The Western Bulldogs have overcome a 32-point deficit to snatch victory away from the Richmond Tigers in the dying stages of the last quarter.
After an embarrassing 76-point loss to the Crows last week, Richmond were eager to show that their performance was an aberration, confronting the Dogs with choking pressure and a manic attack on the football.
The Tigers were incredibly efficient in a dominant first quarter, scoring eight times from their 11 entries as well as taking seven marks inside 50.
Jack Riewoldt looked set for another big performance after kicking two goals early – the first of which made him the 58th player to kick 500 goals in VFL/AFL history.
Riewoldt’s third for the match pushed Richmond’s lead out to 32 points as the reigning premiers looked rattled.
However, a shoulder injury which saw Nick Vlastuin leave the field for the remainder of the match and the insertion of Tom Boyd into the ruck saw the momentum slowly shift the way of the Bulldogs.
With a genuine ruck in place, the reigning premiers took control in the clearance battle, gaining ascendancy in the midfield.
Lachie Hunter was fantastic for the Dogs with 28 disposals and one goal, while superstar Marcus Bontempelli worked his way into the match to have a big impact in the second half (27 disposals and 1 goal).
But once again wayward kicking hurt the Bulldogs, as they failed to take the lead by three-quarter time despite having three more shots at goal.
In a taxing and high-intensity game, the injury toll was heavy for both sides as Jake Stringer left the field with a knee injury while utility Josh Dunkley dislocated his shoulder early in the fourth quarter.
Despite the injuries and a valiant performance from Dustin Martin, the Dogs looked to have sealed the match after hitting the lead for the first time, 16 minutes into the last quarter.
The Tigers refused to lay down though, and a desperate effort from Dustin Martin to win the ball of two Dogs set Riewoldt up for his fourth goal of the match, reducing the margin back to four points.
With barely 30 seconds on the clock the Tigers willed the ball deep into the forward 50, before Jayden Short fumbled the ball out of bounds.
In a controversial call, the Richmond forward was deemed to have pushed the ball out deliberately, allowing the Bulldogs to escape with a narrow five-point victory.
Final score
Western Bulldogs 11.14.80
Richmond Tigers 11.9.75
Who’s in your ultimate team? Pick the best team and compete with other fans for daily prizes on Draftstars. For the best odds on the game try out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Think. Is this a bet you really want to place? Set a deposit limit.
Round 5 of the AFL provided plenty of action, from big scorelines to upset wins and pressure starting to build on some clubs and coaches already.
Brisbane forward Charlie Cameron has been handed a one-match suspension for a dangerous tackle on Jake Lever during the Lions' Thursday night win over…
Geelong has been crafty and creative in its list management and has quietly assembled a very exciting young group of midfielders and half-forwards.
Brisbane co-captain Lachie Neale will be looking to lead his team to a victory against Melbourne in what will be his 250th AFL game.
Overreacting to a single loss is one of the most overplayed scenarios in sport, but it’s important for the Swans to still believe that…
It’s high stakes with five teams having lost their first three games of season 2024, and in desperate need of a win.
