THE WESTERN Bulldogs' season has opened in disappointing fashion, with a 49-point defeat to West Coast at Etihad Stadium.
Eagles forward Josh Kennedy booted seven goals to help power the Eagles to the win on Sunday.
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The Dogs trailed by just 13 points at half-time, but were powerless to stop a second-half blitz by the Eagles, who kicked nine goals in succession to set up the 21.10 (136) to 12.15 (87) win.
Dean Cox and Nic Naitanui gave their onballers first use for most of the day and also hit the scoreboard, while Matt Priddis provided the drive through the midfield with 33 possessions.
The Eagles' tall timber worried the Dogs' defenders from the outset, with Cox and Naitanui alternating in joining Kennedy as aerial threats inside forward 50.
Cox added a goal to Kennedy's four for the first quarter as West Coast edged in front, but it was the Dogs smaller runners who kept them in it, with Daniel Giansiracusa the main target.
Kennedy booted his fifth goal early in the second, but the quarter belonged to Bulldog first-gamer Clay Smith, who booted three goals for the term before being subbed out with four to his name late in the third quarter in a debut to remember.
Former Dog Josh Hill gave his new team a 13-point lead with a goal in the shadows of half-time after Brian Lake infringed while attempting mark of the year in the goal square.
Smith added his fourth early in the third quarter, but the Eagles made their move, with a deft spin move and goal by Naitanui the highlight of a five-goal burst that pushed the margin out to 34 points at the last change.
Daniel Kerr endured a torrid day thanks to Liam Picken, who kept the star onballer to just seven touches before he was subbed out of the game at three-quarter time, but the Eagles' momentum continued unabated in the final term.
WESTERN BULLDOGS 4.3 8.5 10.11 21.10 (136)
WEST COAST 6.2 10.6 16.9 12.15 (87)
GOALS
Western Bulldogs: Smith 4, Dahlhaus 2, Higgins 2, Jones, Cooney, Giansiracusa, Picken
West Coast: Kennedy 7, Hill 3, Hams 2, Cox 2, Gaff, Masten, Schofield, Lynch, Embley, Darling, Naitanui
BEST
Western Bulldogs: Boyd, Smith, Liberatore, Dahlhaus, Cooney, Higgins, Cross
West Coast: Kennedy, Cox, Priddis, Rosa, Naitanui, Gaff, S. Selwood
INJURIES
Western Bulldogs: Howard (ankle)
West Coast: TBC
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Nicholls, Jennings, Mitchell
Official crowd: 24,977 at Etihad Stadium
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
