Unofficial Preview Early Thoughts: Rd 22 - Sydney v Western Bulldogs @ ES 24th Aug 3:20

[The King!]

100 % Agree , Shaw sub and move Biggs up to the wing. ill be spewing if they mess with Rohans form

yup

Mitchell cant be sub either, if he isn't fully fit he can sub off but he is not an impact player imho

 

[Punts]

yup

Mitchell cant be sub either, if he isn't fully fit he can sub off but he is not an impact player imho

Centre square

 

[grimlock]

Maybe Grundy as sub as we don't require his mercurial talents against their unconventional forward line

Ted v resting ruck
Rampe v Crameri
Laidler v Stringer

 

[baja]

Game is looming like a clash of interesting strengths and weaknesses. We are down three of our five highest clearance winners (per game) in Kennedy, Bird and McGlynn which would give the 5th highest clearance winning Dogs some confidence but they are without their best ruckman, although he was dropped rather than missing through injury.

With that said, our defence has always been very comfortable when conceding plenty of clearances and inside 50's and we have 9 defenders in the side as it stands who can all comfortably play down back (plus McVeigh). The Dogs forward line is hardly the most imposing in the league but Bontempelli, Stringer, Dahlhaus and Crameri are good enough to cause some headaches.

If we can get enough ball into our forward 50, I'd back our forwards to kick a pretty strong score against the Dogs' defence. If the Dogs can win far, far more ball out of the midfield against our understrength midfield, it could get very interesting. They would have to win overwhelmingly more ball than our midfield would to go close I think.

A couple of points from the last game, copied and pasted not my work..


The Swans remain the No.1 tackling side in 2014, averaging 72.8 per game. The Bulldogs have also excelled in this area, with the club ranked third for tackles, averaging 72 per game.

Despite losing to the Swans in their most recent contest, the Bulldogs matched it with them from start to finish having more disposals, tackles and inside-50s, while skipper Ryan Griffen was the best Bulldog on the ground with 41 possessions.

 

[Cadsky]

So apparently punts is actually Henry Playfair. See the coaches box on swans website. "Every game is a danger game and there is always a chance you could lose if the team isn’t switched on."