Australian Football

Match Report

Melbourne has recorded its third win of the season with an against-the-odds victory over the Western Bulldogs on Sunday at the MCG. The win was particularly impressive given that the Demons has lost the previous week by 105 points to Hawthorn. For the Bulldogs, the loss was a severe reality check and, after wins earlier in the season against top six sides West Coast Adelaide and Fremantle, they have now lost three in a row and slipped out of the top eight.

The Demons were on the board within the first minute of the match with a goal to Jesse Hogan but the remainder of the first quarter was very much a sloppy affair, with miskicks and errant handballs featuring heavily. The Dogs dominated much of the possession over the next 20 minutes, but could convert that to a score of only 2.3 (with goals to Luke Dahlhaus and Lin Jong) and in the final stage of the first quarter, the Demons took some control and with goals to Jimmy Toumpas and Cameron Pedersen, took a six-point lead into quarter time.

The Western Bulldogs again dominated the early stages of the second term but again wasted chances in front of goal. Wallis gave the Bulldogs the lead at the four-minute mark but Jake Stringer, Tory Dickson and Dahlhaus all missed gettable shots before Ben Newton put Melbourne back in front with a major at the 12-minute mark. Hogan and Jeremy Howe added further goals before another brief period of ascendency for the Bulldogs amounted to three more misses in front of goal. Demon skipper Nathan Jones made them pay with a goal just before the half-time siren, and Melbourne led by 20 points at the long break. 

Melbourne set Bulldog alarm bells ringing in the first six minutes of the third term, with goals to Pedersen and Hogan putting the Demons 33 points ahead. The Dogs fought back after that, though, and straightened up in front of goal, kicking six goals in a row without a miss, including a "goal of the year" entry from Jake Stringer in the boundary line. In response, the Demons scored just one further goal for the term and the Bulldogs trailed by just 13 points at the last change. 

The Bulldogs carried that third-quarter momentum into the last term and when Liam Picken goaled at the two-minute mark the difference was just seven points and the Dogs seemed headed for victory. Amazingly, though, the Bulldogs scored only one further goal for the match as the Demons grabbed the ascendency back and took complete control. They closed out the match with goals to Pedersen, Jeff Garlett, Bernie Vince (two) and Toumpas and ran way to a very impressive 39-point win.

Nathan Jones (28 disposals, five tackles), Aaaron Vandenberg (11 tackles, 29 possessions) and Pedersen (16 touches and three goals) all played vital roles in the win, while the Bulldogs were well served by Dahlhaus (26 possessions, six tackles), Matthew Boyd (31 touches, six marks) and Mitch Wallis (12 tackles, 23 disposals). 

Next up for the Demons is a "home" game on Saturday at Alice Springs against Port Adelaide, while the Bulldogs, who slipped out of the top eight with the loss, will try and arrest a three-game losing streak against GWS at Docklands on the same day.

GOALS
Melbourne: Hogan, Pedersen 3; Toumpas, Vince 2; Howe, N. Jones, Newton, M. Jones, Garlett
Western Bulldogs: Stringer 2; Dahlhaus, Jong, Wallis, Wood, Hunter, Dale, Picken

BEST - THE AGE
Melbourne: N. Jones, Vandenberg, Pedersen, Vince, Hogan, Fitzpatrick, Brayshaw, Spencer
Western Bulldogs: Dahlhaus, M. Boyd, Wallis, Wood.

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Melbourne: N. Jones, Pedersen, Hogan, Vince, Spencer, Cross, Toumpas
Western Bulldogs: M. Boyd, Dahlhaus, Wallis, Wood, Stevens

INJURIES 
Melbourne: M. Jones (concussion)
Western Bulldogs: Goodes (arm)

SUBSTITUTES
Melbourne: Matt Jones (concussion) replaced by Aidan Riley in the fourth quarter
Western Bulldogs: Tom Boyd replaced by Bailey Dale in the third quarter

UMPIRES: Deboy, Findlay, Mitchell

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Seven Network

COMMENTATORS: Dennis Cometti, Hamish McLachlan, Leigh Matthews, Nick Maxwell