THE WESTERN Bulldogs were forced to scrap and scramble but overcame an injury-hit Collingwood to post a 21-point win on Sunday.
The Dogs lacked their usual run, dare and potent skill, and looked set for successive defeats before overrunning the Magpies to claim the 11.8 (74) to 7.11 (53) win at the MCG.
Collingwood will rightfully rue its bad luck in the defeat, with the Magpies suffering four injuries that left them with no available players for nearly the whole final quarter.
And the damage came in all parts of the ground for the Pies.
Half-back Alan Toovey (concussion) was out of the game in the second term, a hamstring injury cut short midfielder Taylor Adams' afternoon minutes into the second half, and exciting forward Alex Fasolo didn't return to the field after injuring his shoulder in the third quarter.
The Pies had options on the interchange bench 10 minutes into the last term when emerging star Darcy Moore copped a knock to his shoulder that saw him head to the rooms and return with his arm in a sling.
The disastrous injury run didn't dispirit the Magpies, who bravely continued to push the Bulldogs and compete well, but Luke Beveridge's men ground their way to their seventh win of the year.
Luke Dahlhaus was terrific with 37 disposals, Tom Liberatore had six clearances from 31 touches, and Matt Suckling returned to the side from injury to show his class with 22 disposals at 82 per cent efficiency.
Proving the Dogs' ability to grind out a victory, Tory Dickson, Jack Redpath and Josh Dunkley all booted two majors each as star forward Jake Stringer went goalless and Marcus Bontempelli (20) was well held by Levi Greenwood.
Recruit Jeremy Howe was among Collingwood's best, with the former Demon registering a career-high 28 disposals across half-back and taking 11 marks. Midfield trio Adam Treloar (31), Scott Pendlebury (32) and Steele Sidebottom (26) were also important before tiring in the final quarter.
With Collingwood searching for its third straight win and the Dogs keen to bounce back from their loss to GWS last week, the high stakes nature of the game was obvious early. A Pendlebury sidestep and goal from the pocket was the highlight of a tightly fought opening term, which the Pies closed leading by a point.
The Dogs had their chances, however, with two costly misses from Redpath and Stringer, but the pair were causing trouble for the Magpies. On several occasions the dangerous Stringer found himself in open space, while Redpath's return from suspension gave the Dogs a reliable marking target near goal.
Notwithstanding the close margin, it felt like a game Collingwood had control of in most places except the scoreboard. Sidebottom's relentless running was important in the second term as he racked up 11 disposals, but both sides managed just one major in another tough but inefficient quarter.
Collingwood's five-point advantage at the main change, and the evenness in all of the key statistical measures, probably didn't truly reflect its edge in the contest that gave the Dogs a sniff.
But the Pies' task to capitilise on their dominance became far harder early in the third term when the injuries started to mount, and although they hung on as best they could, the Bulldogs could smell a chance to break free.
It took a little while to come, but without any rotations for the final 20 minutes of the game the Pies grew tired as the Dogs charged home.
Six-and-a-half minutes remained in the last term when Bulldogs recruit Suckling kicked truly to extend the lead to 14 points, and while the Pies look set to lose a handful of players for some time, they shouldn't have lost any admirers for their effort. If not for the injuries, the day's story might well have had a much different ending.
COLLINGWOOD 3.1 4.7 6.8 7.11 (53)
WESTERN BULLDOGS 3.0 4.2 6.5 11.8 (74)
GOALS
Collingwood: Moore 2, Fasolo, Pendlebury, Crocker, Blair, Treloar
Western Bulldogs: Dunkley 2, Dickson 2, Redpath 2, Campbell, Dahlhaus, Bontempelli, Wood, Suckling
BEST
Collingwood: Sidebottom, Reid, Howe, Pendlebury, Greenwood, Treloar
Western Bulldogs: Wood, Dahlhaus, Liberatore, Macrae, Hunter, Suckling
INJURIES
Collingwood: Toovey (concussion), Adams (hamstring, knee), Fasolo (shoulder), Moore (shoulder)
Western Bulldogs: TBC
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Rosebury, Hosking, Meredith
Official crowd: 45,078 at the MCG
