No Docklands advantage this week

Unlike last week, Etihad Stadium presents no advantage for St Kilda with the Western Bulldogs also enjoying a fruitful time under the roof. While Melbourne has struggled at Docklands for a long time, the Bulldogs have won six games at the venue this season. However, they are far from unbeatable at Etihad Stadium. Luke Beveridge’s side have also lost on three occasions there this season, albeit against high quality opposition in Hawthorn (three-points), North Melbourne (16-points) and Geelong (57-points). More recently, Richmond pushed the Dogs all the way in Round 16, before they found a way to win by 10-points. While the Western Bulldogs have won six of their last seven games, including their last three, St Kilda enter Saturday night’s game in-form, having won six of their last eight games – all six wins have come under the roof at Etihad Stadium.

Balanced Dogs midfield presents huge assignment

St Kilda will face one of the premier midfields in the competition on Saturday night, with the Western Bulldogs boasting a balanced blend of inside grunt and outside class. While the Dogs engine room does consist of stars, its evenness is what sets them apart. They don’t rely on one or two to get the job done, they all play their part. Marcus Bontempelli and Tom Liberatore, who returns after missing last weekend’s win over Gold Coast due to a rib injury, are their stars in tight, but then add Mitch Wallis and Caleb Daniel around the ball and Lachie Hunter and Jack Macrae on the outside and it’s not hard to see why they are so good. They win more ball than any other side (+67.7 possessions), both contested (+19.8) and uncontested (+48.2), on the back of being the best clearance side (+7.7). They may not have the most potent attack, but they provide their forwards with the 2nd most entries (+10.6) to force scoreboard impact.

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Shrewd recruit keeps kicking goals

The emergence of Tim Membrey this season is beginning to garner more attention by the week. And with good reason. After starting the year outside St Kilda’s best 22, the mobile spearhead has enjoyed a sustained breakout patch. The undersized key forward has kicked goals at every level. He did so at Gippsland Power over two years and then did the same for Sydney’s reserves in the NEAFL. Now, after getting some experience at the highest level last year, Membrey has emerged as one of the best young forwards in the game this season. He has kicked 32.14 from 11 games since coming into the senior setup in Round 6. His average of just under three majors per game is ranked No. 5 in the league and he is No. 4 for marks inside 50 at 3.2 per game. It’s been a remarkable rise for Membrey and a shrewd selection by the Saints list management team.

Don’t expect a shootout

The absence of All Australian forward Jake Stringer this week is a win for St Kilda, after the explosive attacking weapon didn’t get up following a big bump from Gold Coast enforcer Steven May. But while the Dogs won’t possess their leading goal kicker (34 goals), they still boast a diverse forward mix in powerhouse tall Jack Redpath (19 goals from 9 games), mobile sharp-shooter Tory Dickson (16 from 12) and the great unknown Tom Boyd (six from five). In Cairns last weekend, three-time ACL victim Clay Smith proved to be a force inside 50. He kicked three goals early before finishing with 3.4 against the Suns. Luke Beveridge’s side doesn’t require big scores to win games, with their stingy defence restricting sides to the second lowest scores all year (73.1). With Easton Wood, Dale Morris, Matthew Boyd and co patrolling the back six, the Dogs suffocate their opposition. Despite winning 12 games so far in 2016, they are ranked No. 10 for points for (88.8).

 

Seasoned star Joey just keeps on keeping on

Veteran playmaker Leigh Montagna has gone about his business with minimal fuss this year, acquiring plenty of ball across half-back and on a wing at different times. The 32-year-old has been a paragon of consistency in 2016, rarely having an off day. In fact, only once has he dipped below the 20-possession threshold. He is averaging 26.8 possessions (No. 2 at St Kilda) at an efficiency rate of 77.6 per cent, 3.6 inside 50s (No. 4) and 3.3 rebound 50s (No. 4), along with a massive metres gained mileage of 526.0 metres (No. 7 in the AFL). Along with Shane Savage, Montagna is critical to St Kilda’s ball movement. His decisions play a vital role in setting up forays forward. With a year to run on his current contract, and seemingly plenty of run still in his old legs, could he become the 6th Saint to reach the magical 300-game barrier? Ponder that.

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