PREVIEW: St Kilda vs Western Bulldogs
Head-to-HeadPlayed 153
St Kilda 79
Western Bulldogs 71
Draws 3
Last Five Times
R9, 2013, Western Bulldogs 17.8 (110) d St Kilda 15.11 (101) at Etihad Stadium
R18, 2012, St Kilda 16.22 (118) d Western Bulldogs 6.6 (42) at Etihad Stadium
R3, 2012, St Kilda 15.13 (103) d Western Bulldogs 5.10 (40) at Etihad Stadium
R12, 2011, St Kilda 12.9 (81) d Western Bulldogs 8.9 (57) at Etihad Stadium
2PF, 2010, St Kilda 13.10 (88) d Western Bulldogs 8.16 (64) at the MCG
Key Players
• All eyes will be on Lenny Hayes this week as St Kilda pays tribute to a true champion in the club’s final home game of the year. A veteran of 293 games, Hayes has shown no signs of slowing down despite his impending retirement at season’s end. Hayes’ average of 24.8 disposals this season has been his best return since the grand final years of 2009 and 2010. His ferociousness at the contest has remained, with his tackle average of 6.6 in 2014 sitting marginally behind his career-best average of 7.1 in 2010.
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• Josh Bruce was one of the few highlights to come out of last weekend’s loss to the Gold Coast after playing arguably the best game of his career. Continuing to play up forward, Bruce kicked multiple goals for the first time in his career, booting three majors to go along with six marks and two assists. In combination with Rhys Stanley and Nick Riewoldt, Bruce will be looking to provide another avenue to goal for the Saints.
• Jackson Macrae looms as the biggest danger of upsetting the Lenny Hayes show on Sunday as the 20-year-old young-gun continues his meteoric rise. In only his second season, Macrae has played every game in 2014 while collecting an average of 27.3 disposals per game. Macrae’s outside run in combination with fellow rising star Tom Liberatore’s inside grunt will be crucial to the Bulldogs’ chances.
Take Note
• St Kilda has won eight of the past nine encounters between the two teams.
• St Kilda’s accuracy in front of goal has been the worst of all teams in the league, with the Saints converting only 45.8 per cent of scoring shots into goals.
• The Bulldogs have based their game plan on winning the ball from stoppages under Brendan McCartney and the statistics reflect that this year, with the Dogs sitting fourth in the leagues for clearances while St Kilda sits 15th.
Lenny Notes
• Hayes was the 1457th player to represent the St Kilda Football Club when he pulled on the guernsey for the first time in round five, 1999 against North Melbourne. A further 115 players have made their debut for St Kilda since then.
• Hayes has played in a total of 140 wins and six draws from his 293 games with St Kilda. The most wins he has recorded against any club is 14 against Carlton, while Hayes has also had 13 wins against Richmond and the Western Bulldogs.
• 151 of Hayes’ 293 games have been played at Etihad Stadium, with the Saints recording wins in 90 of them and draws in four others. Etihad Stadium is the only venue he has a positive win/loss record at, with the MCG currently sitting at 23 wins, 24 losses and a draw.
Take Note
• St Kilda has won eight of the past nine encounters between the two teams.
• St Kilda’s accuracy in front of goal has been the worst of all teams in the league, with the Saints converting only 45.8 per cent of scoring shots into goals.
• The Bulldogs have based their game plan on winning the ball from stoppages under Brendan McCartney and the statistics reflect that this year, with the Dogs sitting fourth in the leagues for clearances while St Kilda sits 15th.
Lenny Notes
• Hayes was the 1457th player to represent the St Kilda Football Club when he pulled on the guernsey for the first time in round five, 1999 against North Melbourne. A further 115 players have made their debut for St Kilda since then.
• Hayes has played in a total of 140 wins and six draws from his 293 games with St Kilda. The most wins he has recorded against any club is 14 against Carlton, while Hayes has also had 13 wins against Richmond and the Western Bulldogs.
• 151 of Hayes’ 293 games have been played at Etihad Stadium, with the Saints recording wins in 90 of them and draws in four others. Etihad Stadium is the only venue he has a positive win/loss record at, with the MCG currently sitting at 23 wins, 24 losses and a draw.
