Saturday’s third AFL Round 9 match is between St Kilda Saints and Western Bulldogs. The opening bounce is set to commence at 4:40pm local time with the game to be played at Etihad Stadium. The home team St Kilda Saints are the favourites for the match. View our preview and teams for the game between St Kilda Saints and Western Bulldogs.
Round: Round 9 4:40 PM May 25, 2013
Stadium: Etihad Stadium
Weather: 15° Shower or two
Featured Bookmakers:
St Kilda Saints $1.22 vs Western Bulldogs $4.30 at Sportsbet Australia get a $500 FREE BET on this match
St Kilda Saints $1.23 vs Western Bulldogs $4.35 at Luxbet Australia get a $500 FREE BET on this match
Odds Comparison by AFL Odds:
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| St Kilda Saints | 1.22 | 1.22 | 1.23 | 1.22 | 1.22 | 1.23 |
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Western Bulldogs
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4.30 | 4.30 | 4.35 | 4.30 | 4.30 | 4.35 |
Preview:
The fifteenth placed St. Kilda take on the sixteenth placed Western Bulldogs and whilst nothing separates them on the ladder, the betting market for the match rightly indicates that the Saints are travelling much better than their opponents.
The Saints had the unenviable task of facing Essendon, Collingwood and Sydney and although defeated in each of these games, showed improving signs so much so that, Carlton in round 7 (77 – 68).
Last week they travelled to Adelaide and were within nine points of the Crows at the major break but were only able to add three more majors in the second half and were dominated late, losing 87 – 47.
Saints’ two wins have come against the Suns and GWS – teams placed lower than them on the table and the Bulldogs fit that bill.
Western Bulldogs have only won one of their past nineteen matches – that being against Brisbane in the opening round of this year.
They were handed a 70 point flogging by West Coast in round 6, a 54 point defeat by North in round 7 and even the Gold Coast Suns jumped on the bandwagon last week, registering the biggest win in their club’s history 93 – 61.
This poor form couple with the fact that the Bulldogs haven’t beat St. Kilda since round 11, 2008 and their chances of winning here you would think are even less than the $4.25 offered.
Teams:
St Kilda Saints:
B: Rhys Stanley, James Gwilt, Jack Newnes
HB: Sean Dempster, Sam Fisher, Jimmy Webster
C: Farren Ray, Lenny Hayes, Dylan Roberton
HF: Nick Dal Santo, Beau Maister, Jarryn Geary
F: Tom Hickey, Nick Riewoldt, Stephen Milne
Foll: Ben McEvoy, Leigh Montagna, Jack Steven
Int: Arryn Siposs, David Armitage, Sebastian Ross, Ahmed Saad
Emerg: Josh Saunders, Terry Milera, Clinton Jones
In: L. Hayes
Out: T. Milera
Western Bulldogs:
B: Liam Picken, Jordan Roughead, Jason Johannisen
HB: Tom Young, Dale Morris, Brett Goodes
C: Matthew Boyd, Ryan Griffen, Robert Murphy
HF: Luke Dahlhaus, Liam Jones, Jake Stringer
F: Dylan Addison, Tom Williams, Daniel Giansiracusa
Foll: Will Minson, Clay Smith, Tom Liberatore
Int: Koby Stevens, Nathan Hrovat, Jack Macrae, Nick Lower
Emerg: Lukas Markovic, Mitch Wallis, Daniel Cross
In: D. Addison, T. Williams, N. Hrovat
Out: D. Cross, A. Cooney (hamstring), L. Markovic
Saints coach praises Winmar’s courage
Nicky Winmar’s defiance 20 years ago remains a potent act for St Kilda coach Scott Watters that goes far beyond the indigenous community.
Winmar is in the limelight this week ahead of the AFL’s indigenous round, with the league commemorating one of its most iconic moments.
Responding to racist abuse from Collingwood fans at Victoria Park, Winmar raised his Saints jumper and proudly pointed to his chest.
Winmar returned to his old club on Tuesday and addressed the St Kilda players ahead of Saturday’s match against the Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium.
“Nick’s not only a great role model for many of the indigenous kids and players … he’s a great role model for all of us,” Watters said.
“His message was universal and I could tell by the way the players were on the edge of their seats listening, there was a lot of gravity with it.
“We’re a better football club for having Nick Winmar as part of our history.”
Watters said Winmar had two key messages when he spoke to the players – respect each other and hate losing.
Saints fans hope the second message rubs off after their team faded badly last Sunday in the loss to Adelaide.
“That’s what he based his career on – that absolute hatred of losing,” Watters said.
Lenny Hayes is another fierce competitor for the Saints and he returns from three weeks out with a calf muscle injury.
Hayes’ experience is almost as important as his ability for the young Saints side.
“He has another opportunity to play alongside a Jack Steven or a Jack Newnes,” Watters said.
“The sharing of knowledge there is really, really important for us and he was in pretty good touch before going out of the side.”
Watters noted that his young team had shown encouraging form before their fadeout against the Crows.
“For half a game last week, there were some good signs,” he said.
“The second half, it was nowhere near where we wanted it to be.
“So 99 per cent of our focus is about really delivering the type of footy we want to deliver – it’s irrelevant who we play.”
The Bulldogs sprang a selection surprise, dropping veteran midfielder Daniel Cross and bringing in Nathan Hrovat for his senior debut.
“We looked at him last year, I think he’s terrific,” Watters said of Hrovat.
“I will concentrate on the players who are playing and he’s a good one.”