SUMMARY
These two teams meet in a final for the first time since 2006. The Eagles were triumphant on that occasion and went on to win the premiership. But this group of Bulldogs will be out to create some history, as the club has never won a final interstate. The Bulldogs travelled to Perth in round 23 but the weekend off has given them a chance to recover. The break will be a great unknown for the Eagles, who were carrying incredible momentum into the finals series. The midfield battle will be critical. The Bulldogs smashed the Eagles around the ball in round 11 and the Eagles must atone on Thursday night to give themselves a chance. The Bulldogs will have their hands full in defence with Josh Kennedy and Jack Darling looming large.
WHERE AND WHEN: Domain Stadium, Thursday, September 8, 6.10pm AWST
TV AND RADIO: Click here for broadcast guide
Jonathan Giles will have to shoulder the Eagles ruck burden. Picture: AFL Photos
WHAT HAPPENED THIS YEAR
Round 11: Western Bulldogs 12.11 (83) d West Coast 11.9 (75) at Etihad Stadium
All the statistics suggested the Bulldogs should have won by more given they won the contested possession count by 39 and the disposal count by 124. The Eagles hung in all afternoon but the Bulldogs did enough. Tom Liberatore kicked three goals including the match-winner.
LAST FIVE TIMES
R11, 2016, Western Bulldogs 12.11 (83) d West Coast 11.9 (75) at Etihad Stadium
R21, 2015, West Coast 25.12 (162) d Western Bulldogs 13.7 (85) at Domain Stadium
R1, 2015, Western Bulldogs 14.13 (97) d West Coast 14.3 (87) at Etihad Stadium
R1, 2014, West Coast 21.8 (134) d Western Bulldogs 11.3 (69) at Domain Stadium
R18, 2013, Western Bulldogs 16.15 (111) d West Coast Eagles 13.11 (89) at Etihad Stadium
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
West Coast
1. The Eagles took 18 contested marks to two against Hawthorn in round 22 with Josh Kennedy and Jack Darling dominating the air up forward. They will look to expose the Dogs for height and strength in the forward half.
2. The Dogs hammered the Eagles in round 11, winning the contested ball count by 39. The Eagles have been phenomenal in recent weeks in close, winning contested ground balls and distributing by hand to runners. They will look to match the Bulldogs in that area.
3. Eagles don't use a hard tag but Mark Hutchings did an excellent job in a run-with role on Sam Mitchell in round 22 and he could be set for Marcus Bontempelli on Thursday. The Bulldogs have won nine of 11 when Bontempelli has had 10 contested possessions or more and just six of 11 when he has fewer than 10 contested touches.
Western Bulldogs
1. If the undermanned Bulldogs are to cause an upset, expect them to try play the game on their terms and turn the contest into a dour contested-ball affair. A bruising, low-scoring game will give them the best chance of victory.
2. Andrew Gaff has been in stellar form of late and the hard-running Eagle will need to be negated or his playmaking ways will cause the Dogs plenty of trouble. Liam Picken looms as the man to best suited to curb the All Australian's influence.
3. With attacking defenders Jeremy McGovern and Tom Barrass intercepting just about everything lately, the Dogs will need to vastly improve their problematic efficiency up forward. A narrow Domain Stadium leaves less room for error, so the visitors will need to get the balance right between quick ball movement and smart decision-making.
THE SIX POINTS
1. The Eagles enter the finals having won their last four games and nine of their last 10. By contrast the Bulldogs have won three of their last six games. In round 23 against Fremantle the Bulldogs kicked 6.13 (49), their second lowest score of the season.
2. West Coast and the Western Bulldogs clash for the fourth time in finals, with the Eagles winning the most recent, a semi-final in 2006. The Eagles have won three of their last five finals. The Bulldogs have lost four of their last five and haven't won one since 2010.
3. The Eagles finished the home and away season ranked fifth for scoring, averaging 99 points per game. The Bulldogs ranked 12th for scoring, with only 84 points per game.
4. The teams have played 19 times at Domain Stadium. The Eagles have won 14 to four and there's been one draw. West Coast has won nine of 12 finals at Domain Stadium while the Bulldogs have lost all three finals played interstate.
5. West Coast holds a clear advantage marking the ball inside 50, averaging 13.8 per game. The Bulldogs are ranked equal 13th with 11.3 per game.
6. Out of form Western Bulldogs forward Jake Stringer (29) is ranked higher than the Eagles' two-time Coleman medallist and All Australian Josh Kennedy (36) in Schick AFL Player Ratings.
WHAT THE COACHES SAY
Adam Simpson: "We know we're in a bit of form at the moment but I suspect they'll be bringing up to five players back. I think they're going to be a pretty strong side. It's for keeps this week," he said on Monday.
Luke Beveridge: "There were too many skill errors, our energy wasn't where it normally is, Fremantle's good play (and) many, many things. But we are going to need a significant correction to be any sort of force in the upcoming finals series," he said following the round 22 loss to Fremantle.
IT'S A BIG WEEK FOR …
Jonathan Giles: The Eagles big man was outstanding against the Crows in round 23. Now the challenge is to back it up in a final. Scott Lycett is sore and Giles will need to shoulder a fair portion of the ruck duties.
Tom Boyd: With the Dogs set to face an Eagles' defensive web back to its destructive best, coach Luke Beveridge has put the heat on his forwards to make a contest to limit the aerial dominance of intercept-mark specialists Jeremy McGovern and Tom Barrass. In an up and down season for the high-priced recruit (10 goals from 11 games), a breakout game would relieve the pressure mounting on Boyd and go a long way to helping his side secure an unlikely win.
PREDICTION: West Coast by 20 points
