Western Bulldogs 8.2 12.6 14.11 16.17.113 Fremantle 4.3 5.5 7.9 9.12.66
Goals
Western Bulldogs: Dale 4, Lloyd 3, B. Smith 2, Bontempelli 2, Lipinski, Hunter, West, Naughton, Johannisen
Fremantle: Brayshaw 3, Tucker 2, Walters, Schultz, Conca, Lobb
Alex Docherty’s Best
Western Bulldogs: Macrae, Bontempelli, Dale, Daniel, Naughton, Johannisen, Hunter
Fremantle: Brayshaw, Fyfe, Blakely, Walters, B. Hill, Mundy
Just a week after a shock loss to St. Kilda, the Western Bulldogs are just percentage out of the top eight. The results have gone in favour of the Dogs all weekend following losses to Hawthorn, Port Adelaide and Adelaide, all of whom were ahead at the start of round 19. All they needed to do was to get the win this weekend to stay in touch for Finals, especially given the month that looms ahead
After their 47-point demolition job of Fremantle on Sunday afternoon, the result ensured that the Bulldogs are locked with Adelaide on premiership points as their quest for September football forges on. It was the response that was required given how poor they were the week previous. The following half proved to be the difference in the end as the Bulldogs blew the Dockers out of the park with a scintillating opening half.
Whilst the scoreboard will say the Bulldogs kicked eight goals in the opening term, easily the best opening term I’ve seen from them this season, Fremantle certainly made them work for their opportunities early, but the Dogs were on from the outside, the pressure, the skills and overall endeavor looked ten times better than it was last week.
As a matter of fact, not since Fremantle last played the Dogs at Docklands, which was in 2016, had the Dogs had such a high-scoring opening term. When Reece Conca put through Fremantle’s fourth goal of the afternoon, it was five goals to four in favour of the Bulldogs. That would be as close as the Dockers got for the remainder of the afternoon. Three goals in the span of just under four minutes from Patrick Lipinski, Bailey Smith and Lachie Hunter after the siren gave the Bulldogs a 23-point advantage at the first break.
The good work was put on hold just briefly in the second term when Rory Lobb kicked his first and only major of the afternoon inside the opening two minutes, but resumed when Bailey Dale added his third and fourth goals for the day within minutes of each other to continue his rich vein of form of recent weeks. The second term was almost pure domination after Lobb’s goal. The defensive set-ups were perfect as the Dockers continually coughed up the footy.
Rhylee West’s first career goal before the half-time siren was the cherry on top of a stunning first half. His debut game only yielded 14 disposals, but he did some nice things with it and it’s something to build on heading into the next month. He barged through a Fremantle defender and snapped on the left from about 25 metres out. Watching his teammates get around him was something special. The reaction from his father from the stands was stoic, but in a way, it was great to see.
But in amidst the jubilation of the team playing great football, there was a moment that left a bittersweet taste in the mouth of surely all Bulldog supporters – myself included. Dale Morris – forever heralded as a hero by the Bulldog faithful and a wise man to his team mates, made his miraculous return from a partially torn anterior cruciate ligament sustained in the pre-season. It was a feel-good story that should’ve warmed the hearts of the Bulldog faithful but ended in heartbreak.
Morris reinjured the knee in the first quarter but came back onto the field before the same knee twisted when he went to change direction in the third quarter. Leaving some serious doubt on his playing career. Morris is 36 years of age and will be going on 37 come the start of 2020, and it wasn’t too long that coach Luke Beveridge said that if his body was right, he could go on for another year or two. The next week or so in the career of Dale Morris will be huge. I hate even imagining it as I write this, but I think his time might be up
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It could’ve easily been more than a 47-point win. The Bulldogs kicked 4.11 in the second half and even though they won all four quarters, they really should’ve put the Dockers away by over 10 goals, which is a little disappointing, but that’s just being picky. Overall, it was a fantastic performance by the Dogs, and it sets the pace for the next month, playing four teams that are currently inside the eight and with at least one spot up for grabs right now, given Adelaide’s shaky form, the Dogs are in with more of a chance than ever before.
Leading The Way
Jack Macrae (38 disposals, eight clearances, seven marks and five tackles) continues his consistently great form in the middle and was the best Bulldog on the ground for mine. Although Marcus Bontempelli (28 disposals, seven marks, nine inside 50s and two goals) can easily stake his claims for the three Brownlow votes as he was influential early when the game was there to be won. It’ll be interesting to see who polls what come best and fairest night between these two and Josh Dunkley, who had 26 touches, but was very quiet.
Let’s talk Bailey Dale. Where in the hell has this form come from? Before he was dropped earlier in the year, he would’ve been lucky to have had four touches let alone kick bags of four or five. He set the scene in the first half kicking four majors and could’ve easily added another one or two to the bag – a fantastic game from him. Sam Lloyd bobbed up with another three goals, taking his tally to 32 goals for the season in a fine return from the ex-Tiger.
Caleb Daniel (29 disposals and eight rebound 50s), Jason Johannisen (24 disposals, one goal and four marks) and Lachie Hunter (27 disposals, five marks, four inside 50s and one goal) all rebounded from very poor games the week before, whilst Aaron Naughton’s game was very strong, recording 20 disposals, 10 marks with four of those contested. He kicked a ripping soccer-like goal from the point post, but I wish he had his kicking boots when going for the set-shot.
The Opposition
Ross Lyon has been under fire for quite some time as coach of Fremantle, and this loss isn’t going to do him any favours. The decision to play both Sean Darcy and Aaron Sandilands in the ruck as well as play Rory Lobb as a key forward that can also play ruck is head scratching, and so is playing Nat Fyfe predominantly as a forward in the opening term when the Dockers needed to set the tone of the contest. Does Ross hold on to his job beyond this year? Or even hold on until the end of the season? Difficult to say, but it’s not looking good.
Fyfe had his 30-plus disposal game, finishing with 33 along with five marks, seven clearances and five inside 50s, but it was the work of young Andrew Brayshaw that caught my eye. He had a complete game as a midfielder, recording 26 disposals, three clearances, three marks and kicked three goals on the day to be Fremantle’s best player for mine. There was a reason why he was the second-overall pick in the 2017 AFL Draft and we’re starting to see it unfold in front of us. He does everything.
Michael Walters (21 disposals, eight tackles and a goal) was good, but it’s a far cry from his form in the middle of the season when Fremantle was winning games. I liked Connor Blakely’s game across half-back (22 disposals, six rebound 50s and nine marks). David Mundy (18 disposals, six marks and five tackles) and Brad Hill (22 disposals and three inside 50s) were also solid on a day where good players were few and far between.