Western Bulldogs 1.4 4.7 12.9 13.14.92
North Melbourne 2.2 9.5 11.10 12.13.85
Goals
Western Bulldogs: Dickson 3, Bontempelli 2, Schache 2, McLean, Johannisen, Greene, Gowers, Lipinski, Jong
North Melbourne: Brown 4, Waite 2, Wood 2, Walker, Turner, Atley, Higgins
Alex Docherty's Best
Western Bulldogs: Bontempelli, Daniel, Hunter, Macrae, Dunkley, Trengove, Greene
North Melbourne: Cunnington, Goldstein, Waite, Higgins, Thompson, Anderson
For over 14 seasons and 250 games, Dale Morris has been a true warrior. A man that would stand up to adversity every time. He made his debut as a 22-year old who had played the previous year at Werribee in the VFL and since then he has made the spot in the back-pocket his own. He's fought, scrapped and has done anything and everything to stop the opposition from scoring. And he's overcome numerous injuries and obstacles to reach his 250th game at such a ripe age of 35.
On Sunday afternoon, the Western Bulldogs overcame some pretty big odds to down North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium – saluting one of the most underrated players in the history of the league. In doing so, not only have the Bulldogs secured their seventh win of the season and back-to-back wins for just the second time, but they have dealt the Roos a massive blow for their Finals' ambitions.
We've heard for so long about the modern-day Victorian rivalry that is Hawthorn and Geelong and whilst they produced another beauty on the weekend, these two sides are forging a great rivalry themselves. This game makes it four successive games where the margin has been decided by under 10 points, however this one was decided by over a goal – the last three margins have been by two, one and three points.
The equation for North was simple – win this game to stay in the hunt. Now they must beat Adelaide at the Adelaide Oval next week and then beat St. Kilda in the final round of the season and pray other results go their favour. At the end of round 21, they are 10th, but still remain a game and some percentage behind Port Adelaide who sit in the final position of the top eight, but if they miss out on making the eight, they will see this game as the one that got away.
Despite the Bulldogs having a number of chances in front of goal in the opening term, it was the Roos that made the most of their opportunites, kicking two goals to one from two less inside 50 entries (14-12 in favour of the Bulldogs). The Dogs butchered a few opportunities in front of goal, and it took them nearly 27 minutes until they got their first one on the board through the ever-reliable Tory Dickson.
The second quarter looked like it was going to be another long day at the office for Bulldogs supporters. Firstly was the horrific injury to Zaine Cordy, who remains such an important piece in the Bulldogs' defence. He received a stray boot in a marking contest and went off the ground gushing blood – later revealed to be a fractured skull. That would just be the start of a tumultuous second term from the Bulldogs.
After an early arm-wrestle to gain the ascendency, the Roos began to emerge as the better of the two sides. They kicked the first two of the term, and then kicked five of the last seven to take a game-high 28-point lead into half-time. North kicked seven goals to the Bulldogs' three and in danger of losing the Coleman Medal after Jack Riewoldt's bag of 10 on the weekend, Ben Brown snagged three for the quarter.
But then the roles would reverse in the third quarter as the Bulldogs produced a near duplicate of their third term against St. Kilda last weekend. North Melbourne coach Brad Scott labelled it a “horror” 30 minutes, and it might've just possibly been the 30 minutes that denies them an unlikely Finals berth in 2018. Two goals in the first three minutes reduced the margin to 16 points, before another three unanswered goals from Toby McLean, Patrick Lipinski and Jason Johannisen gave the Bulldogs the lead.
North were able to get the lead back briefly with Brown's fourth of the day, but the Bulldogs again went on a small tear, kicking three goals within four minutes from the trio of Lin Jong, Billy Gowers and Fergus Greene. In 24 minutes of footy, the Western Bulldogs kicked eight goals to one and turned a 28-point half-time deficit into a 13-point lead. The margin was trimmed back to five points before the last break as Mason Wood kicked a second goal of the match.
The last quarter produced just a combined two goals – one from either side, but it guaranteed the game was to go down to the wire once again. Tory Dickson – a man fighting for a spot on the list for 2019, kicked his third goal of the game in the sixth minute when he read the play better than his direct opponent. Another goal would not be kicked until the 21st minute, but at this point, both clubs had significant chances.
All five Bulldog behinds in the last quarter were kicked by players and perhaps it could've sealed the game. But Jarrad Waite's goal opened up an opportunity for the Roos to steal the win, much like their last encounter in round 14. Mason Wood missed a crucial opportunity moments later as his free kick from inside 50 went across the face of the goals. The Western Bulldogs then proceeded to hold on in the final minutes to record a memorable victory.
The Western Bulldogs had over 100 more disposals than their opposition (444-343). Between Lachie Hunter (44 disposals), Caleb Daniel (Career-high 40 disposals), Jack Macrae (40 disposals) and Marcus Bontempelli (35 disposals), they combined for 159 disposals. Bontempelli was the most influential, kicking two goals and recording seven inside 50s and four clearances and was back to his sublime best.
Lachie Hunter has only recorded over 40 disposals once in his 102-game career – that was also against North Melbourne, but that was two years ago. He recorded 44 disposals on Sunday along with eight marks and six inside 50s. Jack Macrae (40 disposals, eight clearances and four inside 50s) continues to consistently pile up disposals, notching up his third game this season in which he recorded 40 disposals or more – and his 14th game in which he's recorded 30 disposals or more.
Caleb Daniel has been trialled at half-back in recent weeks and on Sunday it produced massive dividends, recording a personal best 40 touches along with four rebound 50s, four marks and four inside 50s. With his poise and his skill to hit targets, he looks really comfortable at half-back. Josh Dunkley (26 disposals, six clearances and five inside 50s) was again superb in the middle, Jackson Trengove (21 disposals, 20 hitouts and six marks) continues some solid form at the ruck spot, whilst Fergus Greene looked lively up forward (11 disposals and six marks), despite kicking a wayward 1.4 for the day.
North's midfielders couldn't get anywhere near as much of the footy as the Dogs did. Ben Cunnington (26 disposals, five marks, three clearances) and Shaun Higgins (24 disposals, seven inside 50s and five clearances) are North's best midfielders and did their bit, but there wasn't much help beyond them. Jed Anderson (20 disposals, eight tackles and seven clearances) I thought had a really solid game and battled hard all game long.
Todd Goldstein has had a really good 2018 season after being maligned for a mediocre 2017. He backed up his year with another solid game (34 hitouts, 20 disposals, eight marks and four inside 50s) and is a very important player. Jarrad Waite (19 disposals, 12 marks and two goals) is another very important player for the Roos and needs to keep himself injury-free next year – if he decides to play on in 2019.
Scott Thompson (18 disposals, nine marks and six rebound 50s) has had some good games against the Bulldogs and showed again on Sunday that he can be a part of North's future in the next few years, as did Majak Daw (15 disposals and nine marks) – who has enjoyed a successful transition from a struggling key forward to a key defender this year.
The Western Bulldogs have a huge chance to make it three wins in a row next Sunday afternoon as they look to take on the last-placed Carlton Football Club as they're back under the roof of Etihad Stadium. It looks more than likely that the Blues will finish the year as the wooden spooners for the first time since 2015 and the Dogs are well-poised for their eighth win of the season.