The Western Bulldogs’ finals hopes remain well and truly alive heading into the final three weeks of the home-and-away season, with a first-half “assassination” mauling GWS to win by 88 points.
The hosts put up their highest opening half score for nearly four years, eventually winning 19.18 (132) over the Giants’ 6.8 (44).
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Scarily, GWS’ loss was their biggest in nearly six years — last usurped in the 2019 Grand Final against Richmond when they lost by 89 points.
Once again, it was the dynamite duo of Aaron Naughton and Sam Darcy who stole the show — kicking five each to take their collective tally across the last seven days to a mammoth 23 goals. It’s the first time in 17 years a pair of players in the AFL had kicked five goals or more in back-to-back weeks.
Dogs ruck Tim English was one of several other players to put in a monster shift against the ‘Orange Tsunami’, finishing with 20 disposals and 2.3 to well and truly beat direct opponent Kieran Briggs.
South Australian Lachie McNeil kicked an equal career-best three goals also, while Marcus Bontempelli and Tom Liberatore combined for 17 clearances amid a clearance schlacking.
“They’re just not invested at the moment the Giants,” two-time North Melbourne premiership player David King said early on.
“This is an assassination!” Fox Footy commentator Matt Hill said as Naughton slotted through the Dogs’ 11th for the half, in a display St Kilda great Leigh Montagna labelled an “exhibition” offensively.
The win gives the Bulldogs’ their ninth in 10 matchups against the Giants, having only lost once since the 2019 elimination final between the two sides. This was also comfortably GWS’ biggest loss to their modern-day rivals, surpassing their 61-point loss also in 2019.
Adam Kingsley’s side were dearly missing their three players who made way from their side on Thursday night, with captain Toby Greene (suspension), Jack Buckley (calf) and Josh Kelly (calf) all missing the match. Notably, it was a big omission from each of their lines across the field.
The 48 intercept possessions from the Giants was their lowest number in Adam Kingsley’s 66 games as head coach of the club.
Speaking on ABC Sport post-game, midfielder Tom Green said: “Pretty pathetic. Anytime you get beat by 50 in the contest (contested ball)… we just haven’t rocked up as a side… That’s just not good enough by us.”
The Bulldogs went into the clash unchanged for just the second time this year, and for the first time since Round 4.
Western Bulldogs goalkickers: Naughton, Darcy 5, McNeil 3, English 2, Poulter, West, Kennedy, Richards
GWS goalkickers: Riccardi, Cadman 2, Bedford, Stringer
THE 3-2-1… (with Ben Cotton at Marvel Stadium)
3. RED-HOT DOGS ‘CLAMP’ ORANGE TSUNAMI AS GIANTS ‘LOST THEIR WAY’
It was billed as one of the games of the round between two sides similarly placed on the ladder contesting for a finals spot. But it was nothing short of a bloodbath.
The Western Bulldogs put the Giants to the sword in a Marvel Stadium demolition on Thursday night, which, frankly felt over in the first quarter as the Dogs stacked on six goals.
It set up for some sort of dominant first half from Luke Beveridge’s side, leading 81-20 in the Dogs’ second-biggest ever first half score under their coach, when the hosts did most of their damage.
The Dogs also had their third-best ever opening half under Beveridge in score per inside 50 (68 per cent) and put up 53 points from their forward half as they were firing on all cylinders.
“They’re not going to shy away from playing offensive football, they’re going to push the envelope and take risks. It might backfire defensively, but this is how (Beveridge) wants his team to play,” Saints legend Leigh Montagna said on Fox Footy at half-time.
“If they continue to play like this the last four weeks of the season, watch out come September.”
Hawks champion Jason Dunstall also backed the Dogs doubling down on their offensive brand.
“A lot of people talk about who does defence better than the Dogs. Well, no one does offence better, so why not do what you do well better than everyone else does? And make it your number one strength and big weapon. It’s what sets you apart,” Dunstall added.
“They’re showing the Giants a clean set of heels. I don’t know how many teams would’ve been able to stop them what they’re doing. My goodness, they are on song tonight.”
