Western Bulldogs book finals spot with win against Fremantle in Round 18
The Bulldogs passed their finals test against Fremantle but star forward Aaron Naughton is racing the clock for their elimination final after he was sent to hospital following a nasty head knock.
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Star Western Bulldogs forward Aaron Naughton is in serious doubt for the upcoming finals series after suffering a depressed fracture of his cheekbone.
The high-leaping forward headed straight to a local Cairns hospital on Sunday night, following a Sean Darcy hip and shoulder late in the second term in a 30-point win against Fremantle that sealed a top-eight spot.
Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge revealed Naughton is likely to have surgery and will face a race against time to be fit for their first finals contest.
“It is just where it is, sometimes players can almost play next week, or even in two weeks time, but if it is up around the eye socket, it can be a little bit worse,” Beveridge said.
“We have not got any confirmation on where it is, it is pretty firm that he has a depressed fracture of his cheekbone.
“If Naughts’ is minor and it is just the cheek, then hopefully he will be ready for the first final, but if it is up a bit higher, I think it might be a bit more serious.”
Aaron Naughton has been ruled out for the rest of the night after this incident. #AFLFreoDogs pic.twitter.com/KM7g61tsGN
— AFL (@AFL) September 20, 2020
If Naughton is to have surgery on his face, it will be his second time under the knife in 2020, after missing a large chunk of the season early on following ankle surgery.
The Bulldogs tried defenders Alex Keath and Zaine Cordy up forward at times in the second half and Beveridge said they could be an option if Naughton does not return in the finals, or they could go with a smaller line-up.
“We would need some aerial prowess … we have been setting ourselves as a team that would win a final,” Beveridge said.
“We now need to determine if we have one of those lads forward or we pick one of our bigger boys that are waiting in the wings, or we play with a smaller forward line.
“There are some decisions that need to be made.”
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Mitch Wallis suffered a slight shoulder concern late in Sunday’s win, but Beveridge said his gun small forward would be fine.
Beveridge said his club now enter the finals series with a “nothing to lose” mentality.
Bulldogs skipper Marcus Bontempelli, who kicked a goal and collected 20 touches, said with finals on the horizon, the hard-fought win will do his club the world of good.
“It was a challenging game, it was a good contest that we had to grind out,” Bontempelli said on Fox Footy.
“In these sorts of games, you just have to stick to it and it will come, just keep pressing the ball forward.
“We were expecting these conditions, it got slippery as the game went on.”
DOGS FIND FORM ENTERING FINALS
In the Western Bulldogs’ 48-hour smash and grab job on Far North Queensland, the equation was as simple as it gets.
Win and they were in the top eight.
They completed the task against Fremantle in slippery conditions and now the going gets tougher if they want to continue to advance their season.
Fremantle gave the Bulldogs issues for the first quarter and a bit before they got the contest on their terms and they were able to move the ball freely, breaking the game open inside a five-minute period.
Quick goals to Patrick Lipinski, Tim English and Aaron Naughton made the most of the Bulldogs midfielders racking up uncontested marks and possessions as they were able to get out, run and use the footy.
It was an arm-wrestle for the rest of the evening, with the five-goal second term burst what the Bulldogs needed to book their finals ticket.
As Freo tired, the Bulldogs kicked away in the final term.
DOGS HIT FORM AT RIGHT TIME
Luke Beveridge’s side is peaking right as the business end of the season rolls around.
Sunday night’s finals clinching victory was their fifth triumph in their last six starts, with the only defeat coming against Geelong, in a game they had every chance to win.
Beltings at the hands of Collingwood and St Kilda all those months ago to open the 2020 campaign are long gone in their minds as they prepare for a finals assault.
But the Dogs won’t have forgotten entering last year’s finals on a three-match winning streak only to be embarrassed by the GWS Giants, both physically and on the scoreboard, so they have everything to play for over the next month.
SAINTS AWAIT, PROBABLY
With the Bulldogs booking their ticket to the finals, they will need to wait on Monday night’s Collingwood and Port Adelaide result to find out who their next opponent is.
If Port Adelaide can outlast the Pies at the Gabba, which the bookmakers suggest they will, the Bulldogs will finish seventh and face the resurgent St Kilda.
But if Collingwood can cause an upset, the Bulldogs will be pitted against the West Coast Eagles, a club they claimed a famous finals victory over on the way to their breakthrough 2016 flag.
It was an upset for the ages on that evening back at the old Subiaco Oval and the 2020 version would be just as heated.
SCOREBOARD
BULLDOGS 2.3 7.4 8.8 11.8 (74)
FREMANTLE 2.2 5.4 6.5 6.8 (44)
GOALS
Bulldogs: T English 2, M Wallis, J Johannisen, A Naughton, J Bruce, P Lipinski, B Smith, L Hunter, C Daniel, M Bontempelli
Fremantle: N Fyfe 2, S Darcy, L Schultz, M Crowden, J Hogan
BEST
Bulldogs: T Liberatore, L Hunter, M Bontempelli, T English, P Lipinski
Fremantle: N Fyfe, L Ryan, C Serong, S Hill, B Acres
INJURIES
Bulldogs: A Naughton (head knock)
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Originally published as Western Bulldogs book finals spot with win against Fremantle in Round 18