AFL round 11: Western Bulldogs v Sydney, live coverage and SuperCoach scores
A Chad Warner-led Sydney has escaped with the four points after an injury-depleted Western Bulldogs mounted a fierce comeback. Relive the updates and read the takeaways here.
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Sydney improved its record to 10-1 while the Western Bulldogs fell off the winners’ list after two strong weeks.
Chad Warner ran amok and the Dogs suffered three serious injuries.
Relive all of Thursday night’s action below.
THE THREE TAKEAWAYS
WHAT A PICK-UP
The 16 per cent of SuperCoaches who traded in Western Bulldogs rookie Joel Freijah will be jumping for joy tonight.
The mid-forward cost just $117,300, had a break even of -59 and posted an impressive 77.
With the Dogs losing three players through injury, Freijah would have to be extremely unlucky to not hold his spot for another week.
UNLUCKY ED
Ed Richards was on track to record a career-best SuperCoach night when he left the field with concussion.
In his new role as a midfielder, Richards had 78 SuperCoach points to the main break before colliding with Swan Ollie Florent.
He was proving so dangerous, John Longmire had to send tagger James Jordon to him to quell his influence late in the second term.
Richards will enter 12-day protocol which means he misses next weekend’s clash with Collingwood.
What loomed as an outstanding night for the SuperCoaches who own Richards and his break even of 18 swiftly turned into another selection headache.
Is Ed Richards real?#supercoach
— Al Paton (@al_superfooty) May 23, 2024
IS HE COSTING HEENEY A BROWNLOW?
It was almost Isaac Heeney’s Brownlow Medal to lose two weeks ago.
But 53 disposals and seven goals across Chad Warner’s past eight quarters of football might have him pinching a few too many votes off his teammate.
Heeney finished with 23 disposals, a goal and 94 SuperCoach points but it’s hard to see him polling tonight.
Heeney was one of the most traded in players this week but a large portion of those 3567 SuperCoaches will be wondering if they should have gone with the cheaper option in Warner.
Warner had a break even of just 59 tonight and finished with 147.
10:18: FT — WARNER LEADS SWANS TO ANOTHER WIN
Four goals and 25 possessions from star midfielder Chad Warner has guided Sydney to a 10-1 start to the season.
Warner kicked three goals in the third term and the first of the fourth to propel the Swans out to a 30-point lead.
The Swans survived a final surge from the Bulldogs, who endured three cruel injuries, to win by 14 points.
Aaron Naughton (knee), Ed Richards (concussion) and Anthony Scott (concussion) all missed major chunks of the game, reducing the Dogs to just two rotations.
Warner finished with a game-high 148 SuperCoach points while Bulldogs skipper Marcus Bontempelli scored 139.
Ex-St Kilda star Leigh Montagna said “he (Warner) just came to life in that third quarter” on Fox Footy’s post-game review.
10:11: THAT WILL DO IT
Hayden McLean has sealed the game for Sydney after receiving a questionable 50-metre penalty.
It may be a return for the poor one paid against the Swans in the second quarter but neither should have been paid.
McLean marked on the paint of 50 and the ball was knocked from his hands while he took control of it.
He was taken to the goal line to confirm the four points for the Swans.
10:06: UGLE-HAGAN GIVES THE DOGS LIFE
Jamarra Ugle-Hagan has kicked the Dogs back into this contest.
His clever snap has brought the Dogs back within eight points with five minutes left.
16 minutes ago, the Swans led this game by 30 points.
Eight of the last 10 shots on goal have been by the Dogs.
10:01: SYDNEY ACTIVATES SUB
Sydney has activated substitute Matt Roberts with nine minutes left in the game.
Roberts has entered the match at the expense of defender Aaron Francis.
Some extra pace on the ball will be much-appreciated by the Swans, who are withstanding the Bulldogs’ final push.
9:55: HEENEY’S STUNNER
Isaac Heeney has displayed his pure skill with a phenomenal goal.
Tight up against the boundary line, Heeney flushed a drop punt and split a gap between the goals Channel 7’s Dale Thomas suspected would have been just a metre wide.
The Brownlow favourite won’t take the three votes tonight but he is poised to finish with another tidy stat sheet.
