Game Chat – Western Bulldogs v Carlton

Written by Father Dougal on April 21 2019

Where and when: Marvel Stadium, Sunday April 21, 1.10pm AEST

Last time they met: Marvel Stadium, round six, 2018: Western Bulldogs 11.14 (80) defeated Carlton 8.11 (59)

Marcus Bontempelli and Patrick Cripps at their best and Patrick Lipinski’s three goals in his third game of football provided the entertainment in an otherwise dour clash. The loss handed Carlton its worst start to a VFL/AFL season, while Lin Jong survived one of the more brutal falcons you’ll see.

What it means for the Western Bulldogs: A win is simply a non-negotiable given the current plight of the Blues. The Bulldogs have gone from 2-0 to 2-2, but being slightly ahead of the ledger after five rounds would be seen as a successful start to 2019.

What it means for Carlton: Could things get much worse? So much talk about the lack of scoring and inability to close the deal in reasonably competitive performances, another narrow loss would be heartbreaking and heap pressure on a coach already feeling the heat.

How the Western Bulldogs win: The Dogs have their bite back at the contest and are pumping it inside 50 more than anyone else. If they can keep midfield beast Patrick Cripps on a short leash, the game should be well on their terms.

How Carlton wins: Ideally, find a matchwinning forward target. A lot has been made of the 100-point barrier at Carlton but they’ve only kicked over 80 points twice in the past 28 games. Realistically, make it a scrap and hit the line with a nose ahead.

The stat: Geelong defender Lachie Henderson was the last Blue to kick five or more goals in a win. That 40-point belting of St Kilda in round four, 2015 might feel like a distant memory for many supporters and for good reason – the Anzac Day feature game occurred in Wellington, New Zealand.

The match-up: Marcus Bontempelli v Patrick Cripps

It’s the Bont and Crippa show. The two stars have been superb in the opening month of the season and both occupy top 25 spots in the AFL Official Player Ratings. They’re influence is pivotal to the result, particularly the Carlton captain who typically receives less help around him.

It’s a big week for: Charlie Curnow

A quick recovery from a knee injury suffered in round two had Curnow back in the fold last week, where he took nine marks. The 22-year-old was a sight to behold at times last season and to say the Blues need him at that level is an almighty understatement.

Big call: The Bulldogs win the hitout count despite a 131-22 differential in the past fortnight

Father Dougals’s Tip: Bulldogs by 20. Feel like the dogs are going to want to prove a point and won’t lose to the Blues. 20 Might be too low. I have High confidence in this pick

**Our Admin isn’t always online.  If you have access to the SuperCoach scores, the SCT Coaches would be very appreciative if you could pop them into the comments below. Thank you!**

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91 thoughts on “Game Chat – Western Bulldogs v Carlton”

  1. Looking forward to watching this and the midfield battle… Hopefully in peace after the kids come down from their Chocolate Bunny high in approx 37mins

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    1. Oh my god tell me about it!

      Would love to post a photo depicting the state of our living room. The pillow fight went well. Now he’s exhausted and feeling both a little sick and tired. Bring on the footy 🙂

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  2. Expecting the dogs to win but it won’t be an absolute smashing. Lots of faith on Dunkley to show to me why i have still held him in my team. C on Cripps doesn’t mean much to me when most have it so a bad score many coaches will cop. Just need another average performance from Macrae so his price will drop again and make him more affordable

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        1. I’m backing in Dangerfield. Will bounce back in a big way after last week against an undermanned/bruised Hawks side.
          Hoping so anyway.

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  3. LATE CHANGES
    Western Bulldogs: Nil
    Carlton: Charlie Curnow (knee soreness) replaced in selected side by Levi Casboult

    FINAL INTERCHANGES
    Western Bulldogs: Mitch Wallis, Bailey Smith, Ed Richards, Billy Gowers
    Carlton: Lochie O’Brien, Cameron Polson, Dale Thomas, Levi Casboult

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  4. Can’t decide for Captain
    TU Cripps
    TD Danger
    Hawthorn don’t tag and Dangers coming off his lowest score of the season and will be out to make amends. Should’ve gone Stack but was waiting for Ross next week. That’s going to come back and bite me. Let’s hope it’s the only mistake I make this weekend!

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  5. What a crock!! Easter Sunday and no footy on the tellie…

    Blues win this by 8 points, Crippa 35 possies and 3 goals…

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    1. Definitely up the ground and looks like it suits him. Could he be this year’s Fritsch with a role change just at the right time?!?! Let’s see when Curnow is back, but for owners I hope so.

