Where and when: Marvel Stadium, Sunday, March 31, 1:00pm (10:00am WST)
TV: Delayed on 7 in WA (1:00pm WST), live on Fox Footy and streaming on Kayo
Last time we met:
West Coast 14.8 (92) defeated Western Bulldogs 12.13 (85) at Marvel Stadium, round 23, 2023.
In one of the biggest upsets of the 2023 season, West Coast recorded their third win in round 23 over a Bulldogs side still pushing to qualify for finals at Marvel Stadium. It was a ferocious performance from the visitors, inspired by Tim Kelly’s brilliance in the midfield, Jamie Cripps’ five goals and some elite leadership from Oscar Allen, Jeremy McGovern and Liam Duggan. The Eagles trailed by nine points at three-quarter time but came out and kicked the first four goals of the final term to record the epic road win.
What it means for the Eagles:
West Coast are currently winless after two rounds, however, the team has shown some encouraging signs. Despite the results, we have seen some inspired performances from not only the Eagles youngsters like Harley Reid, Brady Hough and Reuben Ginbey, but some more experienced names such as Elliot Yeo, Jayden Hunt, Jeremy McGovern and Liam Duggan. A win on the road at this point in the season would give the team a boost of confidence and some reward for effort after a strong pre-season period.
The stat:
Three of the last four games between these sides at Marvel Stadium have been decided by seven points, with the Eagles winning twice.
The match-up:
A key matchup to keep an eye out for on Sunday will be between West Coast bull Elliot Yeo and Dogs skipper Marcus Bontempelli, the two talented midfielders set to battle it out around the contest.
It’s a big week for:
The West Coast backline. Jeremy McGovern was crucial in last week’s game against the Giants, finishing with 24 disposals, 444 metres gained, and a team-high 10 intercept possessions. He and the backs will have another tough task this week, trying to keep Bulldogs forward Cody Weightman quiet. Weightman comes into this game on the back of a six-goal haul against Gold Coast and will be looking to pick up from where he left off.
Big call:
West Coast will record their first win of the season, getting the job done against the Bulldogs on the road.
