[VIDEO] Melbourne Demons vs Western Bulldogs Highlights: AFL scores, blog

MATCH RESULT

Melbourne 15.13 (103) def. Western Bulldogs 9.10 (64)

The Melbourne Demons have put a horror three weeks behind them in emphatic fashion, putting together one of their best performances in the Paul Roos era and knocking off the Western Bulldogs by 39 points.

Widely tipped to get back into the winner’s circle after a gallant effort against the Dockers a week ago, the Bulldogs started the match in ferocious form. They racked up 12 of the first 13 inside 50s in a dominant display, bamboozling the Melbourne midfielders with a solid forward press and giving their forwards ample opportunity to put points on the board.

But unfortunately for the Dogs, opportunity was all they generated, and after Melbourne pinched some late goals, it was the Demons who went into quarter time with a 3.3 (21) to 2.3 (15) lead.

The Bulldogs fought back in the second quarter, generating more repeat entries, but much like in the first quarter they let themselves down with poor kicking for goal. Despite having seven scoring shots to six in the quarter, they kicked 1.6 to Melbourne’s 4.2, and the Demons took a commanding 20-point lead into the main break.

Melbourne threatened to blow the game away in the third quarter, stretching their lead to 33 points, but the Bulldogs turned the game on its head soon after.

Six of the next seven goals went the way of the Bulldogs, as they trimmed the lead to seven points early in the fourth quarter. With all of the momentum on their side, the match looked like it was the Dogs’ to lose.

But Melbourne found one more notch late, blowing their opponents away five straight goals to claim the comprehensive 39-point victory.

It was an encouraging mix of youth and experience leading the way for the victors. In the midfield it was skipper Nathan Jones (28 disposals, one goal), Aaron Vandenberg (29 disposals, 11 tackles) and Jimmy Toumpas (20 disposals, two goals) leading the way. Jake Spencer racked up 40 hit-outs too, whilst Bernie Vince kept Marcus Bontempelli to 12 touches, collecting 26 possessions and two goals at the same time.

Up forward it was Jesse Hogan and Cam Pedersen (three goals each) doing the damage, while down back Tom McDonald did a masterful job on Tom Boyd, with the Bulldogs forced to sub out their prized recruit midway through the third quarter with just a single disposal to his name.

The Bulldogs were led admirably by Matthew Boyd (31 disposals), Mitch Wallis (23 disposals, 12 tackles, one goal), and Luke Dahlhaus (26 disposals, one goal), but couldn’t put their dominant stretches on the scoreboard. Livewire forwards Stewart Crameri, Jake Stringer and Tory Dickson combined for just 2.6, and the team managed just one goal from a set shot all afternoon.

RESULT

Melbourne Demons – 3.3 | 7.5 | 10.10 | 15.13 (103)
Western Bulldogs – 2.3 | 3.9 | 8.9 | 9.10 (64)

GOAL KICKERS
Demons: Hogan 3, Pedersen 3, Vince 2, Toumpas 2, N. Jones, Garlett, Howe, Newton, M. Jones
Bulldogs: Stinger 2, Wood, Wallis, Dahlhaus, Dale, Hunter, Jong, Picken

Attendance: 29,381

MATCH PREVIEW

After three brutal losses to competition heavyweights, the Melbourne Demons will be looking to prove themselves against a promising young Western Bulldogs side. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 3:20pm (AEST).

The Paul Roos revival looked to have kicked into gear over the first four rounds, with Melbourne notching impressive wins over Gold Coast and Richmond and a gallant loss to Adelaide.

But the Demons were handed an absolute horror run by the schedulers, facing off against Fremantle, Sydney and Hawthorn in successive weeks.

They lost all three games by an average of 70 points, but Roos has urged his side to move on quickly as they try to knock off one of 2015’s surprise packets.

Melbourne have been working hard all season. They’re one of the competition’s top-four tackling teams, and they currently sit in the top half for contested possessions.

But the gulf in talent between the Demons and the rest of the league is painfully clear on the stat sheet. They sit dead last for disposals, uncontested possessions and points per game, while also being one of only two teams with an effective disposal percentage less than 70 per cent.

Roos may be instilling the work ethic required to succeed at AFL in his troops, but as it stands they’re simply not good enough to compete every week.

They may not have come away with the four points, but the Western Bulldogs lost themselves no supporters after pushing the undefeated Fremantle Dockers down to the wire last week.

The Bulldogs can’t be patting themselves on the back for too long however, because a ‘gallant’ loss against the Demons would be a huge step backwards.

Like their opponents, hard work has been one the Bulldogs’ strong suits this season. The Western Bulldogs currently top the competition with more than 75 tackles a game. But surprisingly, that’s just about the only area stats-wise they’re excelling in this season.

Simply put, the Western Bulldogs allow their opponents too much use of the ball, averaging 399 disposals conceded a match. You can put as much pressure on your opponents as you want, but if you give them constant usage of the football they’ll find a way through eventually.

Part of the reason they’re on the wrong end of a 50-disposal per game differential is because they’re getting absolutely destroyed at ruck contests. Luke Beveridge’s decision to not only keep Will Minson in the VFL, but use players like Marcus Bontempelli and Brett Goodes in the ruck beggars belief when you consider the Bulldogs give up a whopping 52 hitouts per match.

If all of the Dogs pressure simply results in ball-ups they’ll subsequently lose, then the hard work counts for nothing. The Bulldogs need to start getting first use of the ball.

Despite Melbourne leading the overall head-to-head, the Bulldogs have enjoyed this rivalry recently, winning nine of the past ten contests.

Last time the two teams played was a memorable encounter too, with Marcus Bontempelli announcing himself to the football world with one of the best goals you’ll see.

Prediction
The Western Bulldogs have been the darlings of the competition so far, but lately the results have dried up. They were dominant in the first half against St Kilda, and they pushed Fremantle to the final siren, but since their earth-shattering win over the Swans in Sydney, the Doggies are yet to register a win.

You can count on them being hungry against the Demons.

Bulldogs by 37 points.