Australian Football

2016 AFL Grand Final: Bulldogs break the drought

Every Grand Final is memorable in its own way but the the 2016 AFL premiership-decider will surely live on in the memories of most footy fans for longer than most others. It certainly will for fans of the Western Bulldogs - aka Footscray - who have been waiting for 62 long years to see their team take home a second flag. For them, the wait is finally over, after the Bulldogs prevailed over the favourites Sydney in a titanic struggle at the MCG. 

The final margin was 22 points, but that belied the closeness of the affair. It was not until the 26-minute mark of the last quarter, when Jake Stringer passed the ball to Liam Picken, who ran into an open goal after spilling a contested mark, that the result was beyond doubt. Both sides had spent 115 minutes until that moment bashing and crashing into each other, asking and giving no quarter.

The fullness of time will eventually judge where this Grand Final ranks among the greats, but this one was easily the best since the epic 2012 encounter between Sydney and Hawthorn, and certainly the most popular, in terms of its final outcome, in a long time, at least matching that of the Swans' own drought-breaking premiership win of 2005.

1st Quarter

Unsurprisingly, the first few minutes of the match were manic. The players from both sides were ferocious in their attack on the ball or the man with the ball. Mistakes abounded, some made as a result of the incredible pressure applied, others purely of nerves. After the hectic opening, both sides settled, the Swans to a greater degree at first, comfortably seeing off the Bulldogs' haphazard forays forward. Importantly for the Dogs, though, Sydney did not hit the scoreboard in that period. In fact, after nine minutes, neither side had managed so much as a behind. 

Eventually, Kieran Jack marked for the Swans but his set shot missed. Teammate Luke Parker did not miss three minutes later, though, and Sydney had the first goal of the match. When Lance Franklin, having sustained an injury to his ankle early in the term, followed up with a behind a couple of minutes later, the Swans led 8-0 and were looking threatening. But the tide began to turn midway through the term, as the Bulldogs became surer and steadier with their ball movement.

On the cusp of time on, Zaine Cordy, playing just his 11th game of AFL football, was rewarded with a free kick for a vice-like tackle. From a difficult angle he somehow negotiated a swirling breeze to kick truly and the Bulldogs were on the board. Three minutes later Tory Dickson marked and from the 50-metre line also made no mistake. The Bulldogs were in front and the Sydney Swans, who had killed off their previous two finals opponents, Adelaide and Geelong, with first-quarter blitzes, knew they were in for a proverbial 'dogfight'. At quarter time the Bulldogs led 2.0 to 1.2 and the scene was set for a thrilling affair. 

2nd Quarter

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The settled Bulldogs continued to attack early in the second quarter. At the three-minute mark, Tom Boyd (right), who had already taken a couple of influential marks, took a diving grab near the behind post in the Dogs' forward line. From an extremely tight angle, he converted, giving the Bulldogs a 10-point lead. Boyd had been dubbed the 'Six Million Dollar Man' and had been under heavy scrutiny by many who doubted he was worth the money the Bulldogs had paid for him, so this was a significant moment. 

Sydney was not about to give up without a fight, though, and a running goal to defender Nick Smith, his first major for three years, at the six-minute mark had the Swans back within three points. The contest began to open up from that point, and it was the Bulldogs who initially began to look the better side as the play began to flow. Dickson scored his second goal with a beautiful roving effort at the nine-minute mark and then Liam Picken and Lachie Hunter combined some slick handball in the forward pocket to see Picken snap his first goal. At the 11-minute mark, the Dogs were suddenly 16 points ahead and the prospect of a premiership suddenly seemed very real. 

But Sydney, a battle-hardened side with many players who had been to the 'Big Dance' before, was not about to lie down, and over the next 10 minutes, the Swans stamped themselves on the match. Goals to Tom Mitchell and Gary Rohan brought them back within four points, and then Josh Kennedy threatened to take Sydney into a period of dominance almost single-handedly with majors at the 18 and 20-minute marks, giving the Swans an eight-point lead. Kennedy was clearly best afield at that stage, and with the Swans midfield as a whole playing well, the momentum of the game appeared to have swung in the Swans favour.

