AFL Media
THE WESTERN Bulldogs have survived an almighty scare from a gallant Richmond to escape with a 10-point win at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night that catapults them back inside the top four.
On a day when fellow top-four contender Greater Western Sydney was upset by Collingwood, the Bulldogs seemed set to suffer a similar fate when they trailed by 14 points midway through the third term.
But Jake Stringer then shook off a slow start to kick four second-half goals, including three in the final term, that lifted the Dogs to a 12.13 (85) to 11.9 (75) win.
The result was in doubt right up until Stringer kicked his final goal at the 28-minute mark of the final term, with the lead changing five times in the final term.
- Nick Bowen
The Age
Richmond midfielder Anthony Miles said on Friday that his team hoped to shape the logjammed top eight in the final two months of the season.
They very nearly did that at the first attempt, with only four second-half goals from Western Bulldogs livewire Jake Stringer – including the last two of the game – preventing another round 16 upset.
- Daniel Cherny
Herald Sun
Some Stringer moments of magic, and a massive final term from Marcus Bontempelli, helped to save the Bulldogs, as their top four hopes are enhanced by other results this round.
In all fairness, the Dogs dodged a bullet, winning by 10 points, after five lead-changes in the final term alone.
[But] they weren’t safe until Stringer’s fourth goal — the game’s last — 27 minutes into the final term.
- Glenn Mcfarlane
