Deep dive: Western Bulldogs hold on for ugly win against Gold Coast
With ball in hand, a five point lead and seconds remaining, there was only one thing that could possibly sink the Bulldogs. Luckily for Billy Gowers, his captain was there to bail him out. But what was Bevo thinking during the wild finish?
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It wasn’t pretty for the Western Bulldogs, but this season, wins don’t have to be.
Gold Coast pushed the Dogs strongly in tough conditions, especially in the dying stages when they peppered the goals.
However, the Dogs were able to hold on by five points.
Where does this result leave both teams? The Dogs now sit inside the top four but over the next three weeks they will come up against three genuine premiership contenders.
Meanwhile, the young Suns will be out of the eight by the end of the round.
From the big moments, to the big blunders and the impact on the Rising Star race, take a deep dive into last night’s thrilling finish.
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WHO WON THE POINTS?
Hayden Crozier, Bailey Williams, Caleb Daniel and Jason Johannisen racked up the disposals in the back half.
However, their opponents at different stages, Alex Sexton and Izak Rankine, booted all three of Gold Coast’s majors at halftime.
It begs the question: did the Suns’ scoreboard hits hurt the effectiveness of the Bulldogs?
In a low-scoring affair, Sexton added a third after the long break, before Johannisen got one back thanks to a Rankine 50m penalty.
It might be a case of both teams being happy with the output of their players, but with the four points, the Bulldogs came out on top.
LOOK AWAY NOW
With the Bulldogs clinging to a five-point lead and a minute to go on Thursday night, Billy Gowers marked the ball on the outer wing.
But rather than try to take time off the clock or kick long and deep into their forwardline, Gowers tried to thread the eye of a needle and hit a teammate across half-forward.
He missed the kick and the Suns surged forward for the final time before Bulldogs captain Marcus Bontempelli took a game-saving mark in defence.
“It’s time to vacate the box when things like that happen late in the game,” Beveridge said.
“Didn’t think that one through, Billy, (but he) will learn from it, he’s a really capable kick Billy so whatever he was aiming for he’d normally hit it a bit better but he didn’t need to rush that and he’ll learn from it.”
On what Beveridge described as “a night of perseverance”, the game was ultimately decided by a series of small moments that ended up being big ones.
There was Bailey Williams desperation in defensive 50 in the final quarter, Ed Richards winning a one versus three at half-forward to stop the ball pinging back out and the same with Laitham Vandermeer on the other side of the ground.
Billy Gowers’ sigh of relief could blow the Metricon Stadium grandstands away. Phew #aflsunsdogs
— Sam Landsberger 🗯 (@SamLandsberger) July 23, 2020
“We thought our backmen did an outstanding job repelling those entries, especially in that second quarter, holding back the tide and it gave us an opportunity to stay in the game,” Beveridge said.
“Laitham that one v three on the far side, Bailey Williams had some big moments under duress and pressure when the Suns were coming there at the end.
“Even for the skipper to go back and take that last intercept mark when that ball shouldn’t have been kicked so quickly beforehand.
“Ed (Richards) again, those boys who have been playing up on the wing and a little bit forward, Ed held his ground in the aerial (contest) and then followed up just to keep the ball there and get a stoppage, it was really important for the territory game.
“Because over the course of the game I think they had 12 per cent more (in their half) but it’s a greasy night and occasionally we could have taken some ground by foot.”
WASTEFUL SUNS
After the Bulldogs butchered the footy by foot in the opening term, Gold Coast seized the momentum of the clash in the second quarter.
They had plenty of ball, looked sharp around the contest, and generally out-ran the Dogs.
They just couldn’t capitalise.
The Suns dominated the inside 50 count 16-6 but managed only one goal.
A late Patrick Lipinski snap didn’t just hurt Stuart Dew’s men, it erased their narrow lead and handed it to the Dogs.
As a young side with plenty of exciting talent and a ton of maturing to do, it will be another valuable lesson learned.
Suns coach Stuart Dew said players were hurting after they had chances to steal the match.
“It was a bit of an old fashioned arm-wrestle, tough conditions, we hung in but there were some missed opportunities,” Dew said.
“Not just shots on goal with 6.10 but more about our shape around the ball, I thought the Bulldogs especially early on supported the contest much better.
