The Western Bulldogs accounted for the Melbourne Demons on Sunday afternoon, in a game that resembled more of a Gilbert and Sullivan production than it did a football match.
The Dees were treated to a footballing clinic by the Bulldogs in the first half. The Dogs kicked the first 12 goals of the game while tearing the Demons apart, before a firecracker start to the third term by the Demons had every Bulldogs supporter remembering how their team gave up a 55-point lead St. Kilda in Round 6.
An exciting last term saw the doggies run away 98-point winners, scoring 24.9.153 to Melbourne’s 8.7.55.
The Etihad Stadium roof was almost lifted off its hinges at quarter time, as the Bulldogs received a rapturous standing ovation from their fans after they kept Melbourne goalless while scoring 8.3 themselves. Jarrad Grant kicked three of those goals himself. The Bulldogs looked silky, and the Demons looked anything but in a quarter that might have caused many neutrals to turn their TVs off early.
The Bulldogs began the second quarter where they had left the first, and kicked four goals to blow their lead out to 74, before Jeff Garlett snagged the Demons’ first major after a quick counter attack. Young gun Jesse Hogan made it two in a row for the Dees, but Bontempelli and Dickson kicked true to negate the Dees’ only two majors of the match to half time.
The first half had everything from the Doggies: Matthew Boyd took a magnificent, high-flying mark before laying a bone-crunching, goal-saving tackle, Dahlhaus had plenty of the football and was using it well, and the forward combination of Stringer, Redpath and Dickson were exciting.
The second half was expected by many to be a fizzer, but it was anything but. The Demons came out firing after the long break to pile on five unanswered goals to bring the lead back to 42-points at 3QT.
You would be forgiven if you thought the teams had swapped guernseys at half time, as the Demons worked hard and played with the skill that has seen them become one of the most improved sides of 2015. The Bulldogs appeared rushed, pressured, and they had more handling errors than the Wallabies did in their disappointing Bledisloe Cup match last night.
The Doggies were left goalless in the third quarter, and it seems an incredible comeback was on the cards.
However, the Bulldogs wrestled back control of the momentum, to kick 10 goals to one in a return to their first-half selves.
Putting the third-quarter aside, the Bulldogs were impressive. Say what you will about the quality of the Demons, the Bulldogs seem to be hitting their straps at the time when it counts most, and today’s game does their top-four aspirations no harm at all.
New Bulldogs ruck man Tom Campbell was prolific, and he was given endless support by his midfield team, especially the likes of Luke Dahlhaus, Mitch Wallis, Jackson Macrae and Lachy Hunter. Veterans Matthew Boyd and Robert Murphy were solid in defence, along with All-Australian certainty Easton Wood.
It’s hard to find positives in the Demon’s game today, however, Bernie Vince, Nathan Jones and Jesse Hogan were laborious and deserve some recognition.
Today’s percentage-booster for the Doggies sets up an exciting run-home for the boys from the West, who travel to Perth next week to face premiership-contenders West Coast, before meeting North Melbourne in Melbourne and Brisbane at the Gabba.
Melbourne face Carlton, Fremantle and GWS in their final three games.
mattyb
Guest
I'm sure they will be welcomed back and we did get decent competition for Griffin,while Cooney is well past his best and Higgins never really lived up to his promise with us so his move was always mutually benefiting.
mattyb
Guest
I hope they are welcomed back to and I'm sure in time they will be.Griffs decision might have been a bit knee jerk or even stress related because of all the fiasco.We came out of it as well as we could by securing Boyd so all good.Cooney hasn't been the Cooney we know for a few seasons now so he might have been a fringe player in our best 22 this year at best.
Brian
Guest
Eagles will beat them by 10 goals.
Pumping Dougie
Roar Guru
I hope Griffin, Cooney and Higgins are always welcome back at our club. they were great servants. It's a shame that loyal blokes felt the way they did and had to leave. I reckon Cooney would be the one most kicking himself about leaving - what a dumb decision going to Essendon.
Wilson
Roar Guru
Very Fair assessment and the same that I have heard from other Dogs Fans that McCatney laid the foundation just was not good a communicating with the players or some of his ideas. will be nice to see how the dog go in the Final series and wonder if Ryan Griffen wishes he stayed now.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
YOu aren't really Danny from Droop St?
Pumping Dougie
Roar Guru
No way Wilson (I guess you're expecting that answer). Luke Beveridge deserves enormous credit. But I have plenty of respect for McCartney and am grateful for the service he gave us. He's highly regarded for his work at Geelong and I think he laid a great foundation for us. There's no doubt all the young guys that came into the club under his watch blossomed quickly. But there is also no doubt there were some serious communication problems between him and the established players (who all had no history of problems with people) - maybe they found criticism hard to swallow. I expect we would be showing minor improvement but stagnating around 13th, 14th if McCartney was still there. Beveridge has been exceptional in many ways: he's healed a club immediately that was haemorrhaging badly (Peter Gordon deserves credit for this too); he's shown really assured, relaxed, friendly leadership internally and externally; he's implemented an exciting, attractive, successful game plan and got everyone on board with it; he's rotated 37 players through the senior side this year seamlessly (with the exception of failed experiment with Ayce Cordy); 1st year players have integrated with confidence into the seniors; 2nd, 3rd and 4th year players are performing like seasoned pro's; Murphy is doing what he's always done, but the other older blokes (with the exception of Minson) - M.Boyd, Picken, Jared Grant are excelling in new roles. He has showed enormous guts in his team selections (dropping Macrae, T.Boyd, Minson, Hrovat, bringing vc Roughhead - who has played really well this year - back through the VFL this week, etc.) and everyone is fighting for spots, yet they all seem to be genuinely happy and excited for one another on field.
Wilson
Roar Guru
Dog have a big challenge this week against the Eagles. may have won in round 1 but I don't think it will be as easy this time around. as A Hawk Supporter I hope they win for 3 reasons 1. Give us a chance to get 2nd spot on the ladder. 2. Keeps Swans out of the top 4. 3. Proves those that still have some doubts that the dogs are up and running this year. PD Question for you if Brendan McCartney was still at the dog to you think you would be where you are now.
Pumping Dougie
Roar Guru
Keep a lid on it Rory!
Josh
Expert
Don't think you'll see many games where a side has a five goals to none quarter but loses by 98 points.