Gemma Bastiani looks ahead to what promises to be an exciting round six
Western Bulldogs v Carlton at Whitten Oval, 7:15pm AEDT
The Western Bulldogs’ season is on the line. If the Dogs want to generate momentum in the second half of the season, they must defeat Carlton on Friday. If they lose, it will be their sixth straight defeat, the club’s longest losing streak in history. The Bulldogs’ biggest problem has been how badly they have been breaking apart late in games, losing all but one final quarter, and this is something they must fix if they are to beat the Blues. Carlton comes into this game with a lot of confidence, three wins, and evidence that every player is on the same page – far more than the Dogs can say.
Carlton has the opportunity to exploit a somewhat vulnerable Bulldogs defence, averaging the third-most tackles inside 50 this season, which has led to a significant increase in scoring. The Dogs, however, have been conceding nearly double the points they did last season, and with a tall trio of Phoebe McWilliams, Mia Austin and one of Breann Moody or Jess Good to contend with, minimising the hurt on the scoreboard becomes an even tougher task. It is likely Gab Newton will be swung into defence for the Dogs to help quell Carlton’s firepower, but that leaves them limited in attack when they are able to gain possession of the footy.
Tip: The pain continues for the Bulldogs. Carlton by five points.
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