The Bulldogs were momentarily stunned by that four-goal onslaught but they bounced back off the ropes and some fine running play saw Marcus Bontempelli find Tom Boyd free near goal with a long pass and Boyd converted, his second goal bringing the Dogs back within two points. A great roving goal to Tom Mitchell saw Sydney's lead back out to eight points, but a beautiful snap from Toby McLean had the Bulldogs back within two points at half time and it was anybody's game at the long break. 

3rd Quarter

Sydney had a chance to get the first goal of the second half when Kurt Tippett, who had had a quiet much up until that point, took a strong pack mark and a had a shot from an angle on the 50-metre arc but his shot missed to the right. Two minutes later, with the ball bobbing around in front of the Bulldogs' goal-face, Jack Macrae managed to squeeze out a handpass to Dickson, whose very high kick sailed through the big sticks and the Dogs were back in front.

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The Bulldogs kept coming and had a couple of chances to extend the margin but Macrae missed an easy set shot and Lachie Hunter missed a snapshot. Then, up bobbed Josh Kennedy (left) again and the man who had kicked two goals and had 22 possessions in the first half marked strongly and kicked truly, and the Swans were ahead once more, by two points, midway through the quarter. 

By 19 minutes into the quarter only two goals had been scored for the term and the free-flowing play of the second quarter was a distant memory. Every goal from that point on would be crucial, and the first of those came 19 minutes and 29 seconds into the term when Clay Smith was taken high by Dan Hannebery and kicked truly. The Bulldogs were back in front. The margin was only four points at that moment, but they would not relinquish that lead again. 

The Dogs pressed hard over the next 10 minutes without quite breaking through. A rushed behind was followed by misses to Caleb Daniel, Jake Stringer and Tom Boyd. By three-quarter time it was eight points the difference with the Western Bulldogs in front and seemingly with the momentum on their side. Moreover, only one team in the past 32 years had come from behind at the last change to claim the flag (Geelong in the 2009 arm-wrestle against St. Kilda), but if any team was capable of repeating that feat it was the disciplined and professional Sydney Swans outfit. The door was still open, the issue being whether the younger and less experienced Bulldogs combination, in their fourth cut-throat finals match in a row, had the legs, and the will, to bring it home. 

4th Quarter

To no one's surprise, the first four minutes of the final term were as intense as the first three stanzas had been. No quarter was asked for and none given. The first score of the quarter was a miss from Tom Papley at the five-minute mark. Two minutes later, Lance Franklin, whose impact on the match had been somewhat muted by his ankle injury and a brilliant blanketing effort by the unheralded Joel Hamling, took a great running mark and kicked a beautiful long goal from deep in the pocket. The Swans were within a point and seemingly ready to grab the moment. 

But the next person to grab the moment was the Bulldogs' Jake Stringer. Having been well held all day by Dane Rampe, Stringer received a handball from Macrae after a ruck contest and his high, right-foot snap sailed through for a goal to put the Bulldogs seven points clear. The Swans would not lie down, though, and George Hewett's goal at the 12-minute mark again had them back within a point. It seemed as though the match would go right to the wire. 

The next five minutes saw some of the intensest football one could imagine. Players threw themselves recklessly at the ball. Every kick, mark and handball came only under the most extreme pressure. Neither side was willing to wilt. Finally, at the 17-minute mark after what seemed like an eternal contested struggle, the ball finally found its way to Picken, who had just enough space to swing his leg and snap a goal that put the Bulldogs seven points clear.

Another dashing run and long kick by Jason Johannisen appeared to all concerned, including the goal umpire, to have resulted in a goal (and potentially match-winning lead to the Dogs) but as the players made their way back the centre the video review adjudged the ball touched on the line (literally 99% of the ball had passed the line!). The anti-climax could have deflated Dogs' spirits, and may have done in years gone by, but this was a new breed of canine, a self-confident and undeterred mob with a never-say-die attitude, and they didn't miss a beat. 

