Defensive acts define Jones’ dominance
Focussing on his influence outside of the scoreboard Liam Jones produced arguably his best game for the Western Bulldogs in Sunday’s win over Collingwood.
While Jones equalled a personal best of four goals, his six tackles was most telling.
The 23-year-old said his teammates’ pressure around the ball and willingness to take the game was a key factor in the result.
“We all just wanted to have a crack and might as well die trying rather than not trying at all,” Jones said.
“Just the way we pressured them around the ball, our tackles, our chases, those sort of things [are what] got us over the line and got us the win.”
Holding off a fast-finishing Collingwood outfit pleased Jones, claiming the win rates among his best memories in his AFL career.
“I really loved how we just held on… when they were really putting it on us – it’s one of the best wins I’ve been a part of,” he said.
From the outset the Bulldogs anticipated a physical contest and they were not disappointed with a combined total of 187 tackles – 53 more than the competition’s season average.
But the Bulldogs were dominant in the clinches with more contested possessions and clearances than the opposition.
“We knew it was going to be a tough game and obviously we haven’t been in the greatest form,” he said.
“Personally I’ve never beaten Collingwood and I don’t think we had beaten them in a few years, so it was really good to get the win.”