The Western Bulldogs have defeated Hawthorn by 22 points in an exciting, and relatively high-scoring, match in Ballarat, although both sides will take many positives away from the great pre-season contest.
The first quarter was a goal scoring feast – the teams delivered eleven of the majors – and was more than enjoyable to watch.
With both teams holding leads are various stages of the long quarter, it was their respective offences which game to prominence.
Fast, slick and goal after goal – it was a great introduction to these two teams in 2018. The usual suspects quickly accumulated the ball for both teams – Tom Mitchell for the Hawks, Jack Macrae and Marcus Bontempelli for the Bulldogs.
The long (thirty or so minutes) quarter came to an end with a four point Bulldogs lead.
As one would expect, the ferocious nature of the first fell away a bit in the second stanza, as the goal scoring dried up.
A trio of early goals – two of them to the Hawks, giving them the lead back – then transitioned to a string of inaccuracy from both sides.
Six consecutive behinds, though, shouldn’t overshadow the exciting play that was happening throughout the ground.
Truthfully, it was difficult to predict who’d conquer the match. The lead was the Hawks’, though, at the half – thanks to an after-the-siren goal to Isaac Smith.
The third quarter was an ominous one for the Hawks, as the Bulldogs took control of the game. Two behinds and a goal in the first four minutes of the second half allowed them to equalize the scores, before Hawthorn snatched the lead back through Ryan Schoenmakers.
The Dogs, after that, booted three, including the first goals in the blue, white and red to Josh Schache and Jackson Trengrove. Roughead got a late one back for the Hawks, but although their lead – twelve points – wasn’t the biggest, the Dogs looked to be in the box seat for a win.
And they ultimately were. A comparatively low scoring final quarter – three goals to the Dogs, just a solitary one to the Hawks – meant the Dogs comfortably took a 22 point lead to the final siren.
Both teams will take plenty of positives away, with the performances of the biggest names on the ground impressing. Bontempelli (25 touches) was excellent, and Tom Mitchell (30 touches and a goal) was often scintillating.
Macrae (24 and two goals) and Shane Biggs (28) were also high accumulaters of the ball for the Dogs, as were James Sicily (24) and Smith (18 and one goal) for the Hawks.
Josh Schache didn’t play the first half, and scored a memorable goal early in the second, but made just about zero impact other than that, while Jaeger O’Meara (16 touches) was solid for the Hawks.
Hawthorn take on Carlton in their next JLT encounter on March 10, whilst the Bulldogs play Collingwood the same day.
Western Bulldogs: 15.10 (100)
Hawthorn: 11.12 (78)
Penster
Roar Guru
Dogs as premiers who didn't make the 8 the previous year (same as Hawks in 2009) and reported infighting at board level, had more to prove on Saturday and it showed. Happy with the Hawks form at this stage of the pre-season, think there's a lot more to come and believe we'll be closer to, if not in, the 8 this year but mostly because I expect the Saints and Eagles to slide.
Macca
Guest
Matthew - it is time you gave up this nonsense. I am tipping no Tigers fan agrees with your assessment.
Macca
Guest
Oh Matthew, you are too easy. Don - once again you display your limitations, the bait doesn't put itself on the hook, the hook is "baited" by a human. I would say it isn't your day but the sad thing is this is as good as you get.
mattyb
Guest
TTF,we are brothers mate unfortunately. Both our clubs were gifted a premiership because of our VFL history. I want us to win a real AFL premiership and hopefully you want your club to win one to. No more gifts for our great clubs. Let's go national.
truetigerfan
Guest
Pretty sure he's on the KoolAid again!
Don Freo
Guest
Macca is not a startling human being, Col, but it's a bit mean intimating he is a worm...or any other bait.
mattyb
Guest
Fair enough Macca,I don't need to police the club I support I just barrack for them. You should use all this time you spend on the internet to actually get along to the games of the club you support. You do realise we won a premiership only two years ago. How well has your club gone in the AFL era again? Certainly struggled for more than a year or two. Most wooden spoons out of all the AFL clubs even with expansion.
Macca
Guest
Oh Don, it wouldn't be so mundane if you didn't make it so easy for me.
Macca
Guest
See below
Macca
Guest
Some people take facts seriously, then there is you and your mate Matthew.
Don Freo
Guest
You're the one doing it. No wonder it is mundane.
Macca
Guest
What a sad and pathetic club that you can never get your act together for more than a year or two.
Don Freo
Guest
Just a smidgeon too serious there Carltoncrew.
Macca
Guest
Pointing out you are wrong, is boasting Don, it happens so often it is very mundane.
Col from Brissie
Roar Guru
I don't think there was a boast there Don, just a correction of your mistake.
Drago
Guest
It's not boasting getting the facts right.
Don Freo
Guest
It's only a scrath match. I wouldn't boast too much. It'll only end in tears.
mattyb
Guest
The Dogs board is always infighting Macca,nothing new there and I don't live in some fantasy world year after year that would cause a real fan to deny that. Tell me when the Dogs aren't in some sort of crisis? There's a year here and there but something new always pops up. When havnt the Dogs had membership issues? We nearly folded once. Google 1989. Lol preseason wins mean anything.
Macca
Guest
Oh Don, is there no limit to your ineptitude? Carlton 13.11 89 d St Kilda 9.13 67
Don Freo
Guest
Carlton lost their pre-season game. I guess that explains the cynicism.