Western Bulldogs are desperate to keep their winning record intact at Ballarat’s Mars Stadium this season and they hope to do it in front of a sell-out crowd.
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The countdown is on until the Bulldogs face a tough Port Adelaide, sitting just outside the top four on percentage on Sunday, July 29.
But, despite a run of injuries, the Bulldogs hope to be bolstered by the return of a few players including star Marcus Bontempelli, who had his appendix removed earlier this month.
Western Bulldogs football manager Chris Maple said the team was looking to turn the tables after going down to Port Adelaide in Ballarat’s inaugural AFL game last year.
But first comes the challenge of West Coast in Perth.
“We are still a week away, so you never know what’s around the corner,” he said.
“We will be putting our best team on the park and we want to try and do as well as we can at the back end of the season. We think that’s important moving forward into 2019, so we will be coming out all guns blazing.
“They (Port Adelaide) are going really well and in the top eight, but we’ve played some good footy in the past three weeks, we just need to put four quarters together.”
Maple said a growing familiarity with the venue and community would only benefit the players, who have now played two AFL games at the stadium and a JLT Community Series match.
“It’s a great surface,” he said. “Our AFL players think it’s the best in the competition, which is a real pat on the back to the ground staff.”
Maple is hoping to see the crowd at its 11,000 capacity.
“We want as many people as we can to come,” he said. “It’s on a Sunday, so the senior local football and netball won’t be on and we are hoping to get as many fans as we can through the door.”
He said the game marks an opportunity for football fans from Warrnambool, Hamilton, the Wimmera region and other surrounding areas to experience AFL, along with Port Adelaide supporters coming across the border, which would also be beneficial for the economy.
Meanwhile, the Bulldogs have ruled out former North Ballarat Rebel Liam Picken for the rest of the season. Picken remains hopeful his battle with concussion will not end his playing career.
