Who: Western Bulldogs v North Melbourne
Where and when: Saturday June 24, Etihad Stadium, 7:25pm EST
TV and radio: Broadcast guide
Tickets: Purchase tickets
Storyline
Both sides will be desperate for a win when they meet at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night.
It will be the return meeting from Good Friday, when North narrowly fell to the Bulldogs by three points.
The Bulldogs have slipped out of the top eight after heavily losing their last two matches, while North is looking to bounce back after a disappointing performance against St Kilda on Friday night.
Recent games between the sides have tended to be close. The highest margin of victory in the last four matches is only 23 points.
Hot topics
Winning the contest
Earlier in the week, NMFC.com.au explored the link between sides taking on the Bulldogs in the contest and coming out with favourable results.
The inclusion of Andrew Swallow to bolster the Roos’ midfield mix indicates they’ll be approaching the fight head-on, looking to win the ball at the source.
On Good Friday North was able to win the contested ball handily, which also translated to a clearance edge and efficient scoring when it did enter forward 50.
Tall v small
With Ben Brown, Jarrad Waite, Majak Daw and Mason Wood all named to take the field on Saturday, it raises the question on how North will structure up when the Bulldogs gain possession in their defensive half.
When they’re up and about, the Bulldogs’ half-backs provide breathtaking run and carry that most sides are unable to stop.
It will be up to Taylor Garner, Nathan Hrovat and the rotating smaller forwards to provide enough pressure to stifle the opposition’s run.
Free-flowing v low scoring
The four matches Brad Scott has coached against Luke Beveridge have all featured extremely tight and congested first halves.
Whether it’s due to teams opting to minimise the opposition’s strengths, or just two teams cancelling each other out remains to be seen.
But the end result has been a severe lack of goals. The highest first half score by any side in those four matches has been only 35.
Given the trends of both sides coming into the match have been centred around an inability to regularly hit the scoreboard, it’ll take a departure from the norm to see a high-scoring first half on Saturday night.
The burning questions
Can North avoid a lapse in a quarter?
In the last two losses, the game has essentially been put of the Roos’ reach with one term – the second against St Kilda and the third against Richmond.
How will North’s forward setup work?
With three tall forwards and Mason Wood, it’s the most height that has been in the structure for a number of weeks.
How will North’s defensive setup work?
While the forwards are the tallest they have been in some time, it is the opposite at the other end of the ground, with only Robbie Tarrant and Scott Thompson as key position players.
Teams
Western Bulldogs
B: Dale Morris, Zaine Cordy, Jason Johannisen
HB: Shane Biggs, Easton Wood, Matthew Suckling
C: Lachie Hunter, Jack Macrae, Caleb Daniel
HF: Tory Dickson, Jake Stringer, Luke Dahlhaus
F: Bailey Dale, Jordan Roughead, Liam Picken
Fol: Tom Campbell, Marcus Bontempelli, Tom Liberatore
Int: Mitch Wallis, Toby McLean, Mitch Honeychurch, Jack Redpath
Emer: Clay Smith, Fletcher Roberts, Bailey Williams
In: Tom Campbell, Jack Redpath
Out: Lin Jong (knee), Tom Boyd (calf)
North Melbourne
B: Marley Williams, Robbie Tarrant, Aaron Mullett
HB: Shaun Atley, Scott Thompson, Luke McDonald
C: Sam Gibson, Ben Cunnington, Ryan Clarke
HF: Nathan Hrovat, Jarrad Waite, Taylor Garner
F: Mason Wood, Ben Brown, Shaun Higgins
Fol: Todd Goldstein, Jack Ziebell, Trent Dumont
Int: Andrew Swallow, Jamie Macmillan, Majak Daw, Declan Mountford
Emer: Jed Anderson, Lachlan Hansen, Josh Williams
In: Majak Daw, Jamie Macmillan, Andrew Swallow
Out: Lachlan Hansen (omitted), Jed Anderson (omitted), Kayne Turner (knee)
