Where and When: Saturday, 1.45pm AEST, Marvel Stadium

Last time they met: 

The Bulldogs won by 20 points two months back in round 14, beating the GIANTS in a shootout, 19.11 (125) to 16.9 (105). The Dogs led by just five points at the end of a frantic first half, but set the win up with a five-goal-to-one third quarter. Jack Macrae dominated, racking up 37 disposals for the game, while Cody Weightman and Aaron Naughton kicked five goals each, Weightman scoring all his in the first half. Toby Greene was impossible to stop at the other end, scoring seven goals for the game, while Jesse Hogan added three more. The pre-game loss of Matt Flynn hurt the GIANTS, especially after Brayden Preuss went down early with an ankle injury.

Broadcast:

Saturday’s match will be shown live on Channel 7 in NSW and the ACT as well as Fox Footy and Kayo nationally from 1:30pm. 
 
For the latest television and radio broadcast guide, click here. 

 

What it means for the GIANTS: 

The chance to finish the season on an optimistic note remains, with last week’s win over Essendon full of spark that was missing the week before against Sydney. For the leaders it is an opportunity to steer the younger players through the rest of what has been a challenging year so that they feel good about themselves and what is to come; for the younger players there is a chance to find where they need to push themselves to next year and beyond. It is also the chance to do both things against two good opponents, starting with our favourite rival.

Where’s the opposition at?

The Dogs are one of a few teams scraping for a spot in the top eight after what has been an up-and-down season. For them the job over the next two weeks is simple: they need to win while hoping Carlton, Richmond and St Kilda lose. They have a short injury list and a couple on the way back, with defenders Ryan Gardiner and Jason Johanissen in the mix to return from injury against the GIANTS. Buku Khamis will miss for them with concussion.

Player watch:

Jesse Hogan has quietly been piecing together the best of his two years at the GIANTS. After nine games in 2021 the key forward played his 16^th match for the season against the Bombers last week, kicking four goals to take him to 30 for the season. It’s his best games tally since his last year at Melbourne in 2018, and his best goals tally since that season too. 

In the mix: 

There will be no more Toby Greene for season 2022 – he’s off for surgery on a fractured thumb. James Peatling was subbed out of last week’s game with concussion and will miss, and the delayed nature of Tim Taranto’s concussion means he won’t be back in the side this week either. Matt Flynn has also been ruled out for the last two games due to ankle surgery. There aren’t many on their way back, though Conor Stone got through 60 minutes of last week’s VFL match on his return from hamstring issues. There’s a number of players ready to be called upon if required: Xavier O’Halloran, Cooper Hamilton, Cam Fleeton, Callum Brown, Wade Derksen, Jake Stein, Zach Sproule and Will Shaw all did their bit in the VFL and will put their hands up for a late-season call-up.

The Western Bulldogs' hopes and dreams of September action are still alive, for now and only just.

It seemed as straightforward as it could possibly come on Saturday; the Bulldogs simply had to beat the GIANTS to stay in the hunt for finals.

And while they were made to scratch and claw for each of the four points gained, they did complete the all-important first part of the equation, the other being a win over Hawthorn next week.

The Bulldogs were tested at every turn by a GIANTS side determined to play spoiler against their rivals. After falling behind by four points at three-quarter time, Luke Beveridge's charges needed to respond and they did just enough in the final quarter to secure a season-saving five-point win.

Jamarra Ugle-Hagan had a cool head when it mattered, kicking the solitary goal of the final term to secure the 9.8 (62) to 8.9 (57) win and send the Bulldogs into ninth on the ladder, while adding another enthralling chapter to one of the game's burgeoning modern rivalries.

In an emotionally-charged final quarter, wastefulness (1.6) and ill-discipline almost threatened to derail the Bulldogs' fightback as they squandered a number of golden opportunities and gave away two free kicks that resulted in shots on goal for the GIANTS - but the visitors failed to capitalise.

