AFL round 21: Bulldogs send competition warning with Tigers blitz

The Bulldogs showed the AFL on Friday night that at their best they are as hard as anyone to beat. It starts with the Bont, but it’s becoming clear who the next most-valuable Dog is.

Jamarra Ugle-Hagan. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images.

The Western Bulldogs backline has taken more hits than a punching bag at a boxing gym this year.

Coach Luke Beveridge has played 13 different primary defenders throughout the season – two more than any other side.

The mixing and matching has been through necessity rather than choice, amid a constant stream of injuries in an area of the ground where continuity is so important.

“It definitely has been tricky,” Bulldogs defender Ed Richards said.

“You’ve got blokes playing out of position sometimes. We’ve had no continuity of big men. We’ve lost Brucey (Josh Bruce), Jonesy (Liam Jones) for a few weeks there and Keathy (Alex Keath) with his concussion last week. It means I’ve got to play a bit taller and the next bloke has to play a bit taller. It hasn’t been ideal.”

However, with three rounds remaining in the regular season, the Bulldogs finally look to have their best defensive mix fit and ready to make a September charge.

The centrepiece of the backline is unquestionably Jones and it was no surprise that his return from five weeks off with a broken arm coincided with the Bulldogs’ best four-quarter performance of the year against Richmond on Friday night.

Beveridge has had to plenty of shuffling down back this season. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

The man who was playing state-league football in Queensland last year might just be the Bulldogs’ second-most important player behind captain Marcus Bontempelli.

Even Bontempelli himself said Jones played “like two or three guys down there”, such was his impact against the Tigers.

The 32-year-old logged 10 intercept possessions and a staggering 10 spoils, but his impact went well beyond what was on his own stats sheet.

Having Jones back allowed Beveridge’s side to play in a whole different way.

Knowing that he had their backs, the Bulldogs half-backs were able to aggressively press up the ground to help generate forward-half intercepts.

That contributed to the Bulldogs scoring 63 points from their forward half – their second-most of the season – on their way to their highest overall score of the season in a 19.12 (126) to 10.11 (71) triumph.

“He’s so important for us,” Richards said of Jones.

“He’s able to read the play and direct us from the very deepest position and he just gives you peace of mind that he’s down there. So it’s really good to have him back for this pointy end of the season.”

Jones was pivotal in his return to the team last night. Photo by Michael Klein.

The Bulldogs have often played three key defenders this season, but also looked better balanced with just two on Friday night as Jones teamed up with James O’Donnell.

Ball movement from the defensive 50 had been a major problem for the Bulldogs for most of the year, but the side transitioned the footy as well as they had all season through rebounding half-backs Richards, Bailey Dale, Jason Johannisen and Laitham Vandermeer.

It was the first time that quartet had played together this season and there was a clear intent from them to attack at speed.

“We may have gone away from it the past few weeks, but we just wanted to get back to our brand of moving the ball quickly and also get up and defend,” Richards said.

“We want to get the ball in our forward half and try and keep it there.”

Richards is one of a number of dashing Dogs. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

The quicker ball movement meant more one-on-one opportunities for the forwards, who made the most of them.

The Bulldogs had been scoring a goal from just 21.4 per cent of their inside-50s across the first 19 rounds, ranking them 16th in the competition.

Against the Tigers they kicked 19 goals from 64 entries for 29.7 per cent efficiency – their best return this season.

The Bulldogs won’t be getting too carried away after one win against a tired and depleted Richmond side.

However, there were positive signs right across the ground that things might be starting to click – clearly helped by an improving injury list.

BULLDOGS 9.3, 12.5, 16.7, 19.12 (126)

TIGERS 2.1, 5.5, 7.8, 10.11 (71)

LERNER’S BEST Bulldogs: Bontempelli, Liberatore, Ugle-Hagan, Treloar, West, Daniel, L.Jones. Tigers: Ross, Taranto, Short, Riewoldt.

GOALS Bulldogs: Ugle-Hagan 5, Naughton 3, Bontempelli 3, Daniel 2, West 2, Lobb 2, Weightman, English. Tigers: Riewoldt 3, Ross 2, Pickett, Cumberland, Bolton, Bauer, Baker.

INJURIES Bulldogs: Scott (concussion). Tigers: Hopper (concussion).

LATE CHANGE Dylan Grimes (neck) replaced in Richmond’s selected side by Sam Banks.

UMPIRES Rosebury, Stephens, Gavine, Williamson

VENUE Marvel Stadium

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

LERNER’S VOTES

3 Marcus Bontempelli (WB)

2 Tom Liberatore (WB)

1 Jamarra Ugle-Hagan (WB)