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.
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.
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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.
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.”
Tim 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 half-time.
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 led 11.8 (74) to 2.7 (19) at the last change.
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 Adam 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 3-2-1 (with Will Faulkner) …
3. DOGS PUNISH EAGLES FROM TURNOVER
After an early arm wrestle, the Dogs got going in a big way.
It included a run of 12-straight majors including keeping the Eagles goalless in the second and third quarters.
Hawthorn legend Dermott Brereton noted the Dogs were “more mature” with ball in hand and “carved through” the Eagles with “precise and sharp handball.”
In many ways though, West Coast was its own worst enemy.
At half-time, 46 of the Dogs’ 54 points came from turnovers in the clear area separating the two sides. In fact, West Coast actually won clearances (+9) and only narrowly lost contested possessions (-6) in a showing of how much the game has changed.
“As we know, turnover scores are the biggest thing in the game right now. If you can’t defend them, you’re going to get absolutely hurt,” Cats great Cameron Mooney told Fox Footy.
“This is what’s happened, particularly in that second quarter. Once that ball was turned over, they were skipping through.
“The hardest thing in football when you’re young is to learn how to defend a turnover. It takes years to know when to go and all those types of things.
“You’re seeing a young group when the ball turns over not knowing yet what to do. It’s going to take time.”
2. EAGLES PRIORITY PICK TALKS BEGINS AMID NEW LOW
An undermanned West Coast side looked completely lost at sea for the last three quarters of their clash against the Western Bulldogs, slumping to a new low under the Docklands roof.
And though only three games into their campaign – for three losses – priority pick calls have already begun.
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.
Despite only being two points down at quarter time and matching it with the Bulldogs, inaccurate kicking and poor use of the ball meant the Eagles registered 1.10 from there on in, with the sole goal not coming until the 17th minute of the final quarter.
Yet another underwhelming performance from Adam Simpson’s men sparked talk surrounding their power to build on some promising, but greatly inexperienced, youth through the form of a priority pick.
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.”
It wasn’t all doom and gloom in the eyes of Healy, who also highlighted their determination despite the clear struggles.
”They’re working hard, there’s been some real wins; they’ve had clearance wins today , they’ve had inside 50’s almost the same as the Western Bulldogs – so there’s some upside.
“As far as getting a group together that’s going to be really competitive Derm, they need assistance,” Healy added.
Hawthorn champion Dermott Brereton added to Healy’s analysis.
“You cannot have a team turn up each week, and you know that you can tip against them 23 rounds in a row and feel fairly confident that you’re going to get that right.
“They’re trying, but they’re just falling short in quite a few areas,” Brereton said.
1. ENGLISH GIVES EAGLES MORE NIGHTMARES
Western Bulldogs ruckman Tim English has once again given West Coast supporters nightmares, with his monumental performance helping send the visitors down by 76 points at Marvel Stadium.
The 208cm Bulldog gathered 17 disposals and two goals in a powerful performance in the ruck.
For the third year straight, English has caused major headaches for Adam Simpson and his men with his workrate and ability to hit the scoreboard.
His efforts are certainly more noticeable against West Coast in recent years, given their struggle to field a full-time ruckman with the absence and now retirement of Nic Naitanui.
Plus, the Eagles are reportedly chasing free agent English, who’s from Western Australia, so they got a first-hand look of exactly what they need.
English’s match against West Coast in Round 11, 2022 saw him register what at the time was a career-best disposal count of 25, complimented by his 28 hitouts and a goal.
In the Bulldogs’ infamous loss to the Eagles last year, he clocked up a whopping 51 hitouts to go with his 21 disposals and a goal.
Speaking at three-quarter time, Fox Footy’s Dermott Brereton gave praise to English.
“That’s the ideal game you want from your 6-foot10 ruckman.” Brereton highlighted.
Brownlow Medallist Gerard Healy was also complimentary of the ruckman’s efforts, especially in the third quarter.
“Tim English was the story that (third) term, he’s had a really good game and just continued to dominate,” Healy said.
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