Now the fate of the Dogs rests in the hands of both Melbourne and Hawthorn; a win from either against Carlton or Richmond this weekend will ensure the Bulldogs will still be in the hunt come the final round of the season, where they will take on the Hawks in Tasmania in another 'must-win and hope' game.

Jack Macrae led the Bulldogs' possession getters with 31, while Bailey Dale (26 disposals, seven marks, seven score involvements) and Caleb Daniel (29 disposals, 527 metres gained) led the push from half-back. Bailey Smith was particularly important, too, ending the afternoon with 26 disposals and a big goal at a crucial stage of the third quarter. 

The undermanned GIANTS, on the other hand, will lose no admirers for their effort. Mark McVeigh's side came out with a plan to frustrate and dominate possession, but ultimately were unable to close out the win after a particularly impressive third quarter where they booted five of their eight goals.

Stephen Coniglio (31 disposals, eight marks) and Josh Kelly (35 disposals, 12 marks, 600 metres gained) stood out for the GIANTS, while Harry Himmelberg's sensational move to defence continued with a 30-disposal, 12-mark outing.

The GIANTS' intent was apparent from the off as they looked to essentially play keepings off (105-82 disposals and 48-23 marks at quarter-time). However, they were unable to turn their possession dominance into scores against the Bulldogs' well-oiled defensive unit, who hit the GIANTS on the break and made them pay up the other end to open up an 11-point quarter time lead.

The second term was nothing to write home about, either, with much of the play stuck between the arcs and scores, as a result, being at the premium. The GIANTS, however, managed to eek ahead momentarily off the back of a lovely goal from Jake Riccardi but a much-needed major from Tom Liberatore gave the Bulldogs back the advantage by four points at the major break.

From that point on, it was a game of momentum swings as the contest finally roared to life in an enthralling third quarter. The GIANTS hit first, booting the first two goals of the quarter to take the lead, before the Bulldogs finally found their rhythm and hit back with four straight majors, headlined by a quickfire double from Bailey Williams to open up a game-high 15-point lead.

It seemed as though the Bulldogs might run away with it, but the GIANTS responded with three quick goals - including an incredible outside-of-the-foot banana from Lachie Keeffe - to take back the lead and hold a slender advantage heading into the final term.

In the end, the Bulldogs shone when the pressure was at fever pitch as Ugle-Hagan slotted the all-important winner to keep their hopes of a fourth-straight finals appearance alive.

ALEER SHINES

If it wasn't apparent already, Leek Aleer has a very bright future. In only his third senior game, the GIANTS rookie was brilliant in the defensive half up against a myriad of different opponents - tall and small - and performing those roles with aplomb in an eye-catching performance. The No.15 pick in last year's NAB AFL Draft complemented impressive performances from Sam Taylor, Harry Himmelberg, Nick Haynes and Callum Brown, with his aerial prowess a highlight. He also did some equally solid work when the ball hit the deck, including a huge tackle on Aaron Naughton at a crucial stage of the third term that yielded a free-kick.

WESTERN BULLDOGS                  3.0     4.1     8.2    9.8 (62)
GIANTS                                         1.1     3.3     8.6    8.9 (57)

GOALS  

Western Bulldogs: Williams 2, Naughton, English, Weightman, Dale, Liberatore, Smith, Ugle-Hagan
GIANTS: Riccardi 2, Hogan, Ward, Stein, Haynes, Hogan, Keeffe

BEST  

Western Bulldogs: Dale, Macrae, Smith, Dunkley, English, Daniel, Bontempelli, Richards
GIANTS: Kelly, Coniglio, Himmelberg, Green, Ward, Whitfield, Haynes, Taylor, Perryman

INJURIES  

Western Bulldogs: Liberatore (head)
GIANTS: Keeffe (groin)

MEDICAL SUBS

Western Bulldogs: Roarke Smith
Greater Western Sydney: Xavier O’Halloran replaced Lachlan Keeffe in fourth quarter

CROWD

18,301 at Marvel Stadium