Australian Football

Match Report

Two injury-ravaged sides battled it out at Docklands on Saturday night, with the Western Bulldogs, missing seven of its best 22 players, eking out a highly meritorious win against North Melbourne in a high-intensity, bruising and low-scoring affair. The Kangaroos opened the match by kicking two goals to nil in the first 15 minutes, and closed it out by doing the same in the last 15 minutes, but in between those two periods the Bulldogs were much the better side, kicking nine goals to three to ultimately run out winners by 14 points. The match was a virtual mirror image of the two sides' round six class, which saw North win 9.7 to 6.9, with the final score this time around being 9.7 to 7.5 in favour of the Dogs. 

North got off to a perfect start with a mark and goal to Ben Brown after just two minutes. The Dogs settled after that but couldn't find the goals as the Kangaroos defended grimly, then took their next chance in front of the big sticks when Brent Harvey marked and goaled at the 10-minute mark, opening up an 11-point lead. The two sides traded minor scores after that as the Bulldogs began to look better, and they finally broke through when Tory Dickson marked and kicked truly to cut the margin to four points at quarter time. 

The Bulldogs' renowned defence came to the fore in the second term, with North struggling to find any avenues to goal. At the other end of the ground the Dog's forward line began to look as dangerous as it had in some weeks, and goals to Caleb Daniel, Marcus Bontempelli and Nathan Hrovat, playing his first AFL match of 2016, saw the Tricolours jump to a 13-point lead early in time on. Each side added a behind before the half-time siren, the margin 13 points at the long break. 

Goals continue to be hard to come by early in the third quarter, neither side registering a major in the first eight minutes. Majak Daw broke the drought with a strong mark and goal but the Bulldogs responded who Jason Johannisen ran off half back, took a handball from Luke Dahlhaus and heat running to kick a 60-metre drop-punt from inside the centre square the register the goal of the match. A goal to Lindsay Thomas brought the Roos back within eight points but great forward pressure from the Dogs saw Lachie Hunter and then Zaine Cordy kick goals to give the Bulldogs a 20-point advantage at the last change. 

A good marks and goal extended the margin to 26 points early in the final term but a lovely roving goal by Daniel Wells cut the margin back to 20 after 11 minutes. Jake Stringer marked and goaled to extend the margin to 26 points again midway through the term, and the Dogs looked safe. However, two quick goals to North via Jack Ziebell and Todd Goldstein had the Roos back within 14 points at the 20-minute mark and Bulldogs' fans nervous. But the Dogs defence held firm as it had all night and there was no further score as sneaked home for a win that makes it all but certain that they will compete in the finals for a second year running.

After a quiet first term, Bontempelli played an influential role in the Bulldogs' win, with nine tackles and eight marks. For North, Jamie Macmillan (22 disposals, six marks) played a fine game.

All but certain of playing finals footy, the Bulldogs are still an outside chance of making the top four, but they will need to win all three of their matches before the finals, against Collingwood and Essendon at home, and against Fremantle at Subiaco in round 23. North, despite being two games clear inside the eight, is vulnerable with games against Hawthorn, Sydney and GWS - all top four sides - to come. 

GOALS
Western Bulldogs: Dickson, Daniel, Bontempelli, Hrovat, Johannisen, Hunter, Cordy, Roughead, Stringer
North Melbourne: Brown, Harvey, Daw, Thomas, Wells, Ziebell, Goldstein

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Western Bulldogs: Bontempelli, M. Boyd, Daniel, Johannisen, Dahlhaus, Morris, Hunter
North Melbourne: Macmillan, Wells, Goldstein, Cunnington, Dal Santo, Thompson

BEST - THE SUNDAY AGE
Western Bulldogs: M Boyd, Johannisen, Dahlhaus, Webb, Bontempelli, Hamling
North Melbourne: Macmillan, Wells, Dal Santo, Cunnington, Ziebell

INJURIES
Western Bulldogs: Smith (concussion)
North Melbourne: Brown (knee), Clarke (shoulder), Thompson (groin)

REPORTS: Jed Anderson (North Melbourne) reported for rough conduct on Lin Jong (Western Bulldogs) in the second quarter.

UMPIRES: Nicholls, Ryan, Mollison

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Seven Network

COMMENTATORS: Brian Taylor, Luke Darcy, Matthew Richardson, Andrew Welsh