9:50: IT’S GOING TO BE TOUGH NOW
Chad Warner has given away a chance at a fifth goal to allow teammate Taylor Adams to kick his first.
Running into an open goal, Warner gave off the handball to let Adams walk into an open goal.
Adams’ straight kick has now pushed the Swans out by 25 points five minutes into the last quarter.
With only two men on the bench, it’ll be tough for the Dogs from here.
Warner leads all comers with 139 SuperCoach points.
9:36: 3QT — WARNER POUNCES ON WOUNDED DOGS
Chad Warner has put the Western Bulldogs to the sword with a nuclear third term.
Warner had 10 disposals and kicked three goals, as the Swans raced out to a 19-point lead.
The third major came after he took a massive mark over teammate Brodie Grundy.
His rampant quarter coincided with the Dogs losing midfielder Ed Richards through concussion.
After not being inside the top 10 for SuperCoach points at the half, Warner has moved to a game-high 117 at the final change.
9:26: RICHARDS RULED OUT
The Western Bulldogs are three players down with Ed Richards being ruled out with concussion.
He collided with Swan Ollie Florent in the first minute of the third quarter and will not return.
Richards joins Aaron Naughton (knee) and Anthony Scott (concussion) on the bench.
9:24: IT’S WARNER’S WORLD
Chad Warner has come out of the halftime break breathing fire.
He’s had eight disposals and kicked two goals in this quarter alone and there’s still eight minutes of footy to be played.
From not being inside the top 10 for SuperCoach points at the main break, the Swans’ no.1 is now third on the ground with 79.
9:18: SOME GOOD NEWS FOR THE DOGS
The Bulldogs are “optimistic” star forward Aaron Naughton hasn’t suffered an ACL injury with scans on Friday to reveal the full extent.
Naughton went down late in the second quarter, unable to put weight on his right leg.
He has since emerged from the rooms and is cheering his side on from the bench.
9:06: ANOTHER ONE...
The Western Bulldogs horror night of injuries continues with Ed Richards leaving the field after colliding with Ollie Florent.
While tackling Florent, Richards’ head smashed into the Swans’ shoulder.
Florent himself was then collected high in the next point of contact and he is being assessed too.
The Swans have kicked the first two goals of the second half inside 90 seconds.
8:44: HT — DOGS PINCH LEAD IN FRANTIC FINAL MINUTES
A questionable 50-metre penalty and a hot footy highlighted the final two minutes of the second half.
Chad Warner pointed to the big screen after giving away a free kick, which prompted a 50-metre penalty to give the Dogs the lead before frantic final passages had the Swans and Dogs running end to end.
Ed Richards was on fire early but, as he often does, Marcus Bontempelli asserted himself on the contest to take the SuperCoach points lead into the main break.
Aaron Naughton (knee) and Anthony Scott (concussion) have been ruled out.
The Swans have had their lowest inside 50 count to half time this year but still only trail by four points.
ah dagnabbit, the ol' "50m penalty for dissent" after the ump makes a howler #AFLDogsSwanspic.twitter.com/HBhi4z5dkq
— outbreezy (@outbreezyWC) May 23, 2024
8:34: ERROL GOAL-DEN
Errol Gulden has sprinkled his typical touch of class on a messy passage of play to give the Swans back the lead.
Getting a handball receive on his trusty left side, Gulden put it through at almost post height from 30 metres out.
The Swans had previously surged the ball forward at all costs, using Hayden McLean, Isaac Heeney and Dane Rampe.
Gulden leads the Swans for SuperCoach points with 74 while Ed Richards is lighting it up for the Dogs with a game-high 79.
8:27: NAUGHTON RULED OUT
By Scott Gullan
The Western Bulldogs have lost two players, including superstar forward Aaron Naughton, early into the second quarter.
Naughton injured his right knee when his leg was trapped underneath him as he tried to kick while being tackled by Swans defender Lewis Melican.
He slowly walked off Marvel Stadium with the assistance of two trainers but was unable to put any pressure on his leg.
The Dogs tall forward line had been looking dangerous in the opening quarter with Naughton, Jamarra Ugle-Hagan and Sam Darcy all kicking goals early.
Naughton going down means the Dogs are one man down given midfielder Anthony Scott was ruled out just three minutes into the game with concussion.