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  6. Ive noticed this a few times now. Why does Billy Gowers get midfield preference over Dunkley?

    And i hate not having Macrae. Absolute joy to watch and has the best quick hands in the game. Not starting him and Lloyd are massive regrets

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    1. Right on. I missed Whitfield and Neale, but having forked out the cash of Macrae and Lloyd makes up for it- sort of.

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      1. I went the opposite having Neale and Whitfield! Going cheap in the backline is turning into a bit of an error with Lloyd and Hurn smashing it. Macrae isn’t killing me but not having his consistency is annoying.

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    2. Yeah right. Gowers looks like the missing link. That’s what we used to call the g-train, Fraser Gehrig. Put him back FWD where he belongs!

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  7. I wonder how good the Bulldogs be with a different coach. Dunkley getting almost no midfield time but looking at last season he was dominant, so why field Gowers at all these centre bounces? Gowers is a forward, Dunkley is more a midfielder. Switch them! #FULB

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      1. I’n not saying he isn’t, but i feel with a different coach this team could do much better and be a consistent top 4 team for years.

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    1. Bev is a very good coach on his day. However some of his decisions about who lines up where is truly baffling.

      Why is Daniel continuously caught out one on one against a big FF like Mckay? Cost them alot of goals already this year.

      Macrae, Bont and Libba should be the main 3 midfielders with Dunkley the very first rotation through there. Why Gowers is even getting any mid time is beyond me. Can’t even use the reason of him being a big body (like Hogan for Fremantle) because Dunkley is bigger than him!

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  8. McKay 3 inches taller than anyone else in the dogs backline
    3 times he’s been 1 out with caleb daniel
    gna kick a bag

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  9. This is the position / role Gibbons should have been playing from round 1! up the ground and absolutely killing it. 54 nearing HT! Atkins might not even get 50 so that hurts a bit!

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    1. he was recruited as a fwd , but with 2 JJ Liston medals , you’d think he’s good enough to play up the ground

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    1. Has still spent little time there but making the most of it when he is. He has just been efficient with his ball use which is helping him from his 9 disposals.

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      1. Super efficient by his standards. It seems he’s more involved in the link-up passages. Get him in the guts FULB!

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      2. if dunkley @ 1/2 fwd , isn’t pushing into the midfield , or even down to 1/2 back , when the ball isn’t going into the dogs fwd line , even if its just to open up the fwd line so the dogs small fwds can have room to run onto the ball ,
        that tells me he’s been play’n wiith a niggle or hav’n a sook about something , if he’s been told to anchor himself in the fwd line , then that’s bad coaching

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  10. SUPERCOACH

    J. Dunkley 54
    H. McKay 93
    T. English 53
    S. Petrevski-Seton 73
    J. Macrae 52
    P. Cripps 66
    J. Johannisen 51
    M. Murphy 60
    C. Daniel 49
    S. Walsh 54
    M. Bontempelli 48
    L. Plowman 53
    T. Liberatore 46
    K. Simpson 53
    E. Richards 35
    M. Gibbons 52
    W. Hayes 35
    M. Kreuzer 49
    B. Smith 34
    J. Silvagni 44
    L. Hunter 33
    P. Dow 37
    B. Gowers 33
    Z. Fisher 37
    T. Dickson 33
    L. Casboult 36
    E. Wood 31
    N. Newman 33
    H. Crozier 30
    J. Weitering 30
    S. Lloyd 28
    C. Marchbank 30
    T. McLean 26
    L. O’Brien 28
    M. Wallis 24
    M. McGovern 18
    Z. Cordy 20
    L. Jones 17
    L. Young 18
    D. Thomas 17
    B. Williams 14
    E. Curnow 9
    A. Naughton 3
    C. Polson 7

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  11. SUPERCOACH

    J. Macrae 82
    H. McKay 115
    T. English 81
    S. Petrevski-Seton 109
    M. Bontempelli 80
    P. Cripps 92
    C. Daniel 79
    M. Murphy 88
    J. Johannisen 78
    M. Gibbons 83
    T. Liberatore 67
    S. Walsh 80
    J. Dunkley 66
    L. Plowman 75
    B. Smith 56
    M. Kreuzer 72
    E. Richards 54
    Z. Fisher 71
    L. Hunter 51
    K. Simpson 67
    B. Gowers 50
    J. Silvagni 63
    H. Crozier 49
    L. Casboult 61
    S. Lloyd 48
    N. Newman 59
    W. Hayes 48
    P. Dow 48
    T. McLean 45
    C. Marchbank 43
    M. Wallis 43
    J. Weitering 41
    E. Wood 42
    L. O’Brien 41
    T. Dickson 42
    M. McGovern 34
    L. Young 30
    D. Thomas 32
    Z. Cordy 28
    L. Jones 24
    B. Williams 19
    E. Curnow 21
    A. Naughton 10
    C. Polson 7

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  12. Macrae as my cap should push 125…. Cripps thank god hasnt gone huge.

