AFL great Shane Crawford says the Western Bulldogs have the edge over the Melbourne Demons in the grand final and the reason is their coach, Luke Beveridge.
The Demons are favourites to win the flag on Saturday for their first grand final victory since 1964, but Crawford said there’s a good chance the Bulldogs rain on their parade because of the coaching brilliance of Beveridge.
ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE 2021 AFL GRAND FINAL
MATCH CENTRE: Melbourne v Western Bulldogs
Speaking on 2GB’s Wide World of Sports Radio, Crawford said they aren’t to be underestimated after seeing what Beveridge was able to do in nullifying Swans weapon Lance Franklin in the 2016 AFL grand final.
“I’ve just got a feeling the Dogs have been playing underdogs, backs against the wall and I just think they’re going to have a bit of bite and get up in a close one,” Crawford said.
“I think we’ve got the two best sides in it and that’s why it’s going to be a beauty.
“But I’m tipping the Dogs.
“Melbourne have been the best team and have a good defence, but Luke Beveridge, his coaching helped them win against the Swans in 2016, he coached Buddy Franklin at Hawthorn for a few years, and he shut all the space in and around him and didn’t allow him to dominate a game like we know he can.
“I just have a feeling he’s going to do another job in blocking space and not allowing [Christian] Petracca and Max Gawn and Clayton Oliver, these star midfielders for Melbourne to [stop them] running directly towards goal.”
The Bulldogs have made two changes ahead of the AFL grand final, with Alex Keath and Cody Weightman recalled, while Ryan Gardner and Laitham Vandermeer were dropped.
Fremantle legend Matthew Pavlich said the Bulldogs wanted Keath back in the side to sure up their defence.
“He’s one of the best one-on-one defenders in the AFL. You’d expect he’ll get the job on someone like Ben Brown,” Pavlich said on Nine News Melbourne.
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