After coach Rodney Eade rang the changes during the week following a disappointing 22-point loss to the Brisbane Lions, the Bulldogs ran riot in the second half to run out 18.13 (121) to 10.12 (72) winners at Etihad Stadium.
Despite Adelaide trailing by just three goals at the main break, the Bulldogs hit top gear in the second half, booting eight goals to three as they recorded their third win of the season.
It was the Crows' overuse of the ball and sloppy skills that again proved their downfall, with the Bulldogs and five-goal forward Barry Hall capitalising on Adelaide’s turnovers.
It was the same old story, according to Adelaide coach Neil Craig, who accused some of his players ‘not wanting the ball’ after the first quarter.
“We were very patchy after that and we never really in the game and we started to see the same signs we've been looking at for the whole year,” Craig said.
“We’ve got too few trying to do too much and that’s a challenge from a coaching perspective to get people back into form.”
With both sides desperate for a win, it was young Crow Patrick Dangerfield who set the tone in the first quarter, running back on a ball bouncing towards goal and smashing into the post.
Daniel Giansiracusa was the star for the Bulldogs, collecting 13 touches in the first quarter and finishing with 35 possessions.
Western Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade could not hide his pride with the way the star midfielder lead from the front after the disappointment of last week.
“He was terrific - we know internally he has very good leadership and he has been disappointed in his first two or three weeks but with Matthew Boyd out he really stepped up,” he said.
“That is a sign of a very good player.”
Ryan Griffen showed his class in the middle of the ground, finishing with 32 possessions in an impressive performance that would have pleased Bulldog supporters.
In more good signs for the home side, captain Brad Johnson made a successful return in his first match since round one.
Despite struggling early on, the veteran worked his way into the match, finishing with 24 possessions.
In was also a night of firsts for the Western Bulldogs, with debutant Jordan Roughead and key position prospect Jarrad Grant kicking their first goals in the red, white and blue.
Last year, the Bulldogs were criticised for not having a tall target up forward.
Now with Hall returning to the form that saw him one of the most feared forward in the competition and youngsters Grant and Roughead showing signs of the future, the Bulldogs forward line looks in ominous form for season 2010 and beyond.
For the Crows, it was their senior players that battled hardest.
Scott Thompson was solid in the middle, gathering 31 possessions, while Andrew McLeod and Graham Johncock had plenty of the ball across half-back.
The Crows again struggled in front of the big sticks, with Adelaide’s forwards kicking just 10 goals for the match - only the second time this season the Crows managed to kick 10 or more goals.
Kurt Tippett - who had only kicked 1.8 for the entire season before Friday night - showed some signs he might be returning to some form, kicking three goals.
The result means the Crows have lost the first five games of the season, with Neil Craig’s men now in serious danger of missing the finals for the first time since 2005.
Western Bulldogs 4.3 10.5 15.11 18.13 (121)
Adelaide 4.4 7.5 8.9 10.12 (72)
GOALS
Western Bulldogs: Hall 5, Eagleton 3, Hahn 2, Grant 2, Griffen 2, Giansiracusa, Higgins, Roughead, Murphy
Adelaide: Tippett 3, Burton 2, Porplyzia 2, Dangerfield, Knights, Vince
BEST
Western Bulldogs: Giansiracusa, Griffen, Eagleton, Hall, Gilbee, Hahn, Johnson
Adelaide: Thompson, Vince, Edwards, Tippett, Reilly, Davis, Dangerfield
INJURIES
Western Bulldogs: Nil
Adelaide: Nil
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Stevic, Pannell, McInerney
Official crowd: 26,884 at Etihad Stadium
The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
