AFL 2021: Western Bulldogs thrash Port Adelaide Power and advance to grand final

The Western Bulldogs have defied the odds to obliterate the highly-fancied Port Adelaide Power and advance to the AFL grand final.

For the second time under Luke Beveridge, the Bulldogs have made the AFL grand final from outside the top four. (Photo by James Elsby/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

The Western Bulldogs have continued their stunning finals run against the odds to revive memories of their 2016 premiership heroics and charge into the grand final.

This was not supposed to happen. The Bulldogs have had to negotiate taxing road trips and their champion skipper was under an injury cloud.

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In contrast, Port Adelaide could not have been better prepared for the preliminary final and were almost at full strength and loaded with confidence.

But it was the Bulldogs who put on a clinic with a sensational 71-point victory in which they reigned supreme from the opening bounce to earn a clash against Melbourne in the title decider.

Bailey Smith booted four goals to go with 23 touches and three clearances. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Bont watch

There was always going to be a massive focus on Marcus Bontempelli and how his right knee would hold up after being hurt late in the win over Brisbane the previous week.

He has been rated the best player in the league this season by his peers and it was common opinion that if the Bulldogs were to win, the star act needed to be in the game.

Obviously the Bont was confident in his knee given there was no protection. And not only did he start in the middle at the opening bounce, he got the first clearance.

He moved without discomfort in the first quarter and picked up three disposals. His class was on show 15 minutes into the contest when he gathered the loose ball and snapped a terrific goal.

Road trip

The Bulldogs have been on a backpacking mission around the country in the past month.

There was the trip to Launceston for the elimination, then Brisbane, then Perth and now to Adelaide for the preliminary. Weren’t they supposed to be tired?

Someone forgot to tell the players. The Bulldogs were on fire in the opening quarter to bag seven goals and lead by 31 points.

They smashed the Power at the stoppages and were constantly charging forward where the forwards showed their appreciation.

Surely there would be some weary signs in the second term. Nope, the Bulldogs added another five goals.

Forwards powerless

The Power small forwards were electric in the big finals win over Geelong. Not so in the first half against the Bulldogs.

Steven Motlop and Orazio Fantasia had just five disposals between them, while Connor Rozee had little influence. Fantasia had a set shot after the halftime siren, but never gave it a chance and snuck in for a behind.

Since the current finals system was introduced in 1994, the two preliminary finals have never been so one-sided. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Bulldogs’ demon

Mitch Hannan has proved a bargain buy for the Bulldogs and now he gets a chance to front his former club in the title decider.

Traded for a future third round draft pick, the unheralded Hannan bagged three goals in the first half.

While Power defender Aliir Aliir has been the recruit of the season, Hannan was arguably the recruit of the night. He was playing his 16th game for the season and had kicked two and one goals in the first two weeks of finals.

The Bulldogs had clearly done their homework on Aliir and Josh Schache made him accountable.

Aliir was not allowed to peel off and take those intercept marks which have become his trademark. The athletic defender’s skills were also shaky.

Stats damning

The game was all but in the Bulldogs’ keeping early and there were some stats which advertised their dominance.

At quarter-time, the Bulldogs were plus 13 in contested possessions, plus nine in clearances and plus six in inside 50s. Two minutes before halftime, the ground ball count was 61-29 in favour of the Bulldogs.

WESTERN BULLDOGS 7.2 12.8 14.12 17.14 (116)

PORT ADELAIDE 1.1 3.4 5.8 6.9 (45)

BEST - Bulldogs: B. Smith, Macrae, Naughton, Hunter, Hannan, Treloar, Williams, Duryea. Power: Bonner, Wines.

GOALS - Bulldogs: B. Smith 4, Hannan 3, Bontempelli, Naughton 2, Treloar, Schache, Vandermeer, Scott, R. Smith, Johannisen. Power: Dixon 2, Marshall, Houston, Wines, Bonner.

INJURIES - Bulldogs: Vandermeer (hamstring). Power: Marshall (hamstring).

UMPIRES - Rosebury, Stevic, Findlay.

VENUE - at Adelaide Oval.