Here are three things that caught our eye from Saturday night’s 20-point win over GWS.
Mr Consistent does it again
What can be said about Jack Macrae that hasn’t already been said?
The ball-magnet was in the thick of the action – as usual – in the Dogs’ crucial win over the Giants on the road.
Here are the pure numbers – 37 disposals, nine tackles, a goal, 10 score involvements, six clearances and eight inside 50s.
His third quarter was stunning. With the game on the line, Macrae racked up 12 touches and five tackles in that term alone, which helped set up a match-winning 31-point advantage at the final change for his side.
It was his ninth game of 30 or more possessions so far this season, taking his average to 31.5 in 2022.
Cody overshadowed once more
A five-goal haul from a small forward is a fine achievement. Deserving of standalone praise and admiration.
Cody Weightman’s brilliant first-half handful of majors against the Giants on Saturday night had the footy world talking. And that was even before his bravery took centre stage when he returned to the field after dislocating his elbow.
It was the second time in his 30-game career that Weightman has finished with five goals in a single AFL game.
The other occasion was Round 5 earlier this season, against the Kangaroos on Good Friday.
In both of those games, Bulldogs’ spearhead Aaron Naughton has shared the spoils with his partner-in-crime, helping himself to five goals in each contest.
We’re sure neither of them will mind sharing that odd stat with each other as they continue to provide headaches for opposition defenders into the future.
High scoring is fun…for the fans
As the ball zinged and whirred around Giants Stadium on Saturday night, the ‘neutrals’ sat back and enjoyed the show.
It was a goal-fest in Western Sydney – the highest cumulative score (230 points) in a game so far this season.
Ask the coaches of each side though, and they’d have a slightly less enthusiastic take on the freedom in which the Dogs and Giants were able to score.
In the end the Bulldogs won the shootout, thanks largely to a six-goal third quarter.
It was the Dogs’ third highest score of the season so far, and only the second time the team has conceded 100 points or more.
At the end of the day, all that matters is the W.
