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Racing and Sports will provide analysis of many games in the 2021 AFL Season.

We'll endeavour to run through the form, incorporate appropriate stats and also supply a betting prediction which won't always just be who will win.

BRISBANE V WESTERN BULLDOGS

Saturday 4 September @ the Gabba

Another of the lucky teams that gets to properly host a final and Brisbane gets that by virtue of that bonkers finish to the West Coast game in Round 23.

Once more it is a team off a downer that had been up versus a team on an upper who had been down.

Say what you like about this season but it has taken most fans, even the neutrals, on some roller coasters of emotion both within the matches themselves and the year on the whole.

Post halftime in both their finals on the weekend, both teams knew their fate fairly obviously. Brisbane were five goals down having run into a juggernaut and it was essentially level play afterwards. In fact take a look at the score line.

It really was the second quarter that won the game in Adelaide. The Demons kicks four to the Lions one and the final margin was only a bit more.

Melbourne had plenty of even contributors (mind you containing Oliver and Petracca in their moods will not be fun). But Brisbane couldn't get the game on their terms.

No matter how hard Lachie Neale tried with his 46 touches, the ball was never down there in the most dangerous places often enough. 28 scoring shots to 15 is a simple but reasonable way to measure that.

And for the first time this entire year, Joe Daniher was held goalless. No wonder when it was May and Lever joining forces.

Admittedly Charlie Cameron stepped up his game with five but he was a lone soldier. Without Hipwood since the middle of the season, they needed the midfield to supplement their two main forwards. To some extent they've gotten away with it given who they've played.

Now meeting the big wigs, you have to get the most from the ball gatherers and those mids aren't massive goal kickers. Bailey, Berry, McCluggage will do plenty but they won't kick a bag.

They do have the luxury of playing at home against the team they stole that double chance position off and here is where that could pay dividends. The Gabba is a happy place for them.

Can they control that Dogs midfield now they've managed a win? They won't want to go out in straight sets as they did a couple of years back.

That Bulldogs centre of the ground is the key to everything they do. It helped them beat good teams all the year until they went cold and then their 1-Wood became their shaky long putter.

When you have Macrae, Liberatore, Treloar, Hunter, Smith, even Dunkley and of course Bontempelli, gathering the pill is never going to be a concern.

It is what will you do with it and how fast will you get it to your forward line? Remember that forward line is without Josh Bruce and since his knee injury, they've lacked structure. Add to that the concussion rebound which hasn't happened easily for English and Naughton. It's been a foundation rocked by recent instability.

They certainly won't be able to rely on Cody Weightman getting as many free kicks this week. Whether you think they were deserved or not, the home ground 'noise of affirmation' has two games left – this Gabba game and the Port Prelim. Luxuries will be less forthcoming.

If Brisbane managed to hold firm and at worse cut even in the middle they are a big chance. You'd expect that playing on the home dunghill but you can't rely on that. It only takes one big effort and a match plan that works for the Dogs to get another win.

Expecting Luke Beveridge to put one, and possibly two, of that suite of midfielders into tagging roles. Smith may go to Lyons and Dunkley maybe to Neale? Could even see someone be given the role on Daniel Rich as he can initiate movement off half back. Brisbane need that fluidity of ball with one less big man.

In many ways both teams are down with the same strife. Losing a big forward to a knee and having to adjust. In fact the Lions lost another forward this week.

Giving the Dogs one more chance to show that their early season form and skills are deserving of winning two finals as they go the shutdown on the opponents.

Match Selection: Western Bulldogs by 5 points

Suggested Bets: Western Bulldogs @ $2.35