The fifth game on Saturday for AFL round 10 is between Western Bulldogs and Port Adelaide Power. The opening bounce is set to commence at 7:10pm with the game to be played at TIO Stadium. The favourite for the match is away team Port Adelaide Power. View our preview and teams for the game between Western Bulldogs and Port Adelaide Power.

Round: Round 10 7:10 PM June 01, 2013
Stadium: TIO Stadium
Weather: 30° Mostly sunny

Featured Bookmakers:

Western Bulldogs $2.35 vs Port Adelaide Power $1.62 at Sportsbet Australia get a $500 FREE BET on this match

Western Bulldogs $2.40 vs Port Adelaide Power $1.59 at Luxbet Australia get a $500 FREE BET on this match

Odds Comparison by AFL Odds:

Western Bulldogs	2.35	2.30	2.40	2.30	2.30	2.35
Port Adelaide Power	1.62	1.60	1.59	1.60	1.60	1.62

Preview:

The sixteenth placed Western Bulldogs take on Port Adelaide who, having won their first five games of the season have lost their last four against North, Richmond, Carlton and last week, by 48 points to Geelong.

This string of losses has seen them slide outside of the eight and now sitting in ninth position on the ladder.

They’ll be cautious, despite the Western Bulldogs having only won two games this year, given that Port haven’t beaten their opponent since Round 19, 2006 – six matches ago.

Adding cause to Port’s concern will be that one of Western Bulldog’s win, came last week against St. Kilda. It was obviously the best performance the Bulldogs have produced this season and will be keen to keep the ball rolling.

Despite their being some signs of a possible upset, looking past last weekend results you would expect Port to register a win.

In the last month, only once has either side registered more than 100 points and, with neither side in winning form, scoring points may not come easy. Coupled with the fact that two of the past three clashes have resulted in total match points under 160, the Under Total Match Point option is a viable option.

Teams:

Western Bulldogs:
B: Liam Picken, Michael Talia, Brett Goodes
HB: Jason Johannisen, Jordan Roughead, Dale Morris
C: Jack Macrae, Tom Liberatore, Clay Smith
HF: Dylan Addison, Liam Jones, Robert Murphy
F: Luke Dahlhaus, Tom Williams, Jake Stringer
Foll: Will Minson, Ryan Griffen, Nick Lower
Int: Daniel Giansiracusa, Mitch Wallis, Koby Stevens, Nathan Hrovat
Emerg: Jason Tutt, Lukas Markovic, Tom Campbell

In: M.Wallis, M.Talia
Out: M.Boyd (calf), T.Young (calf)

Port Adelaide Power:
B: Jack Hombsch, Alipate Carlile, Cameron O’Shea
HB: Tom Logan, Thomas Jonas, Hamish Hartlett
C: Kane Cornes, Travis Boak, Matthew Broadbent
HF: Brad Ebert, John Butcher, Angus Monfries
F: Robbie Gray, Jay Schulz, Justin Westhoff
Foll: Jarrad Redden, Oliver Wines, Chad Wingard
Int: Jake Neade, Campbell Heath, Kane Mitchell, Cameron Hitchcock
Emerg: Matthew Lobbe, Aaron Young, Paul Stewart

In: C.Hitchcock, J.Hombsch, J.Neade
Out: M.Thomas (shoulder), A.Moore, S.Colquhoun

Youth in focus at Western Bulldogs

The focus on the Western Bulldogs’ younger players is set to sharpen after the club chalked up their second AFL win this season last weekend.

The Bulldogs had a newer look in their nine point win over St Kilda, dropping veteran Daniel Cross and bringing in several less experienced players.

Coach Brendan McCartney said the club was more intent than ever on concentrating on the youth policy, saying the win last week was a lot closer than people had realised.

He said patches of poor play and lack of concentration remained but the club’s answer was to try to develop the young members as quickly as possible.

“You just keep giving game experiences to young people because at present more than half our team out there are still in their infancy in learning the game,” McCartney said.

“What they were able to do in the second quarter last Saturday afternoon was hang in the game and just survive a ten minute patch.

“Sometimes you’ve just got to exist in a game when it’s not going your way and not let it get away on you.

“The more often they’re in that environment and they come out the other side the closer you are to doing it.”

The Bulldogs face several challenges this weekend, clashing with ninth-placed Port Adelaide in the heat of Darwin and plans to acclimatise are well underway.

McCartney said that the team had spent time in the heat chamber at Melbourne University.

“We’re not overdoing it but just getting used to sweating a bit more,” McCartney said.

“It does cool off there once the game starts but you do sweat a lot more and just being able to deal with that and get enough fluids in…other than that it will be the same.”

The Bulldogs have won their past six games against Port but McCartney described that as a “historical” figure.

“They’re different though, now, a different coach, clearly a different way of playing with a real ability to open you up if you’re not ready.

“And their first five weeks wasn’t a fluke, they played some terrific footy and we know we have to go up there and play well and do the basics of the game very well to get a good result,” he said.