For every weekend football isn’t played due to the suspension of the 2020 season, we’ll flash back to a past game against the same opponent, as a reminder of past Bulldog glories. Today, it’s North Melbourne.
Good Friday is a special day for many Australians, and it held even more significance for Bulldogs fans in Round 4, 2017.
On that day, the Dogs and North Melbourne took part in the first ever AFL match on the sacred day, joining together to raise much-needed funds for the Royal Children’s Hospital’s Good Friday Appeal.
And what a classic match it came to be, with the Bulldogs securing a nail-biting win in front of a massive crowd at Marvel Stadium, and a huge television audience.
After an even start, the Kangaroos stretched out to a 29-point lead in the third quarter and appeared to have the four points in their keeping.
But on the back of a 10-disposal quarter from Marcus Bontempelli, the Dogs stormed back into the contest.
The Roos’ six-goal streak was followed by five straight from the Bulldogs, which brought to them to within two points with a quarter to play.
The lead changed hands five times in a frenetic final stanza, with the Dogs holding a 10-point lead until Jack Ziebell reduced the margin with 26 minutes on the clock.
Lindsay Thomas, playing his 200th game, had the chance to win the match for North in the dying seconds, but his shot from 45m out missed to the left.
ROUND 4, 2017 – MATCH DETAILS
NORTH MELBOURNE 2.4 4.7 8.11 12.14 (86)
WESTERN BULLDOGS 2.2 2.8 7.15 12.17 (89)
GOALS
North Melbourne: Brown 4, Turner 2, Simpkin 2, Higgins, Garner, Goldstein, Ziebell
Western Bulldogs: Stringer 2, Dahlhaus 2, Suckling 2, Cloke, Bontempelli, Murphy, Liberatore, Dunkley, Macrae
BEST
North Melbourne: Cunnington, Ziebell, Goldstein, Brown, Macmillan, Hrovat
Western Bulldogs: Dahlhaus, Bontempelli, M.Boyd, Macrae, Stringer, Murphy
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Meredith, Williamson, Findlay
Official crowd: 42,814 at Etihad Stadium