While the Dogs were gliding across the ground with maximum damage, the Giants at times couldn’t even move the ball and were “clamped,” as put by North Melbourne great David King.
It was a hard watch at times as the Orange Tsunami was completely shut down, with the Giants in the first half having 22 chains from their defensive half for just five inside 50s.
After such a strong seven-week stretch including six-straight wins to surge back into flag contention, the Giants regressed badly.
Tigers legend Jack Riewoldt noted Adam Kingsley’s side had “lost their way” and had “no system,” while King called it “big brother v little brother stuff”.
“You can look at all the stats you want, this is nothing to do with anything but attitude,” the Kangaroos great said of GWS.
“They’ve been humbled at contest, they’re stepping out the front of stoppage, the ball movement from the defensive end to the forward 50 with ease.
“This is a good old fashioned smacking and the coach will be livid.
“You just wonder, have they come to play tonight? Have they really been ready to roll? Were they ready for what the Dogs were going to offer?”
2. GIANTS FINALS SPOT ‘VULNERABLE’ IN KEY LADDER RAMIFICATIONS
It was a key result with big ramifications on the top eight and race to finals in a good old fashioned eight-point game. It was particularly critical for the Giants in a massive percentage swing.
The Dogs started the round with a percentage of 132.6 and climbed to 137.3, while the Giants dropped from 118.4 to 111.3 and now sit just a game inside the top eight.
It comes with both these clubs among the sides jockeying for a spot in the top eight in one of the tightest roads to September we’ve seen.
“The Dogs don’t have much of a worry with percentage. But what it will do is it tightens the gap with Fremantle on the table, it brings (GWS) down to well below Hawthorn,” Kangaroos legend David King said.
“It makes them really vulnerable now to make the eight given their percentage will be the lowest of that group.
“There’s no guarantee of playing finals if you win 15 games, that’s the reality. Percentage is going to play a huge part. When you look at the ladder, it’s incredibly tight.
“The Giants have a lot to play for … they’ve dropped.”
Tigers champion Jack Riewoldt added: “Adam Kingsley and his coaching group would be aware of that, this is bigger than just the four points tonight. This is form, this is everything.”
Whoever finishes ninth, which looks likely to be one of Hawthorn, GWS, Fremantle, Gold Coast or the Dogs, will be unlucky and might miss the finals with 15 wins. That would be extraordinary given no team has ever missed the top eight with 14 wins before.
And GWS, who faces North Melbourne (Canberra), Gold Coast (away) and St Kilda (ENGIE Stadium) to finish its home and away campaign, did itself no favours on Thursday night given how important percentage will be in that race.
Meanwhile the Dogs, who are back in the eight for now, meet Melbourne (MCG), West Coast and Fremantle (both Marvel Stadium) on their run home.
1. DOGS’ ‘TWO-HEADED MONSTER’ GOES OFF
It was the Aaron Naughton-Sam Darcy show at Marvel Stadium on Thursday night as the Dogs’ “two-headed monster” shined with five goals each.
Darcy was on early with two of the first three goals of the night, while Naughton quickly joined in the fun with three of his goals during the Dogs’ dominant second quarter blitz.
You knew it was the Dogs’ night when Naughton took a freakish one-handed, juggling mark, then drew a 50m penalty to extend the Dogs’ lead to 64 points around 10 minutes out from half-time.
“It looked early as if it would be Sam Darcy. Even Sam Taylor, the best defender in the competition, couldn’t defend Darcy one-on-one,” Saints legend Leigh Montagna said on Fox Footy at half-time.
“But when the attention started to go to Darcy, Naughton started to work himself into the game.
“(Naughton is) just full of confidence now, his leading patterns are really good. Now we’re seeing an evolution where he has some real forward craft about him.
“They’ve got the two-headed monster the Giants have no answers for.”
Leek Aleer had his hands full in a tough night on Naughton, while Kangaroos legend David King noted he’d “never seen Sam Taylor beaten like this” as he was constantly under the pump with the nightmare Darcy matchup.
“(Taylor is) yet to have an intercept disposal, yet to win the ball back for his team. That is amazing,” King said during the third quarter.
“The size of this man (Darcy) has rendered Sam Taylor useless.”
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