Scott, who was playing his first game for the season, came off second best after clashing heads with Swan Harry Cunningham.
He was immediately substituted out of the game with youngster Ryley Sanders activated into the game.
8:17: NAUGHTON GOES DOWN
Aaron Naughton has gone down into the rooms with a knee injury.
Naughton’s right leg twisted in a tackle and he immediately grimaced and then threw his mouthguard in frustration.
He needed assistance to get off the ground.
The Bulldogs have already activated their sub.
Aaron Naughton has come off the ground with a leg injury.#AFLDogsSwanspic.twitter.com/CQ7PNEsZo1
— 7AFL (@7AFL) May 23, 2024
8:08: UGLE-HAGAN GIVES DOGS QT LEAD, RICHARDS RACKS THEM UP
A final-minute goal from Jamarra Ugle-Hagan has surged the Western Bulldogs to a quarter-time lead.
The Dogs kicked the first two goals of the game before the Swans pushed ahead following the injury to Anthony Scott.
Ed Richards, who kicked it to Ugle-Hagan, had a massive quarter, racking up 60 SuperCoach points.
He leads the next best, teammate Adam Treloar, by 18 points.
8:02: THE CHAD DOES IT AGAIN
Chad Warner has given Sydney the ascendancy late in the first term.
Warner, who was best afield last week, kicked truly from 45 out on an angle.
He now has 16 goals in what is looming as a breakout year.
The star Swan has 23 SuperCoach points.
7:58: RICHARDS HEATS UP
Western Bulldog Ed Richards is starting to lift his team in his new midfield role.
The smooth-moving left footer has seven disposals for a return of 49 SuperCoach points.
Richards leads the next best SuperCoach scorer by 14.
7:49: AMARTEY LEVELS SCORES
Sydney’s Joel Amartey has put through his second goal to bring his Swans back level with the Western Bulldogs.
Amartey’s either been very lucky or too dangerous, as his first goal came through a 50-metre penalty before his second was as a result of a free kick.
Amartey leads the ground with 39 SuperCoach points.
7:43: SCOTT OUT
Anthony Scott has been subbed out following his head clash with Sydney’s Harry Cunningham.
7:40: DOG DOWN
Western Bulldogs Anthony Scott is not in a good way.
In his first game of the season, Scott came off second best in a head clash with Sydney Swan Harry Cunningham.
Despite his condition, he is on his feet and was able to leave the field himself.
Ryley Sanders is the Dogs’ sub.
Cunningham, who was knocked out severely against Essendon earlier this year, has not shown any signs of injury.
Anthony Scott has been subbed out for Ryley Sanders following this incident.#AFLDogsSwanspic.twitter.com/XJsdD2jAvd
— AFL (@AFL) May 23, 2024
7:05: BULLDOGS ARE BUILDING, SAYS BEVERIDGE
Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge says his group has turned a corner since its early-season form slump.
The Dogs have won two in a row, including defeating the GWS Giants on the road last weekend.
Speaking to Fox Footy pre-game, Beveridge backed his group to become a challenger.
“Coming out of the last two weeks, there’s a bit of belief in regards to what we can do,” he said.
“I think we’re in a position to challenge.”
The Bulldogs are looking to claim three wins in a row — a feat they have only done twice across the past two seasons.
6:55: HIGH PRAISE FOR GUN SWAN
AFL champion Jason Dunstall has announced his favourite Swan.
During an in-depth analysis of the flying Sydney midfield, Dunstall outlined who he would take if he had to pick one — and it wasn’t the Brownlow favourite.
“I would take (Chad) Warner ... I think he has a bigger bag of tricks,” he told his Fox Footy colleagues.
6:33: FINAL TEAMS, DOGS BITTEN WITH LATE OUT
The Western Bulldogs have been bitten by a late out, with defender James O’Donnell pulling out through sickness.
Ryley Sanders has come in for the Bulldogs and will be the substitute.
Caleb Daniel was originally set to be the Bulldogs’ sub.
Despite his time spent in the VFL, Sanders is still owned by 17 per cent of SuperCoaches.
Matt Roberts will be the Swans’ sub.
Originally published as AFL round 11: Western Bulldogs v Sydney, live coverage and SuperCoach scores
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