AFL Western Bulldogs v Sydney Swans: Tim English’s awesome trade audition
Tim English played the game of his life against the Swans, simultaneously breathing new life into the Bulldogs’ campaign and creating a problem for the club.
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It was the night Tim English had one solitary hitout.
Port Adelaide pipped the Western Bulldogs by two points in Round 23 last year and senior coach Luke Beveridge had favoured Lewis Young, and to a lesser extent Marcus Bontempelli, over English in the ruck.
At that point, Beveridge’s headache had seemingly become a migraine.
Clearly, he didn’t trust English to get the job done in the ruck as Port big man Scott Lycett (40 hit-outs) gave his onballers the inside run in the duel against swingman Young (13) at Marvel Stadium.
The Bulldogs lost the clearances by seven, and Beveridge was clearly frustrated by his ruck woes as they pushed for a title shot.
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“The outcome of the ruck battle is standard for us,” Beveridge said. “That’s what happens every week.
“We threw Lewy Young the challenge and thought he stood up as well as Tim has for the most of the year in that role.
“There’s no doubt that we go to the well every week. We don’t have a dominant ruckman.”
Entering this season, the situation had become even more pressing. Young had gone to Carlton as a defender, Martin has started the year on the sidelines, Josh Bruce is coming back from a knee and Jordon Sweet is still developing.
Simply, English had to be the man, and with West Coast seemingly in the frame for his signature as part of a rumoured trade west, contract talks at the kennel had been put on hold.
But on Thursday night, with the Dogs’ season already in danger at 0-2, the 24-year-old English played the game of his life to not only help breathe new life into the club’s campaign, but to make a strong statement about his own capabilities.
‘Back me in’, he said, after leading the Dogs to an 11-point win over the Swans.
Not only did English’s tap work help the Dogs win the clearance battle 41-32, he also took two of the best marks of his time at the kennel, firstly running back with the flight into traffic and then riding high on the back of superstar Lance Franklin.
Plus, he had 24 possessions, showcasing the lovely skills and general poise and finesse that has earned him comparisons to West Coast great Dean Cox.
And in 120 minutes of football he had gone from something of a whipping boy to the complete package, according to the special comments on the radio broadcasts.
Those doubts about his ability to influence a game above his head had been brushed aside, if not buried for good.
And Beveridge, the man who has seemed to need the most convincing, could not have been more impressed with the 207cm Western Australian.
“He’s had some games where he’s had some tremendous influence but I thought he was dominant tonight,” Beveridge said.
“That’s important for him and us.
“As I said in the pre-match press (interview), he’s searching for his presence around the source and he gave us stability.
“He won the hitout count which is terrific for him and for us. He had a big influence on the game.”
To be fair to the Dogs, they have had to rob Peter to pay Paul at times. Naughton has desperately needed a tall co-pilot in attack and when Bruce has been out, and Jamarra Ugle-Hagan was not ready, English has loomed as the next best option in attack.
That night against Port last year, he stepped up kicking two goals.
But English’s preference is to play in the ruck, and now the Bulldogs look set to hand him that opportunity on a permanent basis.
The Dogs had been done for contested ball in the first two losses of the season to Melbourne and Carlton, but English helped spearhead the fightback against the Swans in a return to a much more Bulldogs-like brand of football.
The sleeves, especially in the midfield, had been rolled back up.
“We’ve got faith and trust that Tim’s emerging and evolving as a player. He’s still learning a little bit even though he’s heading towards the mid-20s,” Beveridge said.
“There’s some influential ruckmen in the game and not all of them play the turnover game that well.
“They don’t all use the ball that well, they’re not as highly skilled as him so the more he can be dour and physical – and he got a lot of clearances off his own bat tonight – the more it’s going to help us.
“We’ve yearned for that over a period of time.
“He’s got this desire to be a ruckman and not necessarily a forward so we’ve got to continually work with him on that.
“As you would have noticed, we haven’t really played him forward at all this year.
