Five key moments from Western Bulldogs’ semi-final win over Hawthorn

WESTERN Bulldogs pulled off the unthinkable on Friday night — knocking off Hawthorn in September at the MCG and ending their season in straight sets. THE FIVE GAME-CHANGING MOMENTS

WESTERN Bulldogs pulled off the unthinkable on Friday night — knocking off Hawthorn in September at the MCG and ending their season in straight sets.

The Dogs were electric in the second half and particularly in the last 10 minutes of the third quarter but the red, white and blue were on the canvas in the first half with the Hawks unable to deliver the knockout blow.

WATCH THE VIDEO OF EACH OF THE FIVE KEY MOMENTS IN THE PLAYER ABOVE

Inaccuracy cost the Dogs early with Tory Dickson missing two easy shots, his side trailing 3.8 to 7.4 at one stage.

Marcus Bontempelli pushes Luke Hodge over and marks, then goals to get the Dogs back in the game in the second term. Picture: George Salpigtidis

But clutch plays from Marcus Bontempelli, Jake Stringer and Liam Picken got Luke Beveridge’s team back in the game.

Luke Breust had the chance to put the Hawks five goals up midway through the second term and had he converted, we might have been talking about a different result.

Below are the top five moments that delivered the Dogs a memorable victory, ending Hawthorn’s season and dream of a history-making fourpeat.

THE TOP FIVE MOMENTS

1. Second quarter, 18.03 left: Two quick goals get the Dogs back in it

After kicking 1.5 in the opening term and giving up the first goal of the second quarter to Hawthorn, the Dogs were in danger of being blown away by the triple premiers. Enter Liam Picken and Jake Stringer. Stringer had been ineffective in the opening quarter, struggling to get into the game and Picken was uncharacteristically quiet but when the latter kept the ball alive on the boundary on the 50m arc in front of the MCC Members and kicked to the hot spot, the Dogs were back in the contest. Stringer pounced, skied a snap kick that sailed through the goals and ignited his team and his own game. ‘The Package’ was now a factor and the Dogs were back in it. And from the centre bounce Bontempelli out-marked Luke Hodge and goaled. Two in a minute, game on.

Jake Stringer snaps at goal early in the second quarter. Picture: Michael Klein

... And he celebrates the goal.

2. Second quarter, 8.57 left: Luke Breust misses from 20 out

The Hawks were on top after seeing off a short burst from the Dogs, and had kicked 21 points clear midway through the second quarter before Luke Breust marked 20m out on a slight angle. It was set up to be an early knockout blow that could have burst open the floodgates with the Hawks putting their foot on the accelerator. But he missed. Breust has been one of Hawthorn’s most accurate players over the last two years and this season had kicked 46.25 before last night. He would have put Hawthorn 27 points in front but instead the miss gave them a 22-point lead. The Hawks didn’t score again for the quarter and the Dogs kicked the next three. The game was again in the balance. Opportunity missed.

What might have been: Luke Breust reacts to missing an easy set shot to put the Hawks five goals up in the second quarter. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

3. Third quarter, 6.45 remaining: Jordan Roughead mark and goal

Playing the majority of the season without a recognised ruckman, the Dogs did so again last night and backed in key tall Jordan Roughead to do the job against Ben McEvoy and Jack Fitzpatrick. And didn’t he deliver. He saved his biggest effort for the third quarter when the Dogs, who couldn’t take a contested mark inside forward 50 all night, kicked long into the attacking zone with a two-point lead and Roughead came in from the side taking a huge mark. He went back and nailed the set shot from about 40m to give his team and eight-point lead and ram home the momentum.

Jordan Roughead celebrates his huge third-quarter goal. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

4. Third quarter, 1.10 left: Sam Mitchell fumble, Marcus Bontempelli goal

Cometh the moment, cometh the man. 20 points up with only minutes left on the clock in the premiership quarter, it felt like the Dogs were one goal away from making it impossible for Hawthorn to mount a comeback in the last quarter. Enter The Bont. You’d back Sam Mitchell to gather the ball 99 times out of 100 and get the Hawks out of trouble but with the Dogs surging and pressuring the Hawks into uncharacteristic mistakes, Mitchell was the next victim. He couldn’t get a handle on it and Tory Dickson was desperate, getting the ball to Bontempelli who kicked the goal and everyone inside the MCG knew the Dogs had one foot in the preliminary final.

Sam Mitchell tries to gather under fierce Western Bulldogs pressure. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

... He fails and The Bont goals. Hawks on the canvas. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

5. Last quarter, 19.20 left: Bontempelli steals it from Hodge

Everyone knew Hawthorn had to take the game on if they were going to overturn a 26-point deficit. Bradley Hill did just that from halfback at the start of the last quarter but ran himself into trouble, he gave the ball to Hodge who tried to give it back only to have his handball smothered by Bontempelli who put out his arm, gathered and delivered to Dickson. Goal. Game over. Dogs into the prelim, Hawks out in straight sets.

Game over: Tory Dickson goals early in the last quarter to put the result beyond doubt.

Originally published as Five key moments from Western Bulldogs’ semi-final win over Hawthorn