Australian Football

Match Report

It was much closer than they would have liked it to be but the Western Bulldogs have finally recorded a win on a Friday night, their first since 2011, pipping Collingwood by four points in a thrilling encounter to kick off round 21. The Dogs looked likely to cruise to victory when they jumped out to an 18-point lead half way through the second quarter but by midway through the next term it was the Magpies ahead by that margin, having kicked seven of the next eight goals. The Bulldogs eventually regained control, largely through the brilliant efforts of Marcus Bontempelli, and withstood a strong last-quarter challenge from the Pies to hold on for a narrow win, guaranteeing a place in the finals and keeping their slim top-four hopes alive.

The game got off to a dour start with neither side finding the big sticks until Darcy Moore marked and goaled at the seven-minute mark to set Collingwood on its way. Both teams had further chances after that but registered only behinds until Josh Dunkley gathered a loose ball to kick the Bulldogs' first at the 16-minute mark. A classic Jake Stringer goal on the turn gave the Bulldogs a one-goal lead four minutes later and each side added a further goal before the siren which saw the Dogs with a five-point quarter-time lead.

A snap from Nathan Hrovat extended the Bulldogs' advantage to 11 points at the two-minute mark of the second term, and when Clay Smith ran into an open goal and kicked truly seven minutes later and kicked truly, the margin was out to 18 and the Dogs looked like going on with the job. Collingwood had other ideas, however, and a great mark and goal to Darcy Moore had the Pies back within 11 points. Zane Cordy's second goal and a behind to Dunkley had the Bulldogs' lead back out to 18 midway through the term but the tide turned dramatically after that, Collingwood dominating and goals to Jordan de Goey, Steele Sidebottom and Adam Oxley levelling the scores. Each side added one further goal to round out a high-scoring quarter and the Dogs led by a single point at the half. 

Neither side gave an inch in the early stage of the third quarter, a behind after a mark by Moore to tie up the match being the only score of the first eight minutes. Jesse White broke the drought with a goal after a free kick putting the Pies ahead by that margin. The Dogs couldn't find an avenue to goal and looked to be in serious trouble when de Goey and Tom Phillips added further majors for Collingwood to extend its lead to three goals. It was at that moment that Bontempelli came to the fore, dominating over the next few minutes, having a hand in two goals kicked by Lin Jong and kicking one himself as the Dogs reclaimed the lead. Tory Dickson added another to put them seven points clear ak. but a third goal to Moore had scores tied at the last break.

With marks and goals to Dickson and Bontempelli within the first six minutes of the last term, it looked as if the Bulldogs had finally broken the back of Collingwood's resistance but the Magpies had other ideas, and majors to Levi Greenwood and Adam Oxley had scores level once more 10 minutes into the quarter. From there it was a thrilling arm wrestle. A strong mark and goal to Hrovat put the Dogs a goal ahead 16 minutes in but a great running goal from Brayden Maynard had scores tied for the 11th time in the match early in time on. The Dogs had several chances to land a killer punch after that, but three chances led to a rushed behind and misses to Hrovat and Jordan Roughead. Collingwood attacked again after that and the ball was deep in the Magpie forward line when the final siren sounded, the Bulldogs holding on to record a thrilling and important win in a highly entertaining match. 

Bontempelli was hugely influential, particularly in the second half. He finished with 26 disposals and eight tackles. For Collingwood, ex-Giant Adam Treloar played possibly his best game for his new club, collecting 35 touches and laying nine tackles.

With a top-eight place sewn up, the Bulldogs will look to finish the season with big wins over Essendon and Fremantle in the hope of sneaking into the top four should sides above them falter. The Magpies, 12th on the ladder with eight wins, will play Gold Coast at Docklands and Hawthorn at the MCG to close out their season.

GOALS
Western Bulldogs: Jong, Dickson, Bontempelli, Hrovat, Cordy 2; Dunkley, Stringer, Smith, Hunter,
Collingwood: Moore 3; Sidebottom, De Goey, Oxley 2; Treloar, White, Phillips, Greenwood, Maynard

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Western Bulldogs: Bontempelli, Picken, Dahlhaus, Jong, Hunter, Johannisen, M Boyd
Collingwood: Treloar, Sidebottom, Aish, Moore, Goldsack, Grundy

BEST - THE SATURDAY AGE
Western Bulldogs: Bontempelli, Dahlhaus, Hunter, Daniel, Picken, Johanissen
Collingwood: Treloar, Grundy, Aish, Moore, Pendlebury, Sidebottom, Wills

INJURIES
Western Bulldogs: Nil
Collingwood: Adams (corked calf), Moore (cut eye)

UMPIRES: Margetts, Kamolins, Meredith

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Seven Network

COMMENTATORS: Dennis Cometti, Brian Taylor, Wayne Carey, Cameron Ling, Matthew Richardson