    Gibbons is a jet when played in the midfield and I wished I fielded him instead of Atkins. Could average 80 if played higher up the ground.

    Dunkley and Libba are not good players anymore.

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  13. SUPERCOACH
    before scaling

    M. Bontempelli 105
    H. McKay 152
    C. Daniel 99
    S. Petrevski-Seton 135
    T. English 99
    P. Cripps 108
    T. Liberatore 98
    Z. Fisher 107
    J. Johannisen 97
    M. Kreuzer 105
    J. Macrae 97
    L. Plowman 104
    J. Dunkley 94
    S. Walsh 104
    H. Crozier 78
    M. Murphy 104
    L. Hunter 72
    M. Gibbons 103
    B. Smith 70
    K. Simpson 91
    W. Hayes 69
    L. Casboult 90
    B. Gowers 65
    J. Silvagni 84
    T. McLean 65
    N. Newman 83
    E. Richards 64
    P. Dow 72
    M. Wallis 57
    J. Weitering 50
    S. Lloyd 56
    C. Marchbank 50
    E. Wood 54
    L. O’Brien 45
    T. Dickson 52
    D. Thomas 41
    L. Young 42
    E. Curnow 37
    Z. Cordy 34
    M. McGovern 36
    B. Williams 32
    L. Jones 32
    A. Naughton 21
    C. Polson 12

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  14. Guess it isn’t going to be a POD mistake captaining Macrae. Only lose 16 points if I’d captain Cripps. However, damn Danger might to 150 tomorrow.

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  15. I will take a 94 from Dunkley considering the role he is currently playing and this was in a loss. I will stick by him as he will surely come good as a role change is surely coming. It is not him, but the coach who is holding him back

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    1. Dunks hasn’t reslly fired but hasn’t had any teal stinkers either, darling a bigger problem for me.

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  16. SO pleased for Carlton and Bolts. SC scores great too. Walsh is a fun.
    Dogs? I hope you keep losing til you play Dunks in the guts 🙂

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  17. Had Atkins on the ground for constable with the E on Gibbo so will do a switcheroo and take Gibbon’s ton I think!!!

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    1. question,
      If I put constable on field but have the E on both Scott and Gibbons, who’s points do i get?

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  18. those with the C on Cripps would be contemplating what could have been
    36 possessions , 5 kicks , 31 handballs 😉

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  19. Macrae should have a BE over 180 next week. Good news for us non-owners.
    Will be looking to offload Libba before Walsh at this rate. Icing on the cake today. Backyard dreams becoming a reality for the young gun!

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    1. big call champ
      his 3 rd av is around 115 , BE was 9 pre this game
      has a huge ceiling
      ill be holding libba until his 3 rd av drops below 100 or his BE hits 130
      or , he goes down injured

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      1. My point was more that I’m thinking Walsh is more of a keeper than Libba. Not thinking of trading either for a while yet. More mental notes. Walsh is looking better every week. Thought Libba looked a fraction off it today. That’s all.

        Long may it last 🙂

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        1. my mistake , i misread yr comment a bit ,
          as long as paddy cripps
          ( porbably the best team player in the comp imo )
          is crack’n in for 16 contested posessions & dish’n out 31 handballs to the kids on the outside like he did today , players like walsh are gna be scor’n pretty well , not to mention they get to learn from 1 of the best roll models in the game

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    2. Right on. They should have you commentating, allsaints. I have heard some truly insipid s**t from the commentators over the last few days lol.

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      1. Appalling isn’t it! I used to listen to it on the radio and watch, but it’s so delayed it just doesn’t work anymore. Ah well. Commentary on here is better 🙂

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  20. Damn Carlton won. There go the jokes for the week. No more jokes like ‘What is the difference between Carlton and a mobile phone number? They both start with 0 and 4.

    Congrats Carlton! Good for the competition.

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  21. As a bombers fan…well done blues…you can leave us alone know after knocking us off two years in a row. And as for you Cripps, a couple of kicks may just have got me over the line.

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  22. Walsh got ridiculous updates at the end – went from 93 to 104 … then a further upgrade to 112 … tell me that not favouritism scoring of CD!!

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