King: Martin worth risk
IT’S the risk versus reward conundrum that Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge has wrestled with this week – stick with his current ruck strategy or gamble on the match fitness of tough veteran Stefan Martin, who hasn’t played a senior AFL match in almost 100 days.
The decision might hold the key to the Bulldogs’ hopes of advancing to a second grand final in five years by winning Saturday night’s preliminary final against Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval.
Fox Footy analyst David King says it is a risk the Bulldogs need to take to limit the impact of Power ruckman Scott Lycett, even if it means they might have to sub the 34-year-old out of the game at some stage.
Martin hasn’t played a senior AFL game since round 12, due to a shoulder issue as well as hip and groin soreness, with his latest setback coming just over three weeks ago.
But a solid recent training block since – including a session in Tasmania last Saturday morning with the carryover Bulldogs players – has boosted Martin’s hopes of a ruck recall.
“The risk of conceding score and/or territory from centre bounce is worth the gamble of playing Stef Martin, particularly for the first 70 or 80 minutes of this clash,” King said.
“If he is not right to go after three-quarter time, well, you have got the sub, but you (the Bulldogs) have got to stay in the game.
“You have got to make Port Adelaide nervous.”
The spectre of Lycett – who had 40 hitouts, 22 disposals and five clearances in the Power’s two-point round 23 win over the Bulldogs – could tempt Beveridge to roll the dice on Martin.
King, a two-time premiership Kangaroo who played in seven straight preliminary finals, said Martin’s brute strength could make a difference, leaving Tim English to play forward in the first half before being called upon to play in the ruck late in the game.
Lion Oscar McInerney had the better of Lewis Young in the ruck in the first half last week before Beveridge switched English into the role after halftime, which helped square the ledger.
The Dogs went from -4 in first-half clearances to +14 in the second half, according to Champion Data, cutting firsthalf opposition scores from stoppages from 4.2 (26) to 0.3 (3) in the second.
In round 23 the Power outscored the Bulldogs by +7 points from stoppages, but it could have been worse.
The Power’s inaccuracy from their 10 scoring shots from that source – 3.7 (25) – could have cost them dearly, which almost let the Bulldogs off the hook.
The Bulldogs remain hopeful skipper Marcus Bontempelli
will prove his fitness after he suffered a knee injury late in last week’s semi-final win at the Gabba.
Leaving aside the Martin decision, Beveridge will be forced to make at least one change with livewire small forward Cody Weightman ruled out after a head knock in last week’s semi-final win over Brisbane.
His logical replacement would be Anthony Scott, who played in 20 of the 22 homeand-away games. Mitch Wallis and Patrick Lipinski could also come into consideration.
Martin and the rest of the Bulldogs who didn’t play in last week’s semi-final rejoined the group in Perth on Sunday, which forward Aaron Naughton said gave the team yet another boost.
“It was definitely good (to reunite with the rest of the group),” Naughton told the club’s website.