How did the media see last night’s 14 point win over Collingwood? Find out below.
AFL Media
[Bob] Murphy worked in tandem with Jason Johannisen switching back and forth from defence to attack to confuse the Magpies.
Johannisen kicked two goals and Lachie Hunter was also elusive with three goals and 15 uncontested possessions.
It was the Bulldogs’ sharpness in space that proved the difference.
They moved the ball from end to end repeatedly to kick goals over the back as Collingwood tried to exert forward pressure.
Collingwood kept coming, but the four-goal margin at three-quarter time was too much for the Magpies to overhaul.
Although he wore a different jumper, it was the same Travis Cloke who arrived at the MCG. Kicked a brilliant, long goal to silence the booing Magpie fans late in the first quarter. He tackled hard and his effort was as good as ever, but he did his job and little more
Best Dahlhaus, Liberatore, Bontempelli, Johannisen, Hunter, Murphy, Boyd
- Peter Ryan
The Age
The Bulldogs, in contrast, were playing with their new forward line – with Stewart Crameri and Cloke as additions to a premier line up.
This theoretically should have unsettled their structure. But it didn't. Both players were only ever used as targets forward as an afterthought. They were used if they were in the right positions but not just because they were out there – which had been Collingwood's approach.
Luke Beveridge instead tinkered with his forward line, rotating his players through the wings and half-forward line and taught old dogs new tricks.
Jason Johannisen won the Norm Smith Medal surging off half-back last year but he like was swung forward along with skipper Bob Murphy and caused mismatches. He booted a couple of goals in the third term.
Best: Johannisen, Hunter, Daniel, Liberatore, Macrae, Bontempelli, Dahlhaus
- Michael Gleeson
Fox Sports
[It] was a new Bob on Friday night. No longer locked in on a back flank, the skipper could become the AFL’s newest and oldest swingman if Round 1 is anything to go by.
After starting the game in defence, Murphy drifted forward in the third quarter and immediately had an impact.
He kicked 33 goals in 2005 and 34 and 2008, so this was not foreign territory for him and class acts are seldom one-dimensional. This 33-year-old has several at his disposal.
Fifty weeks ago, Murphy tore his ACL against Hawthorn at Etihad Stadium. But on Friday night he was back as if that incident never occurred.
- Tom Morris
