The good, the not so good, the exhilarating, the heartbreaking… we’ve taken a look at the Moments That Mattered during the AFL season.
From now until the full playing group returns for the start of pre-season on November 25, westernbulldogs.com.au will count down 19 moments that had a big impact in 2019.
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Come the last Sunday of the 2019 home-and-away season, the equation was simple.
Win, and we’re in.
Finals, that is.
Hawthorn’s upset win against the West Coast Eagles on Saturday night meant there was no room for error for the Western Bulldogs.
And a finals berth would be won or lost against Adelaide, at the Bulldogs’ home-away-from-home at Mars Stadium in Ballarat.
It was a day to remember.
The Bulldogs turned up. They were on from the opening bounce.
A six-goal-to-two opening quarter set the tone.
The Bulldogs held on to a 28-point lead at half time, and had opened up a 41-point lead at the final change.
A 34-point margin at the final siren made it official.
The Bulldogs had made the finals for the first time since 2016.
It capped off a barnstorming run after the bye, which the Bulldogs had entered with a 4-7 record.
Wins against the Crows, Essendon and the GWS Giants in the last three weeks of the season got it done.
The Bulldogs had reason to celebrate in the rooms at Mars Stadium.
Counting down the 2019 Moments That Mattered…
#4 THE BONT-INSPIRED POWER OUTAGE
#5 THE BIG WIN
#6 THE COACH COMMITS
#7 THE DUNKLEY DOMINATION
#8 THE RETIREMENTS
#9 THE COMEBACK
#10 THE RE-SIGNINGS
#11 THE HEARTBREAK
#12 THE HANGER
#13 THE TENSE FINISH
#14 THE UPSET
#15 THE ALL AUSTRALIANS
#16 THE RISING STAR
#17 THE FIGHTBACK
#18 THE DEBUTANTS
#19 THE MIGHT OF THOR
