (106) Kangaroos 13.8 (86)
Perry Bridge
Guest
Umpires are a joke. An expensive joke.
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' GOAL BULLDOGS!! Still plenty of time on the clock but that could be the killer blow from the Dogs with the lead out to 26 now. Matt Suckling hits his first of the night with a peach of a snap from nearly 40 metres out. The Roos are in trouble now. Bulldogs 14.16 (106) Kangaroos 12.8 (80)
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' Dahlhaus to Bontempelli off the centre bounce and the Kangaroos are starting to open up now. The Bont finds Campbell inside forward 50 and he'll have a crack at goal to add to his tally. Oh not a great shot from the set kick there and that never looked like going in. Just the one point from it. Bulldogs 13.16 (100) Kangaroos 12.8 (80)