Dogs muzzled by Swans
The Western Bulldogs have fallen to the Sydney Swans by eight points at Manuka Oval on Saturday
THE SYDNEY Swans have helped atone for last year's heartbreaking semi-final loss to the Western Bulldogs with an eight-point win at Manuka Oval on Saturday afternoon.
The Swans, who held a half time lead of 30 points in that final last September only to lose by five points, turned the tables at the Canberra venue to win 10.13 (73) to 10.5 (65) despite a fourth-quarter surge that twice saw the Dogs get within seven points.
A goal to first-gamer Nathan Gordon steadied the Swans' ship as the Dogs pressed early in the fourth term but Brodie Moles and Robert Murphy found the big sticks and cut the margin again.
But despite their inaccuracy in front of goal that allowed the untidy Dogs to stay close after they forfeited an 18-point lead in the first quarter, the Swans hung on with Murphy's goal at the 19-minute mark the last of the game.
The Bulldogs consistently made mistakes by foot, which couldn't be saved by the fact they won their fifth opening quarter for the season or that they beat the Swans in contested ball (161 to 156) for the seventh time in their past nine clashes.
After an exciting first quarter where the Dogs opened up a three-goal lead by the six-minute mark, with two coming from Swan turnovers - the first by Heath Grundy and the second Ben McGlynn - scoring dried up in the second.
Both sides were plagued by mistakes that followed on from missed opportunities in the opening term; namely Adam Goodes missing the Swans' first shot at goal, Murphy - who was best on ground early - dropping a set shot short and Josh Hill kicking a point from directly in front.
For the Swans - who had trailed by four points at quarter time - the term was an opportunity to break the game open missed.
They managed another three behinds but found the goals once more than the Dogs, with former Bulldog Andrejs Everitt kicking his second at the two-minute mark to finally reverse the lead.
The Dogs continued to make errors that made it hard for them to push the ball beyond the half-forward line.
Jarrad Grant was a serial offender with his half summed up when he kicked into Tadhg Kennelly on the mark 16 minutes in, while Liam Jones - who was heavily beaten by Grundy until he gained confidence from a strong contested mark early in the term - got better.
Before halftime, he emerged as the Dogs' attacking hope with a goal on the run and a leading mark but they still trailed by five points despite the Swans' inaccuracy.
Clearly ready to make up for their own messiness, the Swans emerged from the rooms well before the Bulldogs while the little league games were still in progress.
Rodney Eade sent Hill and Murphy forward in a bid to find a more consistent attacking answer, which looked a genius move when the former kicked the first point of the half.
A goal to Grant aside, the Swans dominated for the rest of the third as they continued to win the clearances and give their forward line supply.
The Dogs tried to counter attack by subbing out Ben Hudson for the speedy Zephaniah Skinner in a bid to inject more run but even that failed to pay dividends with the debutant having minimal impact.
Pyke, before being subbed out for Jarred Moore in the final term, kicked the last goal of the third to open up a 26-point lead that would be cut early in the fourth by the Dogs' sudden charge.
Influential players
The Dogs had few players who made significant impacts although Daniel Giansiracusa's two goals in the opening minutes of the last quarter re-ignited the contest and Matthew Boyd did all he could at the stoppages with seven clearances.
What it means
Eade said on Friday four points were golden, so the Dogs are leaving the nation's capital without their sought-after treasure. It means they just have the two wins for the season, which aren't all that impressive given they were against the Brisbane Lions and Gold Coast, and are sliding off the pace entering round eight.
New faces
Zephaniah Skinner was substituted on late in the third quarter for Ben Hudson and went straight to full-forward where he drew Ted Richards. The athletic bean pole from the remote Western Australian community of Noonkanbah took an uncontested mark for his first touch but sent a set shot sailing left. He ended with just two touches, two marks and one tackle.
Dream Team highlight
Three Dogs cracked the 100-point mark with Boyd's 33 touches and nine marks leaving him on top of the list with 134 points. Giansiracusa in his first game back from a hamstring recorded 106 while Ryan Griffen made up the quintet with 102. You'd be disappointed if you were sold on Skinner's pre-season promise with his short appearance earning him just 14 points.
The next four
Western Bulldogs: Richmond (Etihad Stadium), West Coast (Patersons Stadium), Hawthorn (Etihad Stadium), Geelong (Skilled Stadium)
What the coach said
Rodney Eade (Western Bulldogs)
"Obviously it's a bit mental. It's just work rate. We just got outworked in the second and third quarters. In the third quarter it was horrendous, and with the lack of workrate obviously skills can drop off. We've just got to find players who are prepared to work and work consistently."
Western Bulldogs 4.1 5.1 6.3 10.5 (65)
Sydney Swans 3.3 5.6 9.11 10.13 (73)
GOALS
Western Bulldogs: Grant 2, Giansiracusa 2, Moles 2, Griffen, Morris, Jones, Murphy
Sydney Swans: Everitt 2, O’Keefe 2, Pyke 2, Mumford, Goodes, McVeigh, Gordon
BEST
Western Bulldogs: Boyd, Griffen, Ward, Morris, Cross
Sydney Swans: O’Keefe, Mumford, Goodes, Grundy, Hannebery, Richards
INJURIES
Western Bulldogs: Nil
Sydney Swans: Nil
SUBSTITUTES
Western Bulldogs: Ben Hudson replaced by Zeph Skinner in the third quarter Sydney Swans: Mike Pyke replaced by Jarred Moore in the fourth quarter
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Rosebury, Meredith, Mollison
Official crowd: 10,184 at Manuka Oval
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily of the clubs or the AFL.
Western Bulldogs 4.1 5.1 6.3 10.5 (65)
Sydney Swans 3.3 5.6 9.11 10.13 (73)
GOALS
Western Bulldogs: Grant 2, Giansiracusa 2, Moles 2, Griffen, Morris, Jones, Murphy
Sydney Swans: Everitt 2, O’Keefe 2, Pyke 2, Mumford, Goodes, McVeigh, Gordon
BEST
Western Bulldogs: Boyd, Griffen, Ward, Morris, Cross
Sydney Swans: O’Keefe, Mumford, Goodes, Grundy, Hannebery, Richards
INJURIES
Western Bulldogs: Nil
Sydney Swans: Nil
SUBSTITUTES
Western Bulldogs: Ben Hudson replaced by Zeph Skinner in the third quarter Sydney Swans: Mike Pyke replaced by Jarred Moore in the fourth quarter
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Rosebury, Meredith, Mollison
Official crowd: 10,184 at Manuka Oval
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily of the club.