“Week to week we’ll process it and analyse it but it was a really good night for Tim.”
The only worry was the late last term bump on Nick Blakey, but even Beveridge saw the silver lining.
English’s physicality stood out.
“I hope it is all right, he is a big man,” Beveridge said.
“Young Blakey is reasonably tall and he got up pretty quickly and that is an indication Tim has some vigour in his game.
“It was good to see our guys really attack those loose balls and the body when we needed to and I think that was just an example of it.
“Hopefully, it is.”
Tim English best on tonight. Really coming of age, the big fella.
— Mark Stevens (@StevoMedia) March 31, 2022
The challenge for the Bulldogs’ list management boss Sam Power is to keep English from the Eagles’ clutches as West Coast search for a successor for Nic Naitanui.
English is a wanted man across the Nullarbor.
Beveridge acknowledged English’s contractual situation – like other players without deals for next year – was in the “background”.
But was it a factor in week-to-week decisions about where he should play? No way.
“It is a peripheral consideration,” Beveridge said.
“We’ve got a responsibility to place our players in opportunistic spots and put the best blend out there and implement the right strategies.
“Hand on heart I can say that (contract pressure) it isn’t because we know what we can get from him in the game other than just the stoppage as a ruckman.
“But it is definitely there (uncertainty) until Tim’s future is sorted out one way or another.
“That is just going to be playing out in the background, like a number of our players.”
Likewise, Lachie Hunter, who had been left out and then reinserted into the Round 1 team, has also worked back into form, Beveridge said.
“Really happy with his game tonight, and I thought his first half in particular was extremely influential,” Beveridge said.
“To go to the next level as a club, and as a team, we want all our players who have been prolific at different stages and been a staple in our team to find new ways to make us better.
“The conversation around making sure we don’t stagnate as a team has been there over pre-season.
“He found himself on the edge. Tonight was an example of how he can influence games, what he is capable of and his work ethic and his skill set and playing that wing role.
“He was important in the outcome but it is one week and he will set his sights on next week and hopefully he can have a similar performance against the Tigers.”
YOU BONT-Y! SORE SKIPPER SEALS IT FOR DOGS IN DRAMATIC THRILLER
Western Bulldogs overcame a horrendous goalkicking performance to help reignite their season against Sydney Swans on Thursday night.
On a dramatic night, Jack McRae controversially gave away a 50m penalty running into the protected area in the final minute, while Tim English faces a nervous wait for the match review panel verdict on his bump on Nick Blakey.
English played one of the best games of his career in the 11-point win but could be suspended for the high contact late in the last term.
English’s position in the team has been debated as he was thrust forward for huge chunks last year but clearly wants to hold on to the No. 1 ruck spot.
The out-of-contract tall is being sought by West Coast but could stay if he is assured the lead ruck role beyond this year.
For the second-straight week the Bulldogs blew vital set shot chances close to goal to keep the door open for the Swans throughout a tense battle at Marvel Stadium.
Key forwards Aaron Naughton and Jamarra Ugle-Hagan both missed chances to put the Swans away, while substitute Mitch Wallis skewed a crucial chance from about 20m out in the third term as the visitors made their comeback.
The poor conversion was a major frustration for the Dogs who otherwise rediscovered their snarl and physical edge in the midfield, but were let down by their inaccuracy in attack.
Captain Marcus Bontempelli, who booted the sealer in the last minute as the Swans threatened to run over the top, said coach Luke Beveridge would be proud of his charges.
“He always is (proud),” Bontempelli said.
“I think it’s sometimes definitely execution that lets us down, but he knows that we’re always going to have a crack and that’s been the case probably the last two weeks.
“We’ve got ourselves into some average situations being down by a few goals early and always found our way back in.”
“We started the game a bit better tonight, the Swannies came in the third quarter and, to fight back again and keep our noses in front will be something he’s (Beveridge) definitely proud of.”
