The Roar
The Roar

AFL
Advertisement

Dale Morris breaks arm as Bulldogs send Suns packing

Luke Dahlhaus of the Bulldogs reacts after winning the AFL Grand Final between the Sydney Swans and the Western Bulldogs at the MCG in Melbourne, Saturday, Oct. 1, 2016. (AAP Image/Julian Smith)
22nd July, 2017
0

Dale Morris’ AFL career is in jeopardy after the Western Bulldogs veteran broke both bones in his forearm in their thumping 54-point win over Gold Coast on Saturday.

» Re-live all the action in our live blog

The 34-year-old’s wretched run with injury continued in the second quarter at Cazaly’s Stadium in Cairns when he fell awkwardly in a marking contest with Suns captain Tom Lynch.

It is likely to end his season and could spell the end of the road for Morris, who famously played through last year’s finals series with a fractured vertebrae.

The experienced backman missed seven weeks with a broken leg he suffered in the opening round but said earlier this month he was keen to play on in 2018.

His misfortune soured the Bulldogs’ 16.14 (110) to 8.8 (56) win, their first outside of Victoria this season and biggest against the Suns at Cazaly’s Stadium.

It leaves the reigning premiers in 11th position, but they are now outside the top eight only on percentage.

The Bulldogs led by eight points at the first change after kicking into a strong breeze and then used it to their advantage in the second term to increase the margin to 20 points at half-time.

Advertisement

But the Suns, who were without midfield stars Gary Ablett (hamstring) and Jarryd Lyons (ankle) and lost key defender Rory Thompson just before the match, would not go away.

They kicked four of the next five goals – two of them from gun rookie Ben Ainsworth – to close within one point.

But that was as close as they got.

Liam Picken’s fifth goal – he finished with a career-best haul of six – reversed the momentum before the Bulldogs put the game to bed with another seven unanswered goals to delight the crowd of 9364.

Gold Coast registered just one behind in the final quarter, with the hollow nature of their fadeout likely to invite more pressure on coach Rodney Eade, who is fighting for his future.

Meanwhile, Bulldogs forward Jack Redpath could come under match review panel scrutiny for jumper-punching Lynch in a scuffle after the quarter-time siren.

close