The West Coast Eagles are bracing themselves for one of their biggest challenges in recent years when they confront the Western Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium on Sunday.

The Bulldogs were formidable last season, but with gun inclusions like Adam Treloar (Collingwood) and Stefan Martin (Brisbane) they have loaded up their talent base and started with an authorative performance against Collingwood.

The midfield of Treloar, Marcus Bontempelli, Tom Liberatore, Lachie Hunter, Jack Macrae, Bailey Smith and Josh Dunkley runs as deep as any engine room in the competition, so the Eagles will need to produce their best to get the job done.

It’s not impossible, but it is certainly going to be a challenge on the fast deck at Marvel.

Coach Adam Simpson forecasts this match will be in stark contrast to last week’s season opener against Gold Coast at Optus Stadium, when the Eagles endured by 25 points.

“I think they’re a top four side,” Simpson said of the Bulldogs. “Arguably they have the best midfield in the competition. Acquisitions over the summer; there is plenty of belief there, they play a really good system so it is going to a massive challenge.

“We are looking forward to the travel and getting over there but it is going to be a massive challenge.”

Marcus Bontempelli leads the Dogs into battle against West Coast

The last time the Eagles played the Bulldogs was on the Gold Coast when both clubs were in a COVID-19-forced hub and the Eagles were denied by a late launch from Bontempelli that secured for them a two-point victory.

He is one of the stars of the competition and has an admirer in Simpson.

“He’s pretty good,” Simpson offered by way of understatement. “He’s got everything and he’s starting to hit the scoreboard, so we have to put a bit of work into him. But if you do that it frees up so many others and that is part of their strength – the collective.

“Gold Coast played a certain way and we played our way and what happened, happened. The Bulldogs play a completely different system.

Tim Kelly evades Bailey Smith in last year's tense clash

“I dare say it will be harder to get the ball back at stages. Our game was unique, it was quite high in uncontested possession and low on tackles. I don’t see us getting the same game this week.

“I wasn’t surprised at all that we got that type of game. We will have to play at our absolute best to win, I think that’s true. It is a bit of a contrast in styles, similar in kicks, but handballs, they had 80 or 90 more handballs than us and that has been Bevo’s (coach Luke Beveridge) way for a while.

“Unfortunately we’re missing a couple of our top class mids (Luke Shuey and Elliot Yeo), but I think we have the depth to challenge, but with some of the inclusions the Dogs have got…it’s not just the mids, they probably have another couple in other positions they can run through there.”