MATCH DETAILS
Western Bulldogs v Sydney Swans at Manuka Oval, Sunday August 3 at 1.10pm

FORECAST
Fine, mostly sunny, Min 1, Max 11

BETTING
Western Bulldogs $1.48, Sydney Swans $2.67

LAST TIME THEY MET
Western Bulldogs 18.4 (112) def Sydney Swans 14.10 (94), round 7, 2008 at the SCG

FORM GUIDE
Western Bulldogs

The Dogs have hit their first major speed hump of the season with the Blues coming back from 37 points down to inflict their third loss of the year last week and their second in succession. Daniel Cross was prominent with 27 possessions while Brad Johnson and Mitch Hahn each booted three goals.

Sydney Swans

After going on a six-game winning run in the middle part of the season, the Swans have lost three in the last month to leave the door to the top-four slightly ajar. The forward line is the major source of concern with the Swans managing just six goals in the loss to the visiting Crows last week.

MEDICAL ROOM
Western Bulldogs

Dylan Addison’s knee injury (eight weeks) was the big concern out of last week’s loss to Carlton with Scott West still one to two weeks away from returning from his knee injury. Tim Callan (hamstring) and Tom Williams (shoulder) will miss another week with their respective injuries.

Sydney Swans

The Swans welcome back Leo Barry (hamstring) and Nick Malceski (calf) from injury this week, but lose Adam Goodes (groin) and Henry Playfair (hamstring) from the side that lost to Adelaide last week.

RANDOM FACTS

150 games coached - Paul Roos, Sydney. Paul Roos is due to the become the second person in the history of the club to coach South Melbourne / Sydney for 150 games, behind current Bulldogs’ coach Rodney Eade, who coached 152 games between 1996-2002.            

KEY MATCH UPS

Adam Cooney v Brett Kirk

Cooney was a bit down against the Blues, but with the year he’s having, he’s every chance to earn all three Brownlow votes this week. Kirk is the heart and soul of his club and has stood up and done some amazing jobs this year with this one of the toughest yet.

Brian Lake v Barry Hall

The big Bulldog won’t be happy at having Brendan Fevola kick six on him and will be looking to hit back hard this week. Hall was in indifferent form in his first game back from suspension last week, but must be afforded due respect as he is still capable of kicking a bag.

Brad Johnson v Leo Barry

These two hard nuts are so important to the fortunes of their sides, making this match-up a beauty. Johnson was among the goals last week with three, while Barry is back from a hamstring injury.

WHAT THE CLUBS SAY
Western Bulldogs

“We've had a couple of bad quarters in the last two weeks, and they've cost us games. We've got a lot of things to work on, but we're not that far off it – we've just got to get it right for four quarters.

"Our midfield knows it, our backline knows it, our forward line knows it – our work-rate's got to be up.

"We've got to start winning the contested ball, and perhaps that will start to turn the results our way.

"I'm glad we're playing Sydney, because they're such a good one-on-one side.” – Jason Akermanis

Sydney Swans

"They've said they're looking forward to playing us to get their hard edge back. And I think we need to do the same ourselves. When you go through some adversity – a bit of a speed hump – it galvanises the team but I'll think we'll come through it.

"If we want to be a contender we've really got to put some authority on the season and win some of these big games.

"It's a big game [against the Bulldogs] and we've got to find some form and a lot of guys need to step up. Our hard work and dedication has got us by in the past, we've got to make sure we get back to that." – Ryan O'Keefe, Swans forward