The Dogs copped a hammering in the contested possession count in their first two losses to the Demons and Blues, but reversed the trend on Thursday night to post their first win of the new campaign.
Tom Liberatore stepped up impressively at the death to win a pair of important late clearances.
Beveridge hailed the performances of English, Bontempelli Josh Dunkley and Ryan Gardiner and said it was important to win contested possessions 155-131.
“If you aren’t very good at contested ball you are not going to be a challenger at the end of the day,” Beveridge said.
“We lost it the last two weeks but tonight was a good example of what we are capable of against a pretty dour Sydney team that were pretty impressive.
“We will bank the four points but we will feel pretty good about beating a Sydney Swans team who are going to make it really difficult for a lot of teams this year.”
But it wasn’t without a scare as the Dogs slumped to 4.13 midway through the third term, before livewire Cody Weightman showed steely nerves slotting a pair of clutch goals.
The 17-point lead at the final change gave the Dogs some breathing space as they look to regain their mojo and rejoin the heavyweights over the next month.
After a disappointing start to the season, the Dogs have the chance to consolidate against Richmond, North Melbourne, Adelaide and Essendon.
But recast forward Zaine Cordy will be missing next week after suffering concussion early, while Adam Treloar (ankle) and Bontempelli (shoulder) face light weeks on the track to overcome some soreness after injury worries.
Bontempelli, in particular, copped a heavy knock to the shoulder in a marking contest but the captain played on in some discomfort.
It has been a tough start to the season for the superstar onballer who hurt his ankle in the opening round loss to Melbourne but defied the injury in a bid to lift them against Carlton last weekend.
“It’s (the ankle) been getting better, I’ve been good enough to be out there and play but it’s just one of those things you do work through being a touch sore at times,” Bontempelli said.
“It hasn’t limited my ability to function and cover the ground, it’s just spending time in different areas of the ground as we juggle the quality of midfield depth we’ve got in the team.”
Naughton also appeared to be sore when he came to the bench late in the last term after making the big effort to play against the Swans with a corked leg.
The Dogs had their chances to topple the Blues in the fourth-term last week but Mitch Hannan and Josh Dunkley both missed shots on goal to snuff out their comeback.
That theme continued on Thursday night as the Dogs posted 10 more scoring shots than the Swans but were unable to shrug them off until a late Alex Keath goal sealed it.
The defender was significant in helping shut down Lance Franklin a week after kicking his 1000th career goal and then stepping up in attack with the deadeye set shot in the fourth term.
SCOREBOARD
WESTERN BULLDOGS 3.3, 4.10, 6.15, 9.17 (71)
def
SYDNEY SWANS 1.3, 1.3, 5.3, 9.6 (60)
GOALS
Bulldogs: Weightman 3, Ugle-Hagan, Naughton, Vandermeer, Wallis, Keath, Bontempelli
Swans: Hayward 2, Franklin 2, Heeney, McLean, Wicks, Ronke, Gulden
LERNER’S BEST
Bulldogs: English, Dunkley, B.Smith, Hunter, Keath, Weightman, Gardner
Swans: Blakey, T.McCartin, Hickey, Lloyd, P.McCartin, Franklin, Parker
LERNER’S VOTES
3 — T.English (WB)
2 — N.Blakey (Syd)
1 — J.Dunkley (WB)
INJURIES
Bulldogs: Cordy (concussion)
Swans: Hickey (knee)
Umpires: Broadbent, Fleer, Gianfagna
Venue: Marvel Stadium
A win the Dogs will take — any way they could get it
It wasn’t pretty, but the Western Bulldogs will certainly take it.
After dominating play for most of their game against Sydney at Marvel Stadium on Thursday night, the Bulldogs’ inaccuracy once again threatened to derail their designs on victory.
A week after costing themselves a win against Carlton by registering seven behinds with their last seven scores to fall by 12 points, the Dogs kicked a staggering 1.11 after starting the game 3.2 against the Swans.
