Western Bulldogs v North Melbourne
Saturday, July 4 - 7.40pm
Marvel Stadium
North Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs will meet on Saturday night, on the back of contrasting recent form.
North has narrowly lost its last two games to Hawthorn and Sydney, after starting the season with two wins.
The Dogs on the other hand have beaten the Swans and Giants in recent weeks, after losing their opening two matches.The two sides met in pre-season, with the Bulldogs finishing as 44-point winners.
Last time we met
Round 10, 2019
The two teams last played in a regular season game in in what was Brad Scott’s final game in charge of North.
The Roos led for most of the game, but were given a scare in the final quarter when the Dogs kicked four straight majors to edge ahead.
North would kick the last four goals of the game however, running our 20-point victors.
Todd Goldstein was dominant in the ruck, collecting 28 disposals and 57 hitouts.
The teams
Western Bulldogs
B: Williams, Keath, Daniel
HB: Johannisen, Cordy, Crozier
C: Richards, Bontempelli, Macrae
HF: Dale, Schache, McLean
F: Wallis, Bruce, West
FOLL: English, Liberatore, Smith
I/C: Wood, Vandermeer, Lipinski, Jong
EMG: Butler, Gowers, Sweet, Gardner
IN: Schache, Wood, Jong
OUT: Naughton, Lloyd (both injured), Butler (omitted)
North Melbourne
B: McDonald, Tarrant, Atley
HB: Pittard, Walker, Williams
C: Polec, Cunnington, Hall
HF: Anderson, Zurhaar, Taylor
F: Thomas, Brown, Xerri
FOLL: Goldstein, Higgins, Simpkin
I/C: Dumont, Macmillan, Mahony, Hayden
EMG: Scott, Ahern, Bonar, McKay
IN: Cunnington, Macmillan
OUT: Ziebell (injured), Ahern (omitted)
The match-up
Todd Goldstein v Tim English
Goldstein has been at his best so far in 2020, and has arguably been the dominant ruckman in the competition so far.
The Roos’ number 22 remarkably leads the league for clearances, and sits second for total hit-outs.
Opposing him on Saturday will be Tim English.
The 22-year-old has found plenty of the ball so far in 2020, sitting third for total disposals among ruckmen, but has struggled for hit-outs, ranking 18th in this department.
Goldstein dominated the youngster the last time the sides met, and if he can do so again, he will give the Roos’ a much better chance of taking home the four points.
The stat
Four of the last five meetings between the two sides have been settled by seven points or under.
The key men
Ben Brown and Josh Bruce
By his high standards, Ben Brown has had a quiet start to 2020.
The 200cm key-forward has kicked 6 goals across the opening four rounds, and has somewhat struggled to impact games, averaging 7 disposals so far.
He will be looking to return to his best against the Dogs, a team he averages 2.4 goals against.
Likewise for the Dogs, spearhead Josh Bruce is yet to find his best form in 2020.
The former St Kilda forward has kicked just the two goals this season, and will lead the line in the absence of Aaron Naughton and Sam Lloyd.
