Western Bulldogs bailed out by the usual suspect in win over Gold Coast

The Western Bulldogs staved off a spirited showing from the Gold Coast Suns on Saturday evening to reclaim top spot on the AFL ladder.

Bontempelli began to take charge in the second term. (Photo by Chris Hyde/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)

The top dog took a while to find his bark but superstar Marcus Bontempelli put the Gold Coast to the sword in the second quarter to lift the Western Bulldogs to a hard-fought 11-point win at Metricon Stadium on Saturday.

While Bontempelli’s heroics have become par for the course, the three-goal return for Bulldogs young gun Jamarra Ugle-Hagan was also a coming-out party for the 2020 no. 1 draft pick in just his second senior game as the Dogs surged to the top of the AFL ladder.

Bontempelli had a quiet opening term with five touches along with one tackle, one clearance and two inside 50s as the Suns edged their way to a five-point lead.

But by halftime, he had 19 disposals to his name along with three tackles, four clearances and six inside 50s.

He simply put his team on his back and put the plucky Suns in their place with a one-man domination that underlined why he is well and truly in the hunt for the Brownlow Medal.

Bontempelli finished with 36 disposals, five tackles, nine clearances and seven inside 50s while Ugle-Hagan had three goals and five marks from eight touches.

With Bontempelli the driving force, the Bulldogs blew past the Gold Coast in the second term to claim an 11-point buffer at the main break and set up their 13th win of 2021.

Coming off impressive back-to-back wins over Richmond and GWS, the gutsy Suns were left to lament some silly mistakes and bad luck but they were ultimately beaten by a side that is a genuine flag fancy.

Touk Miller was outstanding again for the Suns with 38 touches, 17 contested possessions and eight clearances.

Four unanswered goals after quarter-time swung the momentum to the Dogs with Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, Jason Johannisen and Jack Macrae all hitting the scoreboard for the visitors who trailed by five points at the first change.

The Suns kicked the first three majors of the match with Nick Holman booting two goals. The Gold Coast lost veteran Brandon Ellis to a hamstring injury in the first quarter and he was replaced by the medical sub Rory Atkins.

The Gold Coast’s ball use and pressure dropped off in the second term when Bontempelli took charge of the contest. Goals to Ben Ainsworth and Alex Sexton stopped the rot and kept the Suns in the hunt.

The Gold Coast fought the good fight in the third and fourth quarters and stayed within striking distance of the Dogs who were ultimately a little too classy when it mattered most.

The Suns came into the game on the back of consecutive wins. (Photo by Russell Freeman/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Bulldog’s big future

AFL icon Leigh Matthews has said that the most you can expect from young players is “glimpses”. And last year’s no. 1 draft pick Jamarra Ugle-Hagan provided an eye-catching peak into the future with the first goal of his AFL career. In just his second senior outing, Ugle-Hagan flew high to take a spectacular grab over Suns key defender Sam Collins and then converted with a laser-like drop punt from long range and a tight angle. His second and third goals came from equally impressive kicks.

Line ball

The Suns can feel a little unlucky not be awarded a goal to Rory Atkins in the third term. The goal umpire said the ball was touched before the line but replays indicated that it was touched over the line. The officials stuck with the umpire’s call and the Bulldogs marched the Sherrin down the field with Cody Weightman kicking a goal in what was an 11-point swing in a close contest. It helped the visitors take a 16-point buffer into the last change.

Suns shining brighter

The Suns have come a long way since the embarrassing 62-point loss to the Bulldogs in Round 5 at Marvel Stadium. The Dogs raced to a 11.4 (70) to 1.3 (9) lead at halftime in that mismatch before the Gold Coast showed some fight with the four premiership points long gone. They came to play on Saturday and took it up to the Bulldogs for a vast majority of the contest, staying within an arm’s reach right up until the final siren.

Touk good

There should be some sort of Royal Commission if Gold Coast midfielder Touk Miller is not selected in the All-Australian team for 2021. Miller had polled votes in the AFL Coaches Award in 10-straight games after 10-straight games of 30-plus disposals to share rare air with elite on-ballers Clayton Oliver and Marcus Bontempelli. Miller’s class, poise, toughness and incredible work rate was on show again against the Dogs.

Ugle-Hagan (R) kicked the first major of his AFL career on Saturday night. (Photo by Chris Hyde/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)

Gold Coast’s silver lining

Gold Coast senior coach Stuart Dew says the Suns finished on the wrong side of the “sliding doors” moments but came away with invaluable self-belief from the 11-point loss to the Western Bulldogs at Metricon Stadium on Saturday night.

The Suns pushed the flag fancies for a vast majority of the hard-fought contest to follow on from wins over Richmond and GWS with star turns from Bulldogs duo Marcus Bontempelli and young gun Jamarra Ugle-Hagan ultimately proving the difference.

The Suns were left to lament a drop-off in intensity in the critical second term, costly turnovers at important moments and a lack of poise in front of goal while they also did not get the rub of the green with a video review.

The Gold Coast led by five points at quarter-time but a 14-disposal second term from Bontempelli swung the momentum to the Bulldogs. They kept fighting the good fight but the Bulldogs – who temporarily went to the top of the ladder – proved a little too classy.

“Sliding doors stuff, it’s a fine line between win-loss. Execution we can keep training, effort and intent we thought was outstanding by and large for most of the night,’’ Dew said.

“There were periods there where they ramped up their pressure and absorbed ours and it wasn’t to the level but pleasing our guys reset... pushed back and gave ourselves an opportunity.

“The last couple of weeks we played Richmond who were in the top eight, GWS who were and clearly the Bulldogs are entrenched in that top four so I think our guys have accepted the challenge in and around the contest.

“It certainly feels like our boys are up for the fight and making some gains and building some consistency. We take some real confidence from that.”

Touk Miller was outstanding for the Suns with 38 touches, 17 contested possessions and eight clearances while Nick Holman, Ben Ainsworth and Alex Sexton chimed in with three goals apiece for the home side.

He said Miller would be a natural fit as captain in the future.

“Dave (Swallow) is an outstanding captain and real figurehead of this club along with Wittsy (Jarrod Witts). Touky has taken his game, his leadership to new levels this year,’’ he said.

“It’s no surprise to us. He’s (Miller) still building, he’s still young. He’s an outstanding young man e has certainly got captaincy written all over him.’’

Dew said the hamstring injury to veteran Brandon Ellis that forced him out of the game in the first game was probably not too severe.

He said the Suns were “ready to adjust” to whatever the fixture threw up next week with the Gold Coast due to play Melbourne in Darwin.

Score:

SUNS: 4.1 6.5 8.7 11.13 (79)

BULLDOGS: 3.2 8.4 11.5 14.6 (90)

Goals:

SUNS: Holman 3, Ainsworth 3, Sexton 3, King 2

BULLDOGS: Ugle-Hagan 3, Mcrae 2, Johannisen 2, Weightman 2, McNeil, Daniel, English, Bruce, Naughton

Greg Davis’ best:

SUNS: Miller, Fiorini, Holman, Sharp, Ainsworth, Collins

BULLDOGS: Bontempelli, Smith, Daniel, Dale, Hunter, English, Macrae

Injuries:

SUNS: Ellis (hamstring)

BULLDOGS:

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Greg Davis’ votes:

3: Marcus Bontempelli (WB)

2: Bailey Smith (WB)

1: Touk Miller (GCS)