By Peter Ryan
Bulldogs veteran Liam Jones faces a nervous wait as the MRO considers whether to suspend him from the elimination final against Hawthorn for a dangerous tackle on Giants’ forward Aaron Cadman.
The 33-year-old intercept defender was due to play both his 200th game and his first final in the clash after the Bulldogs had an outstanding 37-point win over the Giants.
Western Bulldogs youngster Harvey Gallagher celebrates a crucial goal in the third quarterCredit: Getty Images
Jones, James O’Donnell and Rory Lobb helped restrict the Giants to just nine goals in windy conditions, with Coleman Medal winner Jesse Hogan kicking just two goals; his lowest tally in his past eight matches.
Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge said he had not watched the replay so was unable to make any judgment on the tackle.
Footage of the incident showed Jones, holding Cadman by just one arm, and forcing him into the ground. Cadman showed no ill-effects and kicked a goal immediately after receiving a free kick for the tackle.
The coach was relieved to get the win after building the significance of the game up during the week with a finals spot on the line.
The Bulldogs were written off when they slumped to five losses in their first eight games, but roared back to finish sixth with wins over Fremantle, Port Adelaide, Geelong, Sydney, Carlton and the Giants in the back half of the season.
Beveridge praised the resilience of his players and staff to stay measured and keep believing in what they were trying to achieve.
“It’s a tremendous result. There was great integrity in the way the players have fought their way through the year,” Beveridge said.
The Bulldogs’ next meeting will be against another team in superb form, with Hawthorn to be their opponent in the elimination final. They lost to the Hawks in round eight in what was a shock result at the time, as the Hawks were only just beginning to build belief. But it was the point from which their season turned.
Beveridge said their form against teams above them on the ladder – aside from a disappointing loss to Port Adelaide in Adelaide in round 17 – in the second half of the season was excellent.
“To get to the point where we are playing a finals series because we have been able to knock a lot of those teams over probably franks the belief to a degree, but it gives you a bit more foresight that you are a bit more than a threat,” Beveridge said.
The club has never finished in the top four under Beveridge, but twice they have made grand finals after starting the finals’ series in an elimination final, and they won the 2016 premiership with two finals wins outside Victoria. They have also lost four elimination finals under Beveridge, who has coached the club to finals in seven of the past 10 seasons.
Beveridge, who became the Bulldogs longest serving coach in terms of number of games, said Sunday’s win ranked highly in his career considering what was at stake.
Apart from Jones, their only other concerns from the game were Adam Treloar’s tight calf and a hamstring injury to Laitham Vandermeer, which will need to be scanned. Treloar had to go to the rooms for treatment early in the game, but played out the contest, while Tim English performed strongly after being an unlikely starter early in the week due to an ankle injury.
“[Treloar] had a bit of tightness in his calf and he got through the game. It is not uncommon for Adam. He just seemed a little bit more constricted than he has been in the recent past, so hopefully he is going to be OK,” Beveridge said. “He did get through the game, but it was a concern early.”
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