AFL round 21: Western Bulldogs v Melbourne, result, news and stats

Marcus Bontempelli banked more Brownlow Medal votes, producing an inspired first half to launch Western Bulldogs to a commanding win over Melbourne.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – JULY 28: Lachlan McNeil (left) and Ed Richards of the Bulldogs celebrate during the 2024 AFL Round 20 match between the Sydney Swans and the Western Bulldogs at The Sydney Cricket Ground on July 28, 2024 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

The rampaging Western Bulldogs’ charge towards the finals continued unimpeded on Friday night as they smashed Melbourne by 51 points at Marvel Stadium.

The inaccurate Dogs overcame a horrific goalkicking display in the first half to blow their opponents out of the water 15.20 (110) to 9.5 (59).

The final margin flattered the hopelessly outclassed Demons because the game should’ve been all over at halftime. But despite tripling Melbourne for scoring shots at that stage (19-6), the Bulldogs led by just 18 points.

The chief culprit was Jamarra Ugle-Hagan who finished with 2.6 after booting four goals in each of his three previous games.

However, all that did was delay the inevitable, because Luke Beveridge’s men fixed their radar after the major break, with their first five scores all goals.

PLAYER RATINGS: HOW WE RATED EVERY DOG, DEMON

Capping off a dirty night for the Demons was the sight of superstar defender Steven May being transported to hospital after being subbed out at halftime with a rib injury.

The result temporarily placed the Dogs inside the top four heading into the weekend, and after starting the year 3-5, they have now won nine of their last 12 matches to be one of the most in-form teams in the league at precisely the right time of the year.

With bottom-four teams Adelaide and North Melbourne in their next two games, the Bulldogs should easily seal a berth in September as they loom as a serious premiership threat once again.

Meanwhile, Melbourne’s finals hopes are hanging by a thread as they will need to win their last three games to be any chance of qualifying

Inspirational Bulldogs captain Marcus Bontempelli will surely pocket himself another three Brownlow votes after producing a sensational performance that saw him register 33 disposals (12 contested), 16 score involvements, seven marks, nine inside 50s, five clearances and two goals.

And Adam Treloar has all but booked in a date with the tailor to get his measurements sorted for his first green All-Australian blazer after celebrating his 250th game with 30 touches (10 contested), 11 score involvements, six clearances and two goals to become the 35th player in VFL/AFL history to reach 7000 career disposals.

Aaron Naughton celebrates a goal. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

EARLY BLITZ SETS UP DOGS WIN

It was a red, white and blue avalanche in the first quarter as the Bulldogs’ relentless hard running and devastating handball game completely overwhelmed the stunned Demons.

The Dogs registered the first 10 clearances and 15 of the first 16 inside 50s, while they also enjoyed a massive 13-3 lead in contested possessions.

They also had the first nine scoring shots, but could only manage three goals. Melbourne could not get out of their back half, and in the first 14 minutes they didn’t have a possession in their forward half while the Dogs helped themselves to the first 43 front-half disposals.

The Demons had to wait almost 20 minutes for their first score. Such was the Bulldogs’ domination that early in the final quarter, they were smashing the Demons in scores from turnover 9.8 (62) to 1.1 (7).

They Dogs ended up thumping Melbourne in forward entries 65-39 and at one stage they led centre clearances 13-4.

Steven May rises over a pack to spoil. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

FRITSCH MISFIRES

Melbourne enjoyed a rare patch of momentum when they kicked three of the last four goals in the second quarter, and just 20 seconds into the third term, sharpshooter Bayley Fritsch had a gilt-edged chance to cut the margin to just 12 points when he had snap shot from 40m out. However, surprisingly, he failed to make the distance, and 20 seconds later Dogs goalsneak Cody Weightman made him pay a high price when he put his team 24 points up. It turned out to be an extremely costly miss from Fritsch because the Dogs kicked the first three goals of the second half to open up a 36-point lead.

Marcus Bontempelli dominated against the Demons. Picture: Mark Stewart

MELBOURNE STARS FLOP

The Demons got next to no output from superstar trio Clayton Oliver (22 disposals), Jack Viney (13) and Kysaiah Pickett (eight), while Tom McDonald had a rough night in defence and equalled his “career best” of clangers (seven) with more than a quarter left in the game. The swing man was eventually switched forward where he registered his personal-best eighth clanger on the three-quarter time siren when his set shot went out of bounds on the full.

SCOREBOARD

W. BULLDOGS 4.7, 6.13, 11.17, 15.20 (110)

MELBOURNE 1.1, 5.1, 7.3, 9.5 (59)

RONNY LERNER’S BEST

Bulldogs: Bontempelli, Treloar, Dale, Lobb, Liberatore, Bramble, Duryea.

Demons: Gawn, Bowey, Rivers, Sparrow, Langdon.

GOALS

Bulldogs: Weightman 2, Treloar 2, Ugle-Hagan 2, Bontempelli 2, Naughton 2, Williams, Poulter, Richards, Darcy, English.

Demons: Fritsch 2, Sparrow 2, Pickett 2, Gawn, Rivers, Woewodin.

INJURIES Bulldogs: Nil. Demons: May (ribs).

UMPIRES Rosebury, Stevic, Broadbent, Wallace

33,000 at Marvel Stadium

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

RONNY LERNER’S VOTES

3 Marcus Bontempelli (WB)

2 Adam Treloar (WB)

1 Bailey Dale (WB)