For a start, the former Lions star and Brownlow Medallist is in doubt for Saturday night’s clash with a hamstring injury.
Fellow Brownlow Medallist and Lions linchpin Simon Black is also racing the clock with a calf injury.
The Lions will be without Mitch Clark and Ashley McGrath who have both taken one week suspensions following last weekend’s win over Port Adelaide.
On the flip side, Jared Brennan will return from a week on the sidelines following his suspension in round 2.
But the biggest talking point before the Gabba showdown may just revolve around the new-look forward lines of each team.
The Bulldogs smashed the Lions when the teams last met in an elimination final at the MCG in September, but since then both teams have undergone some cosmetic surgery.
Brendan Fevola has headed north to Brisbane and Barry Hall moved from Sydney to the Dogs in the two biggest trade moves in the off-season.
Both have settled in nicely, with Fevola contributing in every game and Hall paying his first big dividend on Sunday with six goals against Hawthorn.
Lions coach Michael Voss has admitted a win against the highly fancied Bulldogs could give his team the credibility they are after.
2010 to date
One of the top-four teams for the past two seasons, the Bulldogs have shown early signs of taking it to yet another level in 2010. It may have only been pre-season, but their defeat of St Kilda in the NAB Cup final showed they would likely be the real deal this time around.
While a first round loss to Collingwood put a dampener on the season start, the Dogs have quickly turned things around with a thumping of Richmond and a grinding win over a tenacious Hawthorn.
The addition of Hall reaped a big reward at the weekend, with his four final quarter goals gifting them the four points and justifying just why he was recruited - to provide a target when the going gets tough.
The coach
He did it with the Swans and now Rodney Eade is doing it with the Bulldogs - turning them into a genuine premiership contender. Eade has maintained the nucleus of the team over the past couple of seasons and kept their premiership window open a little longer with the addition of Hall.
He has done well with recycled players (Akermanis and ruckman Ben Hudson) and developed his fleet-footed running brigade into one of the toughest, hard working outfits in the competition. 'Rocket' is meticulous and leaves no stone unturned.
The gun
He made the AFL world sit up and take notice last season and now Matthew Boyd is one of the competition’s elite midfielders. Not only did he win his first club best and fairest in 2009, he was also selected in the All Australian team.
The 27-year-old has started 2010 in blistering form, racking up 38, 26 and 35 possessions respectively in the first three rounds. He wins the tough ball and uses it well and must be stopped at the clearances as he’s a prime catalyst for igniting the likes of Adam Cooney, Lindsay Gilbee, Shaun Higgins and co.
The sleeper
Any number of players can fall into this category, but Lindsay Gilbee can pick apart opposition zones or tight defensive units with his precise foot skills.
Arguably the Bulldogs’ best kick, and one of the best in the league, he is their rebounding ‘quarterback’ so often part of today’s footy. The Lions’ half forwards will need to work hard to keep the in-form defender in check. The likes of Banfield, Rischitelli and Power will be keeping a close eye on him.
The bolter
With his run and carry from the backline, Jarrod Harbrow was the Bulldogs’ revelation of 2009. He went from a bits-and-pieces half forward to an integral part of their defensive unit, not only being able to put the clamps on small half forwards, but able to provide run for his own team. A different player to Gilbee, but equally effective in kick-starting the Bulldogs’ drive from defence.
Strengths
Perhaps the Bulldogs’ greatest strength is their even spread across the park. Brian Lake and Hall provide great bookends for a team full of speed and skill. They have an elite midfield brigade of runners that not only win the hard ball but use it precisely. Boyd, Daniel Cross, Higgins, Cooney and Ryan Griffen are just a few of the men to watch. There’s no escaping the fact that to beat the Dogs you have to not only match their midfield, but get on top of it.
Weaknesses
When you get within seven points of a grand final, there are not too many weaknesses. You normally just have to do everything a little bit better than the opposition. While the addition of Hall has helped to solve a perceived problem in the Bulldogs’ front half, they are still trying to nail down that back end. Lake is a rock at full back and will take either Fevola or Brown, but Tom Williams is still trying to establish himself at centre half-back and there’s no doubt the Lions will try to exploit this area on Saturday night.
The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