They were up by 26 points early in the third quarter, after keeping the Swans scoreless in the second term, but it really should’ve been a seven- or eight-goal advantage and the result safe in their keeping.
As good teams do, the Swans invariably made the hosts pay, and got within five points with 61 seconds remaining after Jack Macrae gave away a 50m penalty to Errol Gulden for encroaching the protected zone.
But Dogs captain Marcus Bontempelli got his side out of jail when he accepted a handball from Laitham Vandermeer and strolled into the open goal with 24 seconds left to ensure a hard-fought 11-point win, 9.17 (71) to 9.6 (60).
Scrappy skill level from both teams marred much of the match, and would’ve made onlookers think they were watching two bottom-four calibre sides playing rather than a pair of premiership contenders.
Somewhat embarrassingly for the Bulldogs, they needed defender Alex Keath to remedy their goalkicking woes, as he booted his third career major from 40m out to put them up by 17 points midway through the final term. Cody Weightman also stood tall with a pair of converted long-range set shots in an arm wrestle of a second half, showing his teammates how it’s done.
Importantly, the Bulldogs are off the mark for season 2022 after staring down the barrel of an 0-3 start to the year, and a treacherous road to the top four.
But after back-to-back losses to Melbourne and Carlton, Beveridge’s men responded.
After being towelled up in contested possessions by the Demons and Blues, losing the category by 20 and 38 to those two teams respectively, the Bulldogs turned the tables dramatically, thumping the Swans in that stat by 25 (155-130) while also winning the clearances 40-32 and inside 50s 59-49.
However, the result might come at a cost for the Bulldogs with ruckman Tim English, who was one of their best players, potentially in match review trouble for bumping Nick Blakey in the head on the wing late in the final quarter. The incident left Blakey stunned on the floor for multiple seconds.
Meanwhile, English’s adversary Tom Hickey (knee) was subbed out in the third quarter while Bulldog Zaine Cordy was subbed out in the first quarter due to concussion.
English soars over Buddy
In the second quarter, Blakey did a great job of intercepting a Ryan Gardner kick on the wing while sandwiched in between two Bulldogs. Blakey proceeded to bang it long to Lance Franklin, but English came from behind to take a screamer over the newest member of the 1000-goal club on the Swans’ 50m line and hastily got the ball going back the Dogs’ way.
Scoring scarce for Swans
Sydney were held to their lowest halftime score in a regulation-length match since Round 4, 2015 when they were restricted to 1.3 (9) by Fremantle at Subiaco.
Dunkley mown down
Early in the first quarter, Bulldogs midfielder Josh Dunkley thought he was on a Sunday afternoon stroll as he waltzed through the middle of the ground and took a bounce, totally unaware of the trouble that lurked right behind him. He didn’t realise Callum Mills was closing in at a rate of knots and the star Swan ran Dunkley down to earn himself a free kick for holding the ball.
EARLIER: BONT COPS KNOCK, BOTH TEAMS ACTIVATE SUB
—Jay Clark
Western Bulldogs’ captain Marcus Bontempelli has copped a heavy knock to his shoulder as Luke Beveridge’s men attempt to reignite their season.
Looking for their first win of the campaign, the Dogs made a positive start leading by 21 points over Sydney Swans early in the third term.
But Bontempelli hurt his shoulder and looked sore after colliding heavily with Paddy McCartin in a marking contest.
The skipper decided to bravely play on despite being in discomfort.
Not what Bulldogs fans want to see as Marcus Bontempelli complains of a sore shoulder.
— Fox Footy (@FOXFOOTY) March 31, 2022
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Bontempelli hurt his ankle in round one in the loss to the Demons but he fronted up again in a bid to lift his side in the defeat to Carlton in round two.
The Dogs have already made their substitute after losing Zaine Cordy to concussion.
Mitch Wallis made his return as sub but copped a poke in the eye.
Swan Tom Hickey went down to the rooms in the third quarter with sore right knee and he, too, has been subbed out.
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