A suspected ACL injury to midfielder Tom Liberatore has compounded a disappointing Round 1 performance from the Western Bulldogs against GWS in Canberra.
Liberatore was helped from the field in the opening minutes of the game after jarring his right knee, with the Club to conduct further tests in the coming days to confirm the damage.
The Dogs had no answer to the Giants’ intensity, hard-running and ball movement, and suffered an 82-point loss.
GWS blew the game apart in the second quarter, booting seven goals to one to lead by 42 points at half time, after the margin was five points at the first change.
It effectively ended the contest as the Giants continued to emphasise their attacking prowess in the last two quarters.
In the end the home side finished with 77 more uncontested possessions, 51 more marks and 99 more disposals.
Jeremy Cameron booted six goals for the Giants, with Jordan Roughead the only multiple goalkicker for the Bulldogs with two.
While the Dogs had few winners on the day, there were encouraging signs for ruckman Tim English, who took three contested marks and collected 13 disposals in just his third game of football.
Lachie Hunter (32 disposals), 100-gamer Jack Macrae (31) and Luke Dahlhaus (30) found plenty of the ball, and debutant Billy Gowers started the game brightly and booted his first AFL goal.
The Bulldogs play their first home game of the season next Sunday, April 1 against West Coast at Etihad Stadium.
MATCH DETAILS
Greater Western Sydney 4.2 11.4 17.4 20.13.133
Western Bulldogs 3.3 4.4 5.6 7.9.51
GOALS
Greater Western Sydney: Cameron 6, Greene 4, Patton 2, Kelly 2, Coniglio 2, Himmelberg, Shiel, Langdon, Tomlinson
Western Bulldogs: Roughead 2, Suckling, Gowers, Dunkley, Dale, Honeychurch
