Gun midfielder Jack Macrae has guided an injury-hit Western Bulldogs to a tightly-contested nine-point AFL win over Gold Coast in Ballarat.
» Click here to read the full match report
Final score
Western Bulldogs 11.15.81
Gold Coast Suns 10.12.72
The Western Bulldogs and Gold Coast Suns will make the trek to Ballarat for Round 7 with both sides desperate for a win. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 1:45pm (AEST).
Memories of a 2016 premiership have faded fast for the Bulldogs. After missing the top eight in 2017, they find themselves sitting in 15th spot with just two wins from their first six games.
While that’s only a victory away from the North Melbourne Kangaroos, who sit in eighth, their form has been astoundingly bad, with a number of big losses.
Even if they do bring a victory over a battling Carlton outfit into this game as their last start, it’s memories of their loss to the Swans, or 80 and 50-point losses to the Giants and Eagles which will have them down on confidence.
This is a chance for them to build confidence though, with the Suns disappearing from the top of the table after what was a positive start to the season.
While their kicking has been anything but accurate, they beat North and Carlton to start their season, but have since lost three of their last four against better opposition – the Dockers, Eagles and Crows – to slump down the table. Their only bright spot was a victory over the Lions in the Q clash.
The Gold Coast’s start to the season needs to be taken with a grain of salt, given the club weren’t expected to rise from their 2017 finishing position in the bottom section of the ladder. Their form is showing exactly where they are at development-wise and the chance of pinching an away win seems slim.
A big crowd – behind the Bulldogs – should be on hand at the 11,000-seat ground, and the atmosphere created will certainly help the ‘Dogs.
Prediction
The Bulldogs should get the win here. The Gold Coast haven’t shown a great deal since their first two wins and one would expect it to be fairly comfortable.
Bulldogs by 21.
Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of this Round 7 match from 1:45pm (AEST) and don’t forget to add a comment in the section below.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thanks for joining me this afternoon on The Roar for our live coverage of the 2018 AFL Season. Hopefully you enjoyed the call. Right now you can either flick over for the end of the Bombers and Hawks with Lachlan Ballingall, or the West Coast Eagles and Port Adelaide with AdelaideDocker, which starts in about 10 minutes. I'll be back this evening for some NRL with the Cronulla Sharks playing the Parramatta Eels at 7:30pm (AEST). Bye for now.
User
Roar Rookie
Lol I like the high risk high reward way too much, avoid Texas holdem for that reason lol
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thoughts on that game Roarers?
Liam Salter
Roar Guru
Oh jeez. You're not very good at tipping aye ;)
User
Roar Rookie
Same so far I've tipped gws, gcs and essendon lol
Scott Pryde
Expert
FULLTIME The Bulldogs with a handball over the boundary. That's called deliberate and they send it in forward from the free kick, but then there is a stoppage. Into the final 15 seconds and Hunter takes a mark. He goes to McLean and they run up the middle before the siren goes. The Western Bulldogs win it in Ballarat. It's a nine-point game that went right down to the wire, but they were the better team, particularly in that fourth quarter. Enthralling contest with more than ten lead changes. Bulldogs 11.15 (81) Suns 10.12 (72)
Liam Salter
Roar Guru
Aw, damn. Was hoping the Suns could pull of a nice win.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 0' The Suns had it inside 50 there, but a great spoil from Young for the Bulldogs sends it the other way. Into the final 60 seconds and surely now the Bulldogs will be home. Bulldogs 11.15 (81) Suns 10.12 (72)
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 1' - BEHIND BULLDOGS Dahlhaus into some space now. He fires on goal, but it's off to the right. Behind. Score correction. Bulldogs 11.15 (81) Suns 10.12 (72)
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 2' Ball pinballing around now. Crozier sends it forward, English is there and the Suns are taken over the boundary line. Bulldogs 11.15 (81) Suns 10.12 (72)
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 3' - BEHIND BULLDOGS Now it'll be Macrae with a chance. Bulldogs with some great defence at the half forward line to just continually take it away here. Hunter that time found Macrae who will fire on goal, but he misses off to the right. Another behind. Bulldogs 11.15 (81) Suns 10.12 (72)
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 3' - BEHIND BULLDOGS Johannisen finds some space this time after a turnover. He hits a handball out wide to Williams who shoots for goal, but it's off to the right. Bulldogs 11.14 (80) Suns 10.12 (72)
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 4' - BEHIND BULLDOGS And another! The game is outside of a score now as McLean misses to the left. Bulldogs 11.13 (79) Suns 10.12 (72)
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 4' - BEHIND BULLDOGS The Bulldogs win the bounce here and are inside 50. They could win it here with a goal. Ball up and it's English winning it, another ball up as the defenders swarm in. A third ball up now as Honeychurch is tackled, before Dahlhaus kicks towards full forward, the ball rushed behind. Six-point game with under five minutes on the clock. Bulldogs 11.12 (78) Suns 10.12 (72)
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 5' This game isn't quite over yet. Suns with a steal off the restart, then Martin is paid a free kick about 40 out for the Suns, with the forward now taking a shot on goal. He kicks it back with the wind and it goes through, the game now just a five-point one into the final six minutes of this contest. Bulldogs 11.11 (77) Suns 10.12 (72)
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 6' - BEHIND SUNS Rosa should have scored there. Suns in the 50 and all the way to the goal square, Ainsworth going back to an open Rosa, but his shot is off to the left, snapping it on a slight angle. Bulldogs 11.11 (77) Suns 9.12 (66)
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 6' - GOAL BULLDOGS, BAILEY WILLIAMS The Bulldogs have it on the wing here. Hunter with a long kick forward and there's no mark, but Dahlhaus has it. He puts it up over the top and then Williams finds a bit of space after a scrap, straightening and putting the kick through the middle. Bulldogs up by two goals! Bulldogs 11.11 (77) Suns 9.11 (65)
User
Roar Rookie
Looks like the q clash, boring for most part with a desperate final ten minutes
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 7' - GOAL BULLDOGS, BILLY GOWERS No stopping the Bulldogs this time! They force the turnover, then it's a great kick inside, English punching it down out of the challenge to Gowers who stops, pivots and then sends it through. Dogs back in front by a goal. Bulldogs 10.11 (71) Suns 9.11 (65)
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 8' - BEHIND BULLDOGS Great defence again from the Bulldogs. English with a mark on halfway after the clearing kick. He goes short to Dahlhaus, then it's a handball to Johannisen who is on the run. He goes back to Gowers who could have had a shot, but he goes back to Dunkley who misses to the left. Tied up again. Bulldogs 9.11 (65) Suns 9.11 (65)