2026 Intelligence Report / Form Guide
The Advantage: Home deck advantage at Whitten Oval. In 2024, the Dogs thumped the Hawks by 57 points in their pre-season hitout. Midfield depth (Bont/Richards) typically overpowers Hawks' rotation.
The Wood: House of Horrors. The Lions crushed the Dogs in 2024/25 encounters by avg 25pts. Humidity and Gabba pressure squeeze the Dogs' handball chains into turnovers.
The Kryptonite: Despite the "Orange Tsunami" hype, the Dogs have won 4 straight vs GWS (2024-25), including an 88-point demolition in late '25. The Dogs own the tactical matchup.
The Grind: The Dogs lost a 4-point heartbreaker here in 2024. The physical toll of Adelaide Oval and the Crows' high-intensity "Showdown" style at home usually catches the Dogs late.
Tactical Wood: The Bombers beat the Dogs by 29 points at Marvel in 2024. They've found a way to shut down the Dogs' secondary runners, leaving Bontempelli with too much to carry.
The Mitchell Factor: Sam Mitchell has the ultimate wood on Bevo. Dismantled the Dogs by 37pts in the '24 Elim Final and beat them twice more in '25. The Hawks' cluster defense is Bulldog poison.