Australian Football

Match Report

A big second half at Docklands on Friday night has seen the GWS Giants record a runaway win over the Western Bulldogs to maintain a stronghold on second place on the ladder. The seventh-placed Bulldogs took it right up to the Giants in the first half, and it looked likely that these two sides were on the way to producing another classic encounter. But GWS landed a couple of telling blows early in the second half, and the Dogs could not find a way to respond.

In the end the Giants finished eight goals clear, the margin probably a fair reflection of the difference between the two sides on the night, although the Bulldogs did not help their cause with severe inefficiency in front of goal. In fact the Dogs went inside their forward 50 arc 65 times, for a measly return of 7.15, while the Giants had only 34 entries but scored from 25 of those, kicking 16.9.

The Bulldogs made the first forward move of the match but, in a sign of what was to come, Tory Dickson's running shot missed to the left. Four minutes later Jonathon Patton opened the Giants' account with a strong mark and goal, and GWS dominated the next few minutes, but could add only three behinds. A lovely set shot from an angle by Dickson had the Dogs back within a couple of points midway through the term but two more strong marks and goals from Patton, followed by an accurate kick of the ground from Matt de Boer had GWS suddenly ahead by 20 points going into time on. The Bulldogs bounced back from there, though, and majors to Luke Dahlhaus and Jack Redpath had them back within 10 at the first break.

In a replica of the start of the first quarter, the second term began with a miss from the Bulldogs, this time by Travis Cloke, followed by a goal to GWS, kicked by Stephen Coniglio, his goal giving the Giants a 15-point lead. From there, though, the Dogs dominated the rest of the quarter in general play. A beautiful running goal from Bailey Dale was followed by a brilliant snap from Bob Murphy, cutting the margin to one point.

The Bulldogs had further chances from there but Redpath and Jake Stringer both missed set shots, and goals to Toby Greene and ex-Dog Callan Ward had the Giants back out to a 10-point lead in time on. The Dogs continued to attack but repeatedly 'butchered' the ball with errant kicks and handpasses, some the result of extreme pressure from the Giants, others a function of poor skill or decision-making. Finally, at the 26-minute mark, Cloke simply picked up the ball on the 50-metre arc and kicked the ball as far as he could towards goal. It found the big sticks, and the Bulldogs were back within four points at the long break. Such was the Dogs' dominance in the quarter, though, that many felt they should have been two or three goals ahead.

GWS came out firing after half time and, after an early miss from Coniglio, kicked two majors through de Boer and Josh Kelly to open up a 17-point lead. The Dogs had a chance to claw one back soon after but a Toby McLean shot from a tight angle hit the post.

A highly controversial incident took place at the 10-minute mark when the Giants' Toby Greene, who had been suspended for striking Caleb Daniel in the teams' encounter earlier this year, stuck his foot out 'karate kick' style as he was receiving a handpass. His boot made forceful contact with the face of Dahlhaus, drawing howls of protest from Bulldogs fans. Greene was reported for rough conduct as a bleeding Dahlhaus left the field. Debate raged over subsequent days as to whether Greene's actions were a legitimate form of self-protection when receiving a handball.

While the incident enraged fans and Dahlhaus's teammates, it did not faze the Giants or Greene himself. A minute later he marked and kicked a goal that extended the Giants' lead to 22 points. The fired-up Bulldogs could perhaps have been expected to make a statement from there, but they fluffed any chance of doing so with Josh Dunkley, Marcus Bontempelli and Cloke all missing gettable shots. From there, GWS took its own chances, and goals to Lachie Whitfield, Rory Lobb and Kelly saw the Giants in charge, leading by 38 at the final change.

Needing early goals in the final term, the Bulldogs continued to struggle to find an avenue to goal. When a chance finally came, Bontempelli's set-shot woes continued as he registered another miss at the six-minute mark. At the other end of the ground, the Giants found it hard not to find the target, and Jacob Hopper did so at the nine-minute mark to extend the margin to 43. It was 50 points four minutes later when Whitfield kicked his second. The Dogs finally found their first goal of the second half when Dickson kicked a long one from an angle at the 24-minute mark, but Patton's fourth goal put a full stop on an emphatic GWS win two minutes later.

For the Giants, Dylan Shiel (30 possessions, five tackles), Coniglio (25 touches and a goal) and Zac Williams (27 disposals, six marks) were all outstanding, while the Bulldogs were well served by Bontempelli (seven tackles, 20 disposals) and Lachie Hunter (26 possessions, seven marks). 

The result leaves the Bulldogs finals fate out of their hands. Even if they were to win their final two matches against Port Adelaide and Hawthorn, other results could see them miss the eight on percentage. GWS, on the other hand, is inside the top two and in control of its own destiny. However neither of their final two home-and-away matches will be easy ones, a home game against West Coast (eighth) and a trip to Kardinia Park to take on Geelong. 

GOALS
Western Bulldogs: Dickson 2; Dahlhaus, Redpath, Dale, Murphy, Cloke
Greater Western Sydney: Patton 4; De Boer, Kelly, Greene, Whitfield 2; Coniglio, Ward, Hopper, Lobb

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Western Bulldogs: Bontempelli, Hunter, McLean, Suckling
Greater Western Sydney: Coniglio, Shiel, Williams, Kelly, Patton, Whitfield

BEST - THE AGE
Western Bulldogs: Bontompelli, McLean, Hunter, Suckling, Murphy
Greater Western Sydney: Shiel, Coniglio, Williams, Patton, Kelly, Haynes

INJURIES
Western Bulldogs: Luke Dahlhaus (face)
Greater Western Sydney: Zac Williams (cut above eye)

REPORTS: Toby Greene (rough conduct)

UMPIRES: Margetts, Schmitt, Mollison

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Seven Network