Former Bulldog Johnathan Thurston has made a striking prediction ahead of the Bulldogs’ cross-town clash with the Eels.
Don’t underestimate the Blue and Gold.
During his appearance on Nine’s Wide World of Sports on Sunday morning, Thurston asserted that a full-strength Bulldogs side would find the Eels to be easy prey.
However, he acknowledged that the absence of Matt Burton, Viliame Kikau, and Jacob Kiraz will “significantly impact” the Bulldogs.
“I believed the Dogs would have had a good chance considering the Eels’ performance at the start of the season,” Thurston remarked.
“But with the injuries to Burton and Kikau, it will truly sting them once again.
“They have established systems, and the quality of players at the club should step up to fill those gaps.
“Nonetheless, losing two world-class players means it’s going to be a tighter contest than many are anticipating.”
Thurston made 29 appearances for the Bulldogs, including three derby victories over the Eels, before his legendary time with the Cowboys.
He suggested that a packed crowd at CommBank Stadium would energise the Bulldogs players.
“You can see the blue and yellow on one side of the stadium, and the blue and white on the other,” he commented.
“With cross-town rivals, there’s always some tension … so expect a lot of drama this afternoon.”
The Eels and Bulldogs are set to kick off Sunday’s action at 4.05pm.
The Eels have had a nightmarish start to Jason Ryles’ coaching era. Getty
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