Back for another year, the SEN.com.au team gives you an insight into how every game will play out across the weekend.
Labelling something a ‘certainty’ in any sport is fraught with danger.
But we’ll attempt to find some anyway.
Here is what we consider certainties for Thursday night's Round 3 opener between the Western Bulldogs and Brisbane.
Macrae to pick up 25+ disposals
Jack Macrae must have a personal vendetta against Brisbane.
The star midfielder averages a monster 33.4 touches when facing off against the Lions, his most against any team in the competition.
While it wouldn’t be out of the question to see Macrae hit this mark again, he has spent stretches playing forward of the ball this year, resulting in less opportunity to find huge amounts of the footy.
Yet this shift hasn’t majorly impacted his stats, collecting 33 disposals in Round 1 before following that up with 25 touches against the Saints last weekend.
If the Bulldogs are going to save their season with a win over Brisbane, a strong performance from Macrae is pivotal.
Naughton and Lobb to combine for 2+ goals
The Dogs desperately need something from their forwards.
Their restructured attack has been completely ineffective to start the season, averaging the second least points per game across the entire competition.
Aaron Naughton has been the only member of the Bulldogs’ tall forward line to kick more than a single goal so far this season, currently sitting at three for the year.
Rory Lobb has yet to have an impact for his new club, failing to goal in Round 1 before missing last week with injury.
With the Bulldogs’ season already looking to be in jeopardy, Luke Beveridge will have done everything in his power to light a fire under his forwards.
While there’s every chance all of these goals come courtesy of Naughton, as Lobb still tries to find his role in a new club, expect the pair to combine for at least some scoring punch.
Considering Brisbane’s backline looks to be the Achilles heel of the talented Lions, all eyes will be on these tall forwards to take charge tonight.
Jack Makeham
Dunkley to have 18+ disposals and lay 4+ tackles
Reigning Bulldogs best and fairest Josh Dunkley takes on his former club for the first time.
Dunkley was quiet in his Lions debut in Round 1 against Port Adelaide, but bounced back to form in last Friday’s win over Melbourne with 26 touches and five tackles.
While he has no history of playing against the Dogs, obviously, we expect him to have a fair old crack.
We’re backing him in to pick up at least 18 touches and there’s no doubt he’ll want to get his hands dirty around the contest, so we’ll throw in at least four tackles for good measure.
McInerney to beat English in the hit-out count
Oscar McInerney has won 58 hit-outs this season to sit equal sixth in the competition.
In seven of his last eight matches he has finished with 24 or more hit-outs with the only miss coming when he was knocked out early in last year Elimination Final.
In his last four against the Dogs he has averaged over 35 hit-outs, including a 40-22 win over Tim English in the 2021 Semi Final.
Expect the ‘Big O’ to come out on top in the battle of the big men on Thursday night.
Andrew Slevison