JAY CLARK’S FIVE KEYS TO PREMIERSHIP GLORY
ARE THE DOGS SOFT DOWN BACK?
IT has been the big knock on Western Bulldogs all season. As good as Alex Keath has been in defence, it is clear Luke Beveridge’s men are vulnerable at the back. The Dogs don’t have anywhere near the aerial superiority Melbourne has enjoyed with Steve May and Jake Lever behind the ball. The Dogs have lost 30 per cent of their defensive oneon-one contests, ranked 17th in the comp.
LIBBA THE SHARK
TOM Liberatore joked after the 2016 premiership win that he made a ton on the MCG. In the battle between Clayton Oliver, Marcus Bontempelli, Christian Petracca and Jackson Macrae, Liberatore looms as the wildcard. The tough nut is arguably the best hard-ball winner in the competition, ranking No.1 for clearances and No.3 for ground balls. Yet, he still he flies under the radar. Watch him hover around the heels of Max Gawn and strap the fins on in a bid to shark the Melbourne ruck superstar’s taps.
CLUTCH KICKS
MAYBE it remains one of the most underrated factors in a massive game like this but missed set shots at goal can be easily glossed over early in games, however, they are the real silent killers. For Melbourne, it is a genuine worry. The Demons aren’t the straightest of shooters and, as a collective, have a tendency to shank the footy on goal. This year the Demons are 45 per cent for shot on goal accuracy and Saturday isn’t a good time to get the jitters. The Dogs (48 per cent) are above the AFL average in 10th spot.
BIG-GAME HUNTERS
SIMON Goodwin deserves credit. When he changed up the game plan for a make-orbreak 2021 season, he redesigned the Demons to become a forward-half team. They wanted to get inside the arc and then defend in a way that traps the footy inside the attacking part of the ground. And hasn’t it worked. Melbourne ranks third in the league for forward half pressure, allowing Goodwin’s men to score the bulk of their goals not from pretty entries but from catching their prey close to goal on turnovers and other mistakes.
OFF THE CHAIN
AARON Naughton is Steven May’s bunny. If Western Bulldogs are any chance to win, the man who can crunch packs and take big marks must get off the chain in Perth. But this is where Luke Beveridge may have to play some tricks to give his main target man some space because May has kept Naughton to only two goals in their past four match-ups.