AFL: Western Bulldogs scrape home against West Coast to keep season alive
They say footy is a game of centimetres, but we’re not sure Marcus Bontempelli’s “bee’s d**k” measurement is a metric standard. In any case, his matchwinning goal is in the book and the Bulldogs’ season is still alive.
AFL
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Don’t count the Western Bulldogs out just yet.
A week after they dented their chances of making the top eight by coughing up a six-majors-to-none quarter-time lead to Geelong, the Doggies overcame their own goalless opening term to beat West Coast by just two points and give a huge boost to their finals hopes.
In a thrilling finish, a captain’s goal from Marcus Bontempelli from just beyond 50m with three minutes remaining – that needed a score review to confirm – proved the matchwinner.
“I had a similar one down (the other) end into the breeze and probably even that one I didn’t get that sweet but just managed to give it enough and (there was) probably a bee’s d*** in it, I reckon right on the line,” Bontempelli said on Fox Footy after the match.
Kayo is your ticket to the 2020 Toyota AFL Premiership Season. Watch every match of every round Live & On-Demand. New to Kayo? Get your 14-day free trial & start streaming instantly >
Coach Luke Beveridge called Bontempelli’s go-ahead goal “huge” in the context of the game and the season.
“Thank god there was that little black line in between the ball and the post,” he said.
Jack Darling had a huge opportunity to put the Eagles back in front with 90 seconds on the clock when he received a contentious free in a ruck contest but he shanked the resulting set shot.
Beveridge’s said his heart was in his mouth “all night”, not just when Darling walked back for his set shot.
He said his side, which kicked 6.13, should have taken more of its chances at goal, “but the boys didn’t lose heart, they continued to persist”.
“We’re still alive and if we drop tonight’s game, we’re probably in trouble,” Beveridge said.
“They’ve got some key players out, we know that, but they’re a well-drilled, well-coached, very strong outfit and we knew they had an aerial advantage with some of their bigs.
“We haven’t won a close one for a while and I imagine it wasn’t the greatest spectacle as far as the scoreline goes and points we kicked.
“It felt like we had it on our terms at times, we just couldn’t manufacture six points each time we went inside 50.
“When they kick goals from minimal opportunities it was one of those games where you could be forgiven for thinking their quality and their experience will get them there.”
Tim English capped a massive last quarter with a clutch mark that sealed the game and Beveridge hailed his young ruckman’s performance.
“Tim had some critical moments in the game, particularly in that last quarter,” he said.
Losing to the Eagles would have just about been curtains for Luke Beveridge’s side with two games remaining but, instead, it moved level on 32 points with GWS, ahead of the Giants’ clash with bottom-placed Adelaide on Tuesday.
Scores were tied at halftime and the Bulldogs were just one point clear at the final break.
West Coast’s top-four hopes are now in jeopardy, given it trails fourth-placed Richmond by two points.
The Bulldogs now face Hawthorn in Adelaide next Sunday.
“If we continue to win, you never know,” Beveridge said.
SLOW START
Last week the Bulldogs jumped Geelong to lead six goals to none at quarter-time and lost the game.
This time it was the Doggies who did not kick a major in the first term as the Eagles raced out to a 22-point advantage at the first break.
West Coast trailed the inside 50 count 13-8 and had seven fewer disposals but the Bulldogs’ inaccuracy and turnovers hurt them early.
Momentum shifted during the second quarter and 22 minutes in, Luke Beveridge’s side had hit the lead.
SIDELINED STARS
West Coast was already without captain Luke Shuey (hamstring), Shannon Hurn (managed), Elliot Yeo (groin) and Jamie Cripps (birth of child), before star ruckman Nic Naitanui withdrew pre-game as the club managed his back soreness.
Incidentally, the Eagles’ first three goals were kicked by players returning to the side, Jake Waterman and Josh Kennedy, who finished with two each.
How West Coast would have loved to have had their stars out on the ground when the game was on the line in the last quarter, particularly Naitanui, given English’s key role in the win.
Beveridge said winning a close one against a team of the Eagles’ quality – even without that bevy of stars – would give his side belief.
“There were some real positives from our point of view, the way we defended as a team and kept them out of their arc,” he said after his team’s 45-27 inside 50 advantage.
The Bulldogs were missing premiership captain Easton Wood and impressive youngster Laitham Vandermeer due to hamstring injuries.
DUNKLEY’S EVERYWHERE
Josh Dunkley continues to be a licorice all-sorts player for the Bulldogs.
He has made his name as a midfielder in recent seasons and played in the ruck for patches this year, including on Sunday.
But he also spent large chunks of the game against the Eagles in a position he played during the 2016 premiership – in attack.
Dunkley finished with 22 disposals, nine tackles and a goal.
MORE AFL
The Tackle: Mark Robinson’s likes and disliked from Round 15 and 16 of the 2020 AFL season
Richmond’s Sydney Stack vows to make amends after getting into fight outside strip club
TAGGING DUTIES
Toby McLean wore Eagles midfield star Andrew Gaff like a glove for most of the night and significantly limited his influence.
Gaff had 15 disposals – his third-lowest count for the season – but no clearances and was not his usual damaging self.
He did show his class when he bobbed up with a beautiful kick in the last quarter that found Kennedy on his own inside 50.
SCOREBOARD
WESTERN BULLDOGS 4.1 4.2 5.3 6.13 (49)
def by
WEST COAST EAGLES 0.3 3.8 4.10 7.5 (47)
GOALS
Bulldogs: Wallis 2; Lloyd, Dunkley, Bontempelli, R. Smith
Eagles: Waterman 2, Kennedy, Ryan, Sheed, Cole
MATT TURNER’S BEST
Bulldogs: Dunkley, English, Bontempelli, Hunter, Daniel, B. Smith, McLean, Macrae
Eagles: Duggan, Ryan, Sheed, Redden, Barrass, Waterman, Jetta
MATT TURNER’S VOTES
3 — Josh Dunkley (Bulldogs)
2 — Tim English (Bulldogs)
1 — Marcus Bontempelli (Bulldogs)
INJURIES
Bulldogs: Nil
Eagles: McGovern (thumb), Hutchings (hamstring)
Originally published as AFL: Western Bulldogs scrape home against West Coast to keep season alive
Ablett family reveal details of son’s condition
Jordan and Gary Ablett had been reluctant to discuss many details about their little boy’s heartbreaking condition until now.
Injury-hit Demons stun Crows in Norwood thriller
Struck down by a host of injuries across their team, the Dees have managed to keep their AFLW season alive by pulling off a thrilling victory over the Crows.