All new Western Bulldogs should have beaten Essendon by 50 points

THE jumpers were the same, but that was about it. It was obvious minutes into the showdown against traded star Jake Stringer that the Western Bulldogs had their bite back.

Josh Dunkley of the Bulldogs.

THE jumpers were the same, but that was about it.

The Western Bulldogs got their bite back at Etihad Stadium.

It was obvious minutes into their first showdown with traded premiership star Jake Stringer and his new Essendon teammates.

The Bulldogs marked Essendon’s first three kick-outs, the fourth travelled out on the full and the fifth was turned over after a spoil.

Young Bomber Josh Begley received Bronx cheers when he finally took an uncontested mark after the Dogs’ seventh behind.

The problem was accuracy. At that stage the Bulldogs led 1.7 to 1.0 and they soon trailed 1.9 (15) to 3.1 (19).

They say bad kicking is bad football, and the wasteful Dogs finished with 14.20. But against the Essendon Clangers it mattered little.

Josh Dunkley celebrates a big goal against the Bombers.

The strangest part of the Dogs’ 22-point win was that the Bombers actually hung in the game until creamy contributions by the Baileys — Dale and Williams — as they slotted last-quarter goals.

It should’ve been closer to 52 points. But if Joe Daniher didn’t squander a certain goal by handballing to Josh Green in the goalsquare it would’ve been game on with minutes to go.

Daniher could’ve made it a 10-point game. Instead, premiership Dog Toby McLean kicked the sealer seconds later.

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Daniher, last year’s best-and-fairest, looks a confused footballer. In 30-degree heat he ran out in long sleeves and changed them by the first quarter.

With twin towers Dale Morris and Marcus Adams missing this should’ve been his stage. But he was beaten by Zaine Cordy and No. 9 draft pick Aaron Naughton.

Daniher wasn’t alone. Scoreboard aside, this was a monstering. The Dogs were the only team yet to win a quarter in 2018 and against Essendon they didn’t lose one.

The big men fly.

The calendar said April 2018, but there was a hint of September 2016 about the Dogs’ pressure. They tackled with gusto, held the ball with uncontested possession and erected a brick wall across half-back.

In 2017 the Dons were hard to beat when they amassed 90 uncontested marks. The Dogs won that count 148-68.

In the first two rounds the Dogs leaked 45 marks in their defensive 50m. Cale Hooker took Essendon’s first halfway through the second quarter — by that stage the Dogs already had 10 of their own.

The Bulldogs were easily the most inexperienced team of Round 3, about a full season behind the next.

Were they rebuilding? Or were they retooling? Youth appeared an excuse from the outside, although coach Luke Beveridge has always rendered birth certificates irrelevant.

So, where are they at? Perhaps the comparison to Hawthorn is most apt. The Hawks won the 2008 flag, missed finals in 2009 and started 1-6 in 2010 before storming into the eight.

The Dogs won the 2016 flag, missed finals in 2017 and, like Essendon, have started 1-2 in 2018.

An upset Conor McKenna (left) tangles with Bailey Dale after he was caught holding the ball.

Disillusioned supporters wanted a response and two acts early proved a statement was coming.

The first was by Jack Redpath, who ran back with the flight and hung onto a courageous mark dubbed “Jonathan Brown-esque” by Wayne Carey.

The second was by Tory Dickson. In his first game this season the 30-year-old set his sights on speedster Conor McKenna and chased him down like a greyhound halfway through the second quarter.

When Dickson buried McKenna into the turf, Mitch Wallis was the No. 1 ranked player on the ground.

Redpath, Dickson and Wallis were coach Luke Beveridge’s three inclusions this week. The team looked better, invigorated by the vitality of youth as Tim English, Ed Richards and Billy Gowers played with poise.

Zach Merrett looks like he’s still feeling concussion effects and was beaten at times by Mitch Honeychurch.

A dejected Jake Stringer after the final siren.

What about Stringer’s day? Two of his six kicks sailed out on the full, there was a close exchange with old mate Jason Johannisen and a bump on the head.

It was a standard Stringer day as he finished with 16 disposals and, perhaps unfairly, received a deafening boo from his former fans upon kicking his first goal as a Don.

BEST

Bulldogs: Hunter, Macrae, Dahlhaus, Williams, Bontempelli, Daniel, English.

Essendon: Hurley, Zaharakis, Heppell, Smith.