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Dogs star terrorises Eagles again amid new AFL low

The West Coast Eagles recorded some more unwanted history as their troubles continued against the Western Bulldogs.

Ben Cotton
3 min read
March 31, 2024 - 7:38PM
The Bulldogs smashed West Coast at Marvel Stadium.
The Bulldogs smashed West Coast at Marvel Stadium.

The Western Bulldogs have flexed their muscles in a 76-point win over West Coast, 16.10 (106) to 3.12 (30), holding the Eagles to their lowest ever score at Marvel Stadium.

After a tight first term, the Dogs exploded with a run of 12-straight majors including keeping Adam Simpson’s side goalless in the second and third terms.

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Tim English (17 disposals, two goals, 23 hit-outs) and Adam Treloar (35 touches, one goal), who was involved in a late scuffle, led the way for the now 2-1 Dogs, while West Coast remains winless on the season at 0-3.

There were no late changes, with Caleb Poulter (Western Bulldogs) and Luke Edwards (West Coast) named the starting subs.

It was an arm wrestle early as West Coast brought a competitive effort, while the Bulldogs couldn’t make good on their opportunities.

Both clubs kicked goals in the first 10 minutes, Jack Williams then Cody Weightman.

Jake Waterman put West Coast ahead later in the period in a promising start from Adam Simpson’s side.

Harvey Gallagher of the Bulldogs celebrates a goal against the Eagles. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
Harvey Gallagher of the Bulldogs celebrates a goal against the Eagles. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Marcus Bontempelli kicked a goal late in the quarter to give the Dogs a lead, 2.4 (16) to 2.2 (14).

The Dogs started to find their groove in the second quarter including Harvey Gallagher kicking two-straight goals in a two-minute period to extend their lead out to 20 points.

Weightman appeared to hurt his elbow in a contest in a potential injury scare, but played through the setback.

Laitham Vandermeer made it five-straight Dogs goals as the game was fast breaking open for Luke Beveridge’s side.

The Dogs had kicked 34 of their 41 points from turnover to punish West Coast’s errors, with Brownlow medallist Gerard Healy on Fox Footy noting they were “big numbers”.

English continued to pile on the pain with another goal from a contested mark inside 50.

“The Bulldogs’ confidence is really starting to flow now,” Fox Footy commentator Kelli Underwood said.

The Dogs led 8.6 (54) to 2.3 (15) at halftime.

The Dogs picked up right where they left in the third quarter including a highlight team passage finished by a Rhylee West goal – marking nine-straight Dogs majors.

Tyler Brockman was subbed out of the game in the third term for Edwards in a blow to the Eagles.

Caleb Daniel made it 10-straight Dogs majors in what was becoming ugly scenes for the visitors, who hadn’t kicked a goal since the first term.

The Dogs’ domination continued in the fourth term, kicking the first two goals to further balloon out their lead.

Jamie Cripps finally ended the Eagles’ goal drought, kicking their first since the opening term to give fans something to cheer about.

There were heated scenes late when Treloar and Reuben Ginbey got stuck into each other before Jemaine Jones dropped Treloar from behind to spark more players to get involved.

The Dogs kicked away with three more goals down the stretch to emerge 76-point winners in a one-sided affair.

The Eagles registered their lowest ever score at Marvel Stadium of 3.12 (30), comfortably overtaking their previous worst score of 52 at the venue.

And though only three games into their campaign – for three losses – priority pick calls have already begun.

Yet another underwhelming performance from Simpson’s men – coming off a three-win, bottom-placed 2023 – sparked talk surrounding their power to build on some promising, but greatly inexperienced, youth through the form of a priority pick.

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Speaking during the halfway mark of the last quarter, Fox Footy’s Gerard Healy dived deeper on the topic.

“I’d like to hear someone mount a case for them not get a priority pick,” Healy exclaimed.

“I know Mark Duffield, a senior journalist out in the west, wrote a column about that during the week – I couldn’t agree with him more; this is a club who needs some assistance, they’re in a hole.”

Originally published as Dogs star terrorises Eagles again amid new AFL low

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Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/dogs-star-terrorises-eagles-again-amid-new-afl-low/news-story/fd3ad3a2087eb7d87d406551df5ac8b1