Australian Football

Match Report

The top-four dream remains well and truly alive for the Western Bulldogs after they demolished Melbourne by 98 points at Docklands Stadium on Sunday. In a somewhat bizarre match, the Dogs kicked the first 12 goals of the game and led by an amazing 73 points at half time, only to go goalless in the third quarter as the Demons added five goals. The Bulldogs the resumed 'normal service' in the final quarter, kicking 10 goals to none to fall two points short of a 100-point win.

It didn't take long for the goals to start flowing when the game started. Mitch Wallis got the Bulldogs going with a mark ands goal at the four-minute mark, and Jarrad Grant got in on the act with his first three minutes later. A mark and a 50-metre penalty to Tory Dickson kick his first at the 12-minute mark, and three minutes later Marcus Bontempelli marked and goaled to make it four goals to nil. Grant kicked his second a few minutes later and then Stewart Crameri and Jack Redpath got in on the act before Grant's third saw the game virtually over at quarter-time with the Dogs leading 8.3 to 0.2. 

A change of ends did not break the Doggies' momentum. Within the first eight minutes of the second term, they had added four more goals via Lin Jong (two), Jack Macrae and Jake Stringer to lead by a phenomenal 74 points. At that moment, a change came over the game. The Demons managed to stem the torrent, with neither side scoring for the next eight minutes. Melbourne  then finally hit the scoreboard with goals to Jeff Garlett and Jesse Hogan, before late goals to Bontempelli and Tory Dickson saw the Dogs' lead back out to 73 at the half.

When the third quarter began, it was as though the two teams had swapped jumpers. Instead of the Dogs, it was the Demons who were running and hunting in numbers and their higher work rate began to pay dividends. By the eight minute mark, Max Gawn, Hogan and Chris Dawes had added goals, and Jack Watts and Garlett made it five for the term with majors at the 15 and 18-minute marks. The Dogs, in contrast, couldn't even manage one goal for the term and the margin was back to 42 at the last change. 

When the sides changed ends for the last time, so did the momentum. The Dogs undid Melbourne's good third-quarter work in the first 17 minutes, with goals to Stringer, Redbath, Lachie Hunter, Luke Dahlhaus and Bontempelli, and then added five more for good measure to blow the Demons away by 98 points. 

The Dogs had a host of good player, with Dahlhaus (32 possessions, four marks), Wallis (10 tackles, 24 touches) and Stringer (four goals, three tackles) among the best. Tom McDonald (13 marks, 29 disposals) was outstanding all day for the Demons. 

The Bulldogs will face a much sterner test next Sunday when they meet the second-placed West Coast, but they will go into the match with confidence, having beaten the Eagles by 10 points in round one. Melbourne meanwhile, has been able to bounce back from big losses several times already this season, and will take some heart from that fact when they take on Carlton at the MCG next Sunday.

GOALS
Western Bulldogs: Stringer 4; Grant, Bontempelli, Dickson 3; Crameri, Jong, Redpath 2; Wallis, Macrae, Hunter, Dahlhaus, Biggs
Melbourne: Hogan 3; Garlett 2; Gawn, Dawes, Watts

BEST - THE AGE
Western Bulldogs: Dahlhaus, Wallis, Stringer, Biggs, Campbell, Bontempelli, Hunter, Wood
Melbourne: McDonald, Jones, Viney

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Western Bulldogs: Dahlhaus, Wallis, Boyd, Grant, Stringer, Hunter, Macrae, Murphy
Melbourne: McDonald, Viney, Watts, Michie

INJURIES
Western Bulldogs: Nil
Melbourne: Neville Jetta (neck)

SUBSTITUTES
Western Bulldogs: Caleb Daniel replaced Sam Darley at three-quarter time.
Melbourne: Jack Grimes replaced Neville Jetta at half-time.

UMPIRES: Pannell, Mitchell, Wallace

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Seven Network

COMMENTATORS: Basil Zempilas, Hamish McLachlan, Leigh Matthews, Andrew Welsh, Nick Maxwell