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Five minutes later after a great Dale Morris tackle dispossessed Lance Franklin of the ball, Tom Boyd swooped and booted the ball as far as he could. The ball landed near the goal square, broke to the right, and sailed through. The Dogs were 15 points clear after 22 minutes and almost home. Sydney had one final chance to keep the match alive when Franklin found Ben McGlynn with a beautiful pass. But McGlynn's set shot missed, and Bulldog fans suddenly realised that a 62-year-long premiership drought was about to be broken.

Twenty-six minutes into the last quarter, Jake Stringer received a handball from Caleb Daniel near the boundary line and centred a kick to Picken in the goal square. Jake Lloyd spoiled Picken's marking attempt but he picked up the kindly bouncing loose ball and sent it through the big sticks, high into the grandstand, sealing a Grand Final victory that had been more than six decades in the making. The Dogs added one final behind via Toby McLean right on the siren as the players and crowd erupted in united euphoria, the Western Bulldogs premiers in 2016. 

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The Norm Smith Medal for best on ground went to the Bulldogs' Jason Johannisen (left), who had 33 disposals (including 25 kicks, many of them after penetrating runs) and seven marks, although some pundits thought Tom Boyd (three goals, eight contested marks) had the greatest influence on the outcome. Liam Picken (25 possessions, three goals) and Macrae (33 touches) were also fine players for the Dogs, and Easton Wood led from the front. Marcus Bontempelli worked away manfully, albeit without ever taking hold of the game, while veterans Matthew Boyd and Dale Morris were solid in defence.

Josh Kennedy (34 disposals, three goals) was a standout performer for the Swans and would have surely won the medal had Sydney been victorious. Tom Mitchell (26 touches and two goals) was also a great four-quarter contributor for the red and white, while Heath Grundy repelled many Bulldog attacks, particularly in the first half. Dane Rampe, Dan Hannebery, and Lance Franklin gave 100% all day.

The after-match presentations witnessed a singularly touching gesture of club solidarity, when coach Luke Beveridge gave his Jock McHale medal to injured club captain Bob Murphy who, despite being sidelined since round three, has been an inspirational leader and mentor to the playing group throughout the season.

With the Grand Final and premiership curse now broken, the question to be asked of the Western Bulldogs is whether they can convert this win into an era of sustained success. Some are not so sure, but with a glut of young players and a list full of depth, the Dogs would appear to be well-placed to back up the 2016 flag with another one in the not too distant future. While the Sydney Swans will be bitterly disappointed with the loss, they too, would appear to have a strong chance remaining near the top of the ladder, having unearthed several new stars in 2016.

For now, though, the Western Bulldogs will deservingly bask in the glow of premiership glory. 

GOALS
Sydney: Kennedy 3; Mitchell 2' Parker, N. Smith, Rohan, Franklin, Hewett
Western Bulldogs: T. Boyd, Dickson, Picken 3; Cordy, McLean, C. Smith, Stringer

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Sydney: Kennedy, Mitchell, Rampe, Heeney, Jones, Hannebery
Western Bulldogs: Johannisen, Picken, T. Boyd, Macrae, M. Boyd, Dahlhaus

BEST - THE SUNDAY AGE
Sydney: Kennedy, Mitchell, Grundy, Rampe, Jack, Hannebery
Western Bulldogs: Johannisen, T. Boyd, Picken, Macrae, M. Boyd, Hamling

NORM SMITH MEDAL: Jason Johannisen (Western Bulldogs)

NORM SMITH MEDAL VOTING:
10 - Jason Johannisen (Western Bulldogs)
8 - Josh Kennedy (Sydney)
7 -  Tom Boyd (Western Bulldogs)
5  - Liam Picken (Western Bulldogs)

INJURIES
Sydney: Franklin (right ankle), Hannebery (left knee)
Western Bulldogs: Johannisen (calf)

UMPIRES: Stevic, Meredith, Jeffery

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Seven Network

COMMENTATORS: Bruce McAvaney, Dennis Cometti, Wayne Carey, Cameron Ling, Tim Watson, Matthew Richardson

For full match details, click here.