Western Bulldogs – 2.13.8 (104)
St Kilda – 0.9.10 (64)
The Western Bulldogs won quite comfortably in the end over the Saints in front of 42,000 at the dilapidated Etihad Stadium. Finally the Dogs get some silverware after a massive 40 year drought. I think they might have rather one in September instead.
The Bulldogs got off to a flier, they got 29 points in front before the Saints even scored and that score was from a non-existent free-kick. The Saints pushed back early in the second to within seven points but the intensity of the Dogs raised after that and they got out to a 22 point lead at the main break. Again St Kilda rallied early and got to within two points but the resilient bulldogs came back and kicked three on the trot. The task of coming back from 15 points down in the fourth quarter proved too much for the Saints.
Key Players for Western Bulldogs
Barry Hall – Michael Tuck medalist and big man was great in the first and the last quarters. Without Hahn, Barry needed to stand up and he did. He kicked 7 goals in the end but some were in garbage time. According to the jokers on One/Ten “he has big muscles”. Hall is just what the doctor order for the Bulldogs. Best on ground by a long way.
Shaun Higgins – He played very well for his 14 touches, 2 goals and even added a super-goal. His foot-skills were good.
Daniel Giansiracusa – The stand-in captain had a good game. 20 disposals in the win along with 8 marks. He gets to lift the trophy, lucky him.
Key Players for the St Kilda
Nick Riewoldt – He was fantastic as per usual. He is clearly the one of the best player of the game.
Clint Jones – Good tagging job on Cooney and was damaging on the rebound. He did some very nice inside-50 entries.
Musings from the match
- The Etihad Stadium pitch was a shambles and is not fit for television viewing let alone playing on. D4 clubs have better grounds than that. I’m sure that Etihad are very proud to lend their name to a hail damaged dirt venue.
- Sam Fisher was off early with an alleged rolled ankle but both his ankle and knee were being iced in the rooms.
- Cheek injury (“Crack in the face”) to Mitch Hahn in the third quarter, where he courageously went back with the flight, was a big blow for the Western Bulldogs. He was off to hospital before the end of the game.
- Rolling the dice for 9-pointers was in vogue today and a few times it hit the post. Just a few centimetres separates 8 points. Imagine if a real Grand Final was decided like that.
- Kosi was a dud today. He does have a great knack for shepherding Roo’s marking contests. He gets in the way so that nobody can spoil from behind for overhead marks. That was probably the best thing he did all day.
- It’s amazing how good the Doggies look with a good big goal-kicker in their forward line. Hall has proved to be a great pick-up for them.
- Why was the crowd booing Riewoldt when he made his speech? It’s not like he is the most hated player in the AFL.
- Both teams will be challenging in September. The Bulldogs are the real deal.
Supercoach musings
Barry Hall did very well obviously. Leigh Montagna, Brendon Goddard and Nick Riewoldt were high scorers for the Saints. Shaun Higgins is a SuperCoach lock for many due to his high kick-handball ratio. Steven Gaertner, Easton Wood and Tom Lynch wouldn’t have got any more people picking them up in SC from this week’s performance.
Tags: Barry Hall, Clinton Jones, Daniel Giansiracusa, Nick Riewoldt, Shaun Higgins
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ummm, shaun higgins had 5 kicks 9 handballs, for a total of 14 disposals…
are you talking about someone else? harbrow had 17 kicks, 3 handballs…
you're right. I thought Higgins was 'Bests'-worthy. I had just copied the stats incorrectly.
“Kosi was a dud” — nah, not that good.
“It’s not like he is a rapist like some of the other AFL players” — an unfortunate phrase, given that the one player charged has yet to face trial, let alone be convicted. Presumption of innocence anyone?
“hail damaged dirt venue” — remembering, of course, that the state of the field wasn't due to storm damage (NOT Storm damage as in another CF post!!!), but to Collo's need to keep shareholders happy by renting the stadium out for rock concerts just a few weeks before the opening pre-season comp games.
Great result for the Dogs and suggests they are a genuine challenger in 2010 (while Barry's brain is not in snap mode!)
Saints looked to be going through the motions a bit.
when is kosi not a dud?
a seriously overrated player
btw – preferred the old layout, more user friendly
People are overestimating the goal scoring of Hall – it is the other avenues he brings to the table that will be a greater benefit during the year. He will take the best backman, and possibly the focus of another – this will release Johnno, Murphy, Hahn, Aker & Hill even more than normal. Remember the dogs were the highest scoring team last year..
CRY HAVOC &SLIP THE DOGS OF WAR.
Exactly right Jim, he is also a pretty handy lead up option despite people often thinking of him as a stay at home forward.
Which stereotypical knuckle headed football fanatic with no apparent education wrote this?
Where is the editor? Or the frickin' spell check?
Moron.
The ‘Someone with an education’ should have learned some tolerance at school. I wrote the article by the way. I apologize for any spelling mistakes that offended you. For your information I am currently studying for a masters with honors at Monash. So unless you are a doctor I will have the same or better education than you in a year’s time. Thus proving that education has nothing to do with ability to spell.
Well said Wiesel – it is a blog, not a spelling contest
[...] The Bulldogs got off to a flier, they got 29 points in front before the Saints even scored and that score was from a non-existent free-kick. The Saints pushed back early in the second to within seven points but the intensity of the Dogs raised after that and they got out to a 22 point lead at the main break. Again St Kilda rallied early and got to within two points but the resilient bulldogs came back and kicked three on the trot. The task of coming back from 15 points down in the fourth quarter proved too much for the Saints.…read more….. [...]