“And to their credit when the game was there to be won they cranked it up and we were unable to take our chances, but we learn on the job with that one.
“We can’t question our players’ heart and effort against a really quality and experienced footy side.
“We’re hurting, the players are disappointed and that’s a good thing because we expect to win every game and feel like we can.”
DOGS FORWARD WOES
Luke Beveridge has swung a host of players through his forward set-up, but the lack of potency is becoming a worry.
Josh Bruce, Matt Suckling, Cody Weightman and the returning Bill Gowers had zero impact.
The Bulldogs’ first four goals coming from Bailey Smith, Tom Liberatore and Patrick Lipinski, and defender Jason Johannisen.
Marcus Bontempelli started deep and looked the most dangerous, but as good as he is, the skipper doesn’t have a clone.
The winners managed to squeeze out a valuable win, but with some huge tests to come against some serious contenders, Beveridge needs to find a combination that has some synergy.
IS RISING STAR RACE OVER?
Has Izak Rankine got one hand on the Rising Star award already?
He could have won the game for Gold Coast on Thursday night if his set shot around his body had of sailed through after he took a superb contested mark in the wet.
He kicked 0.4 in the final quarter after a brilliant goal in the first term, capping another exciting performance in just the third game of his career.
In those three games, Rankine has now kicked 3.3, 2.2 and 1.4.
“The hard part is getting the shots isn’t it?” Suns coach Stuart Dew said.
“I’m pretty sure when we sit back throughout his career he’s going to kick more of those than miss, plenty of players have missed a couple of goals.
“We just love the fact that he’s playing with energy and creates a few headaches.
“What did he have five shots on goal in his third game so what’s he up to? 15 now. I think we’ll come out in front with Izak.”
ENGLISH OUT-WITTED
Tim English had a breakout month heading into Round 8 and the Suns clearly came in with a strategic plan to nullify the ruckman.
Known for his mobility and quality skills for a big man, English averaged 20.7 possessions in his past four matches.
Setting up behind the footy, the Bulldog used his mobility to perfection.
But Gold Coast co-captain Jarrod Witts and his coaches had done their homework.
Rather than leave English to do as he pleased as a loose man, Witts plonked himself next to his opponent, even if it meant his midfielders had to do the ruck work at times.
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SUNS DEFENDER PRAISED FOR GILCHRIST ACT
Gold Coast defender Wil Powell is being lauded for his sportsmanship after “doing a Gilchrist” against the Western Bulldogs on Thursday night.
Powell appeared to tell the goal umpire he did not touch the ball on the goal line despite it looking to miss his fingertips by just millimetres.
On a low scoring night, the goal to Patrick Lipinski put the Dogs in front by two points at halftime.
Despite Powell’s honesty, the goal umpire still called for a score review which quickly confirmed it was in fact a goal.
“Outstanding act by Powell from Gold Coast acknowledging he didn’t touch it. First time I’ve seen it. Been waiting for someone to do it. Bravo,” former St Kilda coach Grant Thomas tweeted.
Adam Gilchrist famously walked from the crease during his international cricket career if he knew he had hit the ball and the umpire gave him the benefit of the doubt.
The Fox Footy commentators weren’t as sure they would have done the same.
“There’s a difference between Round 8 and a Grand Final,” Jonathan Brown said.
Nick Riewold added:
“Last 30 secs of a grand final I would have done my best Steven Silvagni (impersonation) ‘I touched it!’
“Did we need the review though if the player says I didn’t touch it?”.
SCOREBOARD
WESTERN BULLDOGS 2.3 3.6 5.8 7.9 (51)
def
GOLD COAST 2.1 3.4 5.6 6.10 (46)
GOALS
Gold Coast: Sexton 3, Ainsworth, Ellis, Rankine
Western Bulldogs: Smith, Liberatore, Johannisen, Lipinski, Wallis, Richards, Young
ADAM CURLEY’S BEST:
Gold Coast: Miller, Witts, Sexton, Greenwood, Weller, Rankine
Western Bulldogs: Crozier, Daniel, Macrae, Smith, Bontempelli, Liberatore
INJURIES:
Gold Coast: Nil
Western Bulldogs: Nil
ADAM CURLEY’S VOTES:
3 – Hayden Crozier (Bulldogs)
2 – Caleb Daniel (Bulldogs)
1 – Touk Miller (Suns)