The Western Bulldogs have retained their place in the top-four, on the back of a 44-point win over Essendon at Victoria University Whitten Oval on Saturday afternoon.

Keeping the Bombers goalless throughout the four quarters was a credit to the Bulldogs backline, complimenting the 17 scoring shots generated forward of the ball.

Captain Mickayla Ward and Brooke Lochland kicked two goals each, to help the Bulldogs to a 6.11 (47) to 0.3 (3) victory.

AFLW Bulldogs Ellie Blackburn and Lochland returned to the side this week, with both hitting the scoreboard and applying great pressure throughout the contest.

Youngsters Elisabeth Georgostathis and Ella Wood continued to impress in just their first handful of games at the level in red, white and blue.

The rain tumbled down in the first term but that proved no issue for Lochland who slotted the first major of the contest, before converting a set shot in similar fashion later in the term to help the Bulldogs to a 14-point lead at the first break.

The second term proved more of an arm-wrestle, before Kirsten McLeod found space inside 50m in the dying moments, gathering and running into the open goal kick to stretch the home side’s lead to 22 points at half time.

Ward kick started the third term with her two majors and set the tone for the rest of the side. The impressive defensive effort of Sophie Molan to smother an attempt on goal ensured that the third term remained scoreless for the visitors.

The Bombers continued to push but the Bulldogs proved too strong in the final term with Blackburn’s goal at the halfway stage of the term putting the icing on the cake of a 44-point win.

The Bulldogs will look to continue their winning ways next Saturday (17 August) against Richmond at the Swinburne Centre, with the first bounce scheduled at 12:30pm.



 

MATCH DETAILS

Western Bulldogs              2.3       3.6      5.7       6.11  (47) 
Essendon                           0.1       0.2      0.2       0.3     (3)

GOALS:
Western Bulldogs: M.Ward 2, B.Lochland 2, E.Blackburn, K.McLeod
Essendon: -

BEST
Western Bulldogs: B. Lochland, N. Ferres, D. Berry , E. Georgostathis, A. Guest, M. Ward
Essendon: G. Patrikios, S. Audley, L. Ahrens, M. Fogas, A. Barba, E. Ashley-Cooper