The Western Bulldogs’ season is officially over despite a nail-biting three point loss to Richmond in Round 23, and a 3-1 record across the final month of the season.
The Dogs led the ladder-leading Tigers at the first and second breaks, and were four points up midway through the third quarter before successive goals from Jack Riewoldt and Jason Castagna gave the home side an 18-point buffer, the biggest of the game.
But the Dogs weren’t done. They peppered the goals in the final minutes, earning the final five inside 50s of the match and if not for Brad Lynch poster in the dying minutes might have snatched a spirited victory in front of 56,998 fans at the MCG.
While Richmond got the points, there were more than a few bright sparks for the Dogs, with Jack Macrae submitting another herculean performance; the 24-year-old racking up 43 disposals, 14 marks, seven tackles, six inside 50s and a goal.
Lachie Hunter was a key link up man across the day and used the ball characteristically well (35 touches at 86%), while Caleb Daniel (29 at 83%) continued his late season resurgence, and Marcus Bontempelli was ever-reliable with 29 disposals, seven marks and eight tackles.
The Bulldogs had 10 separate goal kickers, with Billy Gowers (3), Josh Dunkley (27 touches, two goals) and Brad Lynch kicking the first two goals of his career.
The Dogs finish the season with eight wins and fourteen losses.
Western Bulldogs 6.0 8.3 11.6 14.11 (95)
Richmond 5.1 7.7 12.8 15.8 (98)
Goals: Gowers 3, Lynch, Dunkley 2, Richards, Greene, Schache, Williams, Wallis, Macrae, Trengove
Disposals: Macrae 43, Hunter 35, Daniel, Bontempelli 29, Dunkley 28, Johannisen 24
Best: Macrae, Hunter, Bontempelli, Dunkley, Daniel, Trengove
