Australian Football

Match Report

In the final match for Round 9, the Bulldogs faced their multiple-time Grand Final nemesis in the Eagles at the Hamra Homes Oval in Elizabeth. It was back in Round 16 of 2009 that these teams last met, the Dogs escaping with an 11-point win after the Eagles mounted a last term comeback. 

The Eagles scored the first major, but would find themselves down by 14 points at the first change after the Dogs kicked 5.2 to the Eagles' overall three goals. The Dogs would stretch that gap out to 23 points -- 5.1 to the Eagles' 4.4 -- by the half-time break, but would frustrate the home fans with plenty of turnovers that would keep the Eagles within a reasonable striking distance. The visitors managed to outscore the reigning premiers in the third quarter, scoring 4.3 to 4.0 to bring the gap back to 20 points at the final change. More poor turnovers in the last quarter threatened to ruin Chris Gowans' return to footy and his 200th game, as the Eagles closed to within eight points of causing an upset. But the Dogs' would then kick three unanswered majors out of their 5.3 to 3.1 in that final term to take out a 28-point win. 

Pocket rocket Ian Callinan was voted best on ground for Centrals, while Justin Cicolella was named best for the Eagles.