Latham Vandermeer in doubt as massive midfield battle looms in AFL Grand Final

Western Bulldogs forward Latham Vandermeer is in doubt for the grand final against Melbourne after a tight hamstring forced him from the ground in the preliminary final win.

However, Bulldogs’ coach Luke Beveridge expects key defender Alex Keath and small forward Cody Weightman will be available after missing the preliminary final through injury with the club set to return to Perth to prepare for their second grand final in the past six seasons.

But it’s the battle for midfield supremacy to be waged at Optus Stadium in a fortnight’s time that will determine the premiership with Beveridge declaring the looming contest as “an intriguing battle”.

Alex Keath will be available for the grand final after missing the preliminary final through injury.Credit:

After watching his midfield obliterate Port Adelaide, winning the contested battle by 30 and dominating groundball gets he knew immediately that the crew wearing red and blue that awaits them in Perth will present a bigger challenge.

With ruckman Max Gawn kicking five goals in the preliminary final against Geelong and Christian Petracca, Clayton Oliver and Jack Viney all among the Demons best, they are primed for the contest.

They will meet former Demon Stefan Martin in the ruck with Marcus Bontempelli, Jack Macrae and Tom Liberatore on the front line.

Both Viney and Liberatore’s dads played in 1994 when the two teams last met in a final.

“It will be an intriguing battle against some powerful mids,” Beveridge said.

His respect for Gawn is so high that he called on the football gods for assistance as he thought about what damage he could wreak.

“Hopefully he has got his absolute extraordinary game out of the way,” Beveridge said.

But he knows Gawn plays extraordinary games ordinarily nowadays as the All-Australian captain is the best big man in the competition.

All Beveridge can really worry about is the Bulldogs’ midfield.

They are humming in tune again after sounding something like yobbos singing in the outer during the final rounds of the season.

It meant Beveridge had to re-establish roles, so his talented bunch weren’t all hunting the ball like seagulls scrapping over a sandy chip.

“We have stabilised that and we have been better for it,” Beveridge said.

“They are still playing midfield but they are not in at centre bounces as they were earlier in the year.”

The wing battle will be fascinating with Ed Langdon and Angus Brayshaw the Demon specialists and Lachie Hunter and Adam Treloar on the outside for the Bulldogs.’

Bailey Smith has kicked a lazy eight goals this finals series with only Geelong’s Tom Hawkins matching his numbers, an indication of his skill and the time opportunity he has had to push forward at times.

At Melbourne Alex Neal-Bullen has nowhere near the same flair but he is equally effective, with his spirit and work rate crucial to Melbourne.

Finishing off the battle are Melbourne’s James Harmes and the Bulldogs’ Josh Dunkley, junkyard dogs who love the contest.

It’s where the match will be won and lost. The football world waits.

Peter Ryan is a sports reporter with The Age covering AFL, horse racing and other sports.Connect via Twitter or email.

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