Given that the Doggies are now in the top four, this game stands as one of the club's most significant wins in recent times. Doing it again in the same season and at Etihad Stadium would really be something!

MELBOURNE

B: Colin Garland, Tom McDonald, Jack Grimes

HB: Jeremy Howe, Lynden Dunn, Heritier Lumumba

C: Daniel Cross, Aaron vandenBerg, Matt Jones

HF: Angus Brayshaw, Cameron Pedersen, Jack Watts

F: Jeff Garlett, Jesse Hogan, Jack Fitzpatrick

FOLL: Jake Spencer, Nathan Jones, Bernie Vince

I/C: Rohan Bail, Ben Newton, Aidan Riley, Jimmy Toumpas

EMG: Max Gawn, Viv Michie, Billy Stretch

IN: Jack Fitzpatrick, Jesse Hogan, Ben Newton, Aidan Riley, Jack Watts

OUT: Chris Dawes (calf), Viv Michie, Christian Salem (hamstring), Billy Stretch, Dom Tyson (knee)

WESTERN BULLDOGS

B: Matthew Boyd, Jordan Roughead, Easton Wood

HB: Robert Murphy, Fletcher Roberts, Jason Johannisen

C: Tory Dickson, Liam Picken, Koby Stevens

HF: Bailey Dale, Jake Stringer, Mitch Wallis

F: Stewart Crameri, Tom Boyd, Luke Dahlhaus

FOLL: Ayce Cordy, Lin Jong, Marcus Bontempelli

I/C: Shane Biggs, Brett Goodes, Lachie Hunter, Michael Talia

EMG: Jarrad Grant Nathan Hrovath Jack Macrae

IN: Shane Biggs

OUT: Mitch Honeychurch (general soreness)

NEW: Shane Biggs

I give us a sniff this week.

Just think the Dogs are due for a down week and we have to win at Etihad eventually.

Plus we always have close encounters with them, even during our darkest years of 2012 and 2013.

We should win.

Stringer being injured will give us a real chance.

Stringer being injured will give us a real chance.

Afraid not.

Despite Jake Stringer copping a couple of heavy knocks during the game, Bulldogs General Manager of Football Graham Lowe said the forward had recovered well from the match.

The Bulldogs could welcome back as many as four players to the senior line-up from injury this Sunday against the Demons, while the playing group has emerged unscathed from the weekend’s win over Port Adelaide.

Captain Bob Murphy and defender Josh Prudden did not play against the Power due to general soreness, but both are expected to be available for selection to face Melbourne.

“A couple of games with some big running volume in them and a six day turnaround so it was important to manage a couple of key players there in Josh Prudden and obviously Bob Murphy as well, so it’s really pleasing to say that they’re both available to be selected for this week.”

Vice-captain Jordan Roughead (foot) and fellow defender Fletcher Roberts (ankle) are also expected to return from their respective injuries.

From the Official Western Bulldogs Website.

Our current team on paper looks better than that one. VandenBerg is the only player in that side missing that hasn't been replaced by someone equal or better.

Not that that means much with our team.

We should win.

Bit rich.

Our record against them is not good.

From memory it would be two wins out of the last seven.

And they have often pinched the close ones.

It should be better than that and while I think we CAN win, their form has gone through the roof since we last played them, whereas we have shown our best only in flashes.

Bit rich.

Our record against them is not good.

From memory it would be two wins out of the last seven.

And they have often pinched the close ones.

It should be better than that and while I think we CAN win, their form has gone through the roof since we last played them, whereas we have shown our best only in flashes.

Our record is not great but we match up well. Those two loses last year would have been wins this year.

It could go either way but looking at Footscray's form it's hard to tip against them.

god i hope Vanbenberg is ok to play

He crushed them last time - 29 touches and 11 tackles

Listed as a three week injury and could be out for the season according to the MFC website.

Listed as a three week injury and could be out for the season according to the MFC website.

That's fine. Shelve him for next season, he can have a full pre-season his time and show us what he's really capable of.

Our good record against the Dogs gives me promise (2 wins, 4 narrow losses since 2012), so in our era of disgrace they are one of few teams who haven't disgraced us. I think our defence will do a better job than the Bombers' and Port's. I don't think they'll be on top of their game but they'll probably manage to win somehow (or we'll manage to lose somehow)

It's at Etihad. Enough said.

Listed as a three week injury and could be out for the season according to the MFC website.

I almost clicked the like button as i liked the accuracy of your response......but this is one of those times when you cant.

Our good record against the Dogs gives me promise (2 wins, 4 narrow losses since 2012), so in our era of disgrace they are one of few teams who haven't disgraced us. I think our defence will do a better job than the Bombers' and Port's. I don't think they'll be on top of their game but they'll probably manage to win somehow (or we'll manage to lose somehow)

Write your first sentence this way: "Our good record against the Demons gives me promise (2 losses, 4 narrow wins since 2012)". That's what the Bulldog fansite is probably arguing. And it's a much stronger position to argue from.

Write your first sentence this way: "Our good record against the Demons gives me promise (2 losses, 4 narrow wins since 2012)". That's what the Bulldog fansite is probably arguing. And it's a much stronger position to argue from.

Our good record against the Demons gives me promise (2 losses, 4 narrow wins since 2012).

Wait that doesn't make sense as I'm a Melbourne supporter.