The Western Bulldogs took a 40-point win over Essendon on Sunday, but will sweat over an injury to Easton Wood.
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Final score
Essendon 7.11.53
Bulldogs 14.9.93
The Western Bulldogs still have a chance to crack the top four in time for the finals as they do battle with the last-placed Essendon Bombers. Catch all the live scores and action on The Roar from 4:40pm (AEST).
Essendon picked up a miraculous win over the Gold Coast Suns at home last week, marking just their second victory of the season.
It also snapped an incredible 17-game losing streak for the last-placed Bombers, who had gone winless for nearly four months, dating back to Round 2 when they beat the Demons.
They now stand a chance of avoiding the wooden spoon if they can win either of their final two games and the Lions and Dockers continue to lose.
At the other end of the spectrum, the Bulldogs are sitting in seventh place with their ticket to the finals already booked.
A win, admittedly a very, very large win, could see the Bulldogs jump a few positions in an extremely tight top-seven race, as every team jostles for top-four spots coming into September.
The Dogs have the third-best defence in the league, while the Bombers sit second-last for the same discipline, conceding 109 points per game, one of just three teams to hit triple figures in that regard.
Essendon can also lay claim to the worst attack in the competition, averaging just 64 points a game. At 41 per cent, the Bombers also sit in last place for kicking accuracy in 2016.
Rather surprisingly though, Essendon share the top two spots for uncontested possessions in the comp with today’s opponents.
Team news
A couple of big changes for the Bulldogs this week, including an Achilles injury to half-back Matt Suckling.
The big news for the Dogs has been the dropping of former All Australian Jake Stringer, after a series of average performances saw him called out by coach Luke Beveridge.
The aforementioned Suckling injury will make way Roarke Smith, who has been recovering from a major knee injury suffered late last year. Toby McLean has also been named to play his first game since the Round 11 win over West Coast.
For the Bombers, coach John Worsfold has dropped James Polkinghorne, Jonathan Simpkin and Sam Grimley, with Mark Jamar, Kyle Langford and Darcy Parish coming into the side.
Prediction
The Bombers have had a shocker of a season and there’s a good chance it will continue today.
The Dogs have plenty to play for, coming off the back of a couple of wins, and should keep their roll going.
Bulldogs to win by 30
Darce
Guest
As an Essendon supporter, it was a good win for the dogs. But you wont get those free kicks against the sides higher up on the ladder- thats how Umpires work! Very little idea, sadly. But your real problem is shared with the co-tennants of that lamentable Ground- the Darklands- the concrete in its substance has injured yet another player. Why do we put up with it? This is not a safe workplace. Its time to do something about it!
Connor Bennett
Editor
The Roar's AFL MVP votes: 3 - Jason Johannissen 2 - Zach Merrett 1 - Liam Picken
Connor Bennett
Editor
Connor Bennett
Editor
Adam Cooney being chaired off with his kids following in what is his final AFL game. Incredible career for the veteran including a Brownlow medal. Matt Stokes follows him through the tunnel of players marking an end to his career.
Connor Bennett
Editor
FULLTIME The Bulldogs take the points and their quest for a top-four finish continues. They sit in 7th still after this with a low percentage compared to the rest of the top eight. The Bombers fought hard throughout the whole contest and it wasn't an overly terrible performance today, but they just made a mess of their chances in front of goal and couldn't execute when opportunities to get back into the fight arose. The Bulldogs shot out to the 30 point lead at the first break, but they never really broke away after that, holding the lead steady around that mark for the rest of the game until a late goal coming into the final minute took the final margin to 40. Essendon 7.11 (53) Bulldogs 14.9 (93)
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' GOAL BULLDOGS!! What a mess that was from the Bombers at the back!! Trying to clear from the goal square after the previous Smith behind, they just duff the kick short and gift Tory Dickson his third goal of the day. It was a bit of a grubber off the boot from Dickson but it bounced through anyway and he has a cheeky grin on the mug after that shot. Essendon 7.10 (52) Bulldogs 14.9 (93)
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' Clay Smith finds plenty of open space to take the mark inside 50 and he'll have a dig at goal from 48 metres out. No good!! He's hooked it right for a behind. Essendon 7.10 (52) Bulldogs 12.9 (87)
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' Pace of the game just dying towards the end here. Even the Bombers are just plodding across the mid field in possession with the game long gone. The Dogs won't mind this. Easy way to avoid more injuries. Essendon 7.10 (52) Bulldogs 12.8 (86)
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' Joe Daniher lines up for his third goal today. 35 metres near the left boundary line... walks in, hits it. Gets the distance fine but the accuracy lets him down, picking up a behind through the left gate. Essendon 7.10 (52) Bulldogs 12.8 (86)
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' DANIHER FLYING AGAIN!! Nooooo he can't hold onto this one. He's been doing it all day and he's nearly pulled off a third mark of the year contender but the footy just slips out of the fingers on the way down. Essendon 7.9 (51) Bulldogs 12.8 (86)
Connor Bennett
Editor
The mark should have been paid, then it should have been a free for Smith slapping at his arms after he made the grab
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' The Bombers aren't giving up here but time is running out on them as the Dogs search down the right flank and head towards forward 50. Essendon 7.9 (51) Bulldogs 12.8 (86)
Liam Salter
Roar Guru
Yikes, that reaaaaly should have been a mark to the Bomber defender. The Bulldogs goal won't effect the overall result, but definitely disappointing for the Essendon crowd.
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' GOAL BULLDOGS!! Ooohhh could have been a mark for Dea in front of his own goal, but Clay Smith has smacked at his arms and the footy comes loose. It's a simple case of pick up and kick from 3 metres away. The crowd didn't like that call at all. Could have been a penalty but it doesn't matter now. Essendon 7.9 (51) Bulldogs 13.8 (86)
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' GOAL BOMBERS!!! The Dons go back to back!! A very rare occurrence today and across the whole season really. Zach Merrett with a clinical finish from 35 metres out, snapping around the corner out of traffic and straight through the middle gate. Surely they're not in with a chance here, but they're going to find out. Essendon 7.9 (51) Bulldogs 12.8 (80)
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' Essendon playing with fire as they knock it around the back line in front of goal under a lot of pressure from the Bulldogs. A fairly even quarter thus far despite the overall contest. Essendon 6.9 (45) Bulldogs 12.8 (80)
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' Zach Merrett passes 30 disposals for the match in what has been the best of a losing bunch effort today. Essendon 6.9 (45) Bulldogs 12.8 (80)
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' Poor clearance from the Bombers inside their own defensive 50 and the pressure is on with the Dogs in possession. Essendon 6.9 (45) Bulldogs 12.8 (80)
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' High shot on Fantasia and he'll be gifted a set shot at the sticks. GOAL ESSENDON!! Opens the final term up with a goal and the Bombers continue the trend of opening up each quarter with a burst. Fantasia starts it out right but brings it back beautifully for the six points. Essendon 6.9 (45) Bulldogs 12.8 (80)
Connor Bennett
Editor
FOURTH QUARTER Essendon get the jump off the centre bounce and they are away down the left flank. Final kick is a shocker looking for men in the middle!! It's hooked way over the boundary line on the full Essendon 5.9 (39) Bulldogs 12.8 (80)