As Round 19 of the AFL season approaches take a look at the game between Essendon Bombers and Western Bulldogs which is to be played at Marvel Stadium on Friday. Western Bulldogs are the favourites for the game which is scheduled to start at 7:50 pm. We preview the upcoming Essendon Bombers vs. Western Bulldogs game and give you the latest odds, tips and teams.
When: Friday July 21, 2023 at 7:50 pm
Where: Marvel Stadium
Bet: Bet On This Match HERE
Essendon Bombers vs Western Bulldogs Odds
Essendon Bombers vs Western Bulldogs Preview
The Bombers had a top-four spot in their grasp last week, but a blowout loss to the Cats has not only left them sitting precariously in eighth position, but also cast enormous doubt over the club’s chances of winning a final.
A return home to Marvel might be just what the Dons need, but standing in their way is an equally desperate Bulldogs team looking to maintain their spot in the hunt.
With pressure mounting, the hot seat is now firmly warming underneath head coach Luke Beveridge, the Dogs suffering another close loss to the Swans last week in a game they really should have won.
Structurally, the Bulldogs are a tough team to get a read on, they’ve lacked direction all year and it feels like several players are unsure of their role.
The Bombers don’t have that problem, but scoring points has proven a challenge at times – a worrying sign against a Dogs team that just needs to find some accuracy in front of goal.
The Bulldogs have averaged 23 scoring shots a game, but as we saw last week, they often squander their opportunities inside 50.
On the plus side, the Dogs are averaging nearly five more forward half entries compared to the Bombers, while there’s also a stark difference in the tackle count between the pair.
With only two wins from their last five games, neither of these two teams are reliable, but with the Bombers leaking an average of 97 points over the last month, the Doggies look to have a huge opportunity to get back on track.
Content provided by Ladbrokes
Head To Head Bet
We're tipping Western Bulldogs to win at $1.65 odds.
First Goal Scorer
First Goal Scorer: Cody Weightman at $10.00.
Essendon Bombers vs Western Bulldogs Teams
BOMBERS
B: A.McGrath, B.Zerk-Thatcher, J.Laverde
HB: M.Redman, J.Ridley, J.Kelly
C: N.Martin, Z.Merrett – C, S.Durham
HF: M.Guelfi, K.Langford, J.Caldwell
F: W.Snelling, P.Wright, J.Stringer
FOLL: N.Bryan, D.Parish, B.Hobbs
I/C: N.Cox, A.Perkins, D.Heppell, A.Phillips
EMG: N.Hind, K.Baldwin, A.Davey Jnr, J.Menzie
In: N.Cox, A.Phillips
Out: S.Weideman (Omitted), J.Menzie (Omitted), N.Hind (Sub)
BULLDOGS
B: L.Vandermeer, R.Gardner, J.Bruce
HB: B.Dale, A.Keath, E.Richards
C: C.Poulter, M.Bontempelli – C, O.Baker
HF: J.Macrae, A.Naughton, A.Treloar
F: C.Weightman, J.Ugle-Hagan, A.Scott
FOLL: T.English, C.Daniel, T.Liberatore
I/C: B.Smith, R.West, T.Duryea, B.Khamis
EMG: B.Williams, R.Lobb, J.Sweet, R.Garcia
In: J.Bruce, O.Baker, B.Smith, B.Khamis
Out: B.Williams (Omitted), L.McNeil (Illness), S.Darcy (Injured), J.O’Donnell (Injured), R.Garcia (Sub)