Skip to Content. Skip to Navigation.
Advertisement
AFL

News

Dogs flog Freo for 4th

Dogs flog Freo for 4th

07/25/2010 04:59:03 AM

Jason Who?

That is the question jubilant Western Bulldogs' fans will be asking after their club put aside a week of turmoil, following the shock sacking of Jason Akermanis, to produce their best performance of the season on Sunday in destroying a disappointing Fremantle - 24.14 (158) to 12.4 (76) - at Etihad Stadium.

And in the process the Bulldogs claimed Fremantle's spot in the top four and exposed the Dockers as premiership pretenders while also making a big statement to Collingwood, St Kilda and Geelong that perhaps the 2010 premiership race might not just be a three-way race after all.

The Bulldogs entered the game in fifth spot, a game adrift of the fourth-placed Dockers, but under plenty of scrutiny in terms of how the team would respond following the decision to part ways with 2001 Brownlow Medalist and three-time premiership player Akermanis.

And those that believed the Dogs had made a big mistake by getting rid of a proven big game performer like Akermanis may well end up eating their words after Rodney Eade's team showed they have what it takes to be successful in September even without the controversial former Brisbane Lions' forward as they booted their highest score of the season.

The Dogs were simply devastating on Sunday and none more than Ryan Griffen, who set up the rout with one of the best first-half performances imaginable, as Fremantle capitulated in the manner of the old Dockers and not the new-look team that began this season in such a blaze of glory but right now appears to be in a major flat spot.

Griffen booted three first half goals - one a magnificent goal on the run from the edge of the centre square and another a wonderfully executed banana goal on the run after winning his own ball from under a pack - to almost single-handedly end the contest virtually before it had even begun.

The Dogs' first term onslaught of 9.3 was their best opening quarter performance since kicking 9.6 against Hawthorn in Round 14 last year as they led by 39 points at quarter-time.

By half-time, the margin had grown to 57 points with the Dogs' score of 14.5 their best first half score since kicking 14.7 against North Melbourne seven years ago at Etihad Stadium, in a game they somehow still managed to lose.

But with star midfielders Adam Cooney, Matthew Boyd and Daniel Cross all dominant and Dale Morris eclipsing Fremantle skipper Matthew Pavlich - who was unsighted until after the result was well and truly decided - there was never any danger of the Dogs not winning this game after making a great start.

Such was the Dogs' dominance that by half-time they had enjoyed 57 more disposals and had seven more inside 50's than the Dockers as well as double the amount of clearances - 24 to 12.

Even veteran skipper Brad Johnson, who has struggled due to injury all season as well as being embroiled in the Akermanis saga during the week when the former Lion accused the much-respected Bulldog of orchestrating Akermanis' departure from the club, finally began to show glimpses of his old form.

Johnson booted two goals with his goal at the start of the final term - when he volleyed home a superb tap-on from Barry Hall in the goalsquare - bringing the crowd to its feet with his return to form auguring well for the Dogs' hopes in September.

Hall also set up the first half onslaught with four goals - two in each of the first and second terms - while youngsters Easton Wood, Jarrad Grant and Brodie Moles all chipped in with majors as did regular full-back Brian Lake and much-improved tagger Liam Picken.

As for Fremantle - which has now lost four of its past seven matches - the less said about this performance the better and on this evidence the Dockers won't last long come September.

And that's if they make it at all considering they still need at least one win to secure only their third ever finals berth and face a tough run home starting with next week's derby against West Coast followed by games against fellow finals contenders North Melbourne, Sydney, Hawthorn and Carlton to round out the season.

WESTERN BULLDOGS: 9.3, 14.5, 18.9, 24.14 (158)
FREMANTLE: 3.0, 5.2, 9.3, 12.4 (76)

GOALS: Bulldogs: Hall 4, Griffen 3, Lake 3, Grant 3, Johnson 2, Higgins 2, Moles 2, Picken 2, Giansiracusa, Cooney, Wood
Fremantle: Pavlich 4, Ballantyne, Hasleby, Ibbotson, McPhee, Palmer, Fyfe, Johnson, Crichton
BEST: Bulldogs: Griffen, Cooney, Morris, Boyd, Cross, Murphy, Lake, Picken, Harbrow
Fremantle: Hayden, McPharlin, Suban, Duffield, Pavlich
INJURIES: TBC
UMPIRES: Chamberlain, Farmer, McInerney
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Fremantle: Mundy (ill) replaced by Hasleby

 
Photograph Copyright : Getty Images

You Might Also Like

Cooney ruled out for Darwin trek
Cooney ruled out for Darwin trek
05/15/2012 02:38:18 AM
Western Bulldogs will be without star midfielder Adam Cooney for another week after he was ruled out of Saturday night's match against Gold ...
 
 
Dreams coming true for Dickson
05/14/2012 05:34:57 AM
 
Forward line worries Lyon
05/13/2012 11:59:55 PM
 
Dockers cruise past Power
05/13/2012 09:41:02 AM
 
Dogs upset poor Kangaroos
05/13/2012 06:08:14 AM
 
Bulldogs lose Cooney
05/13/2012 02:42:14 AM
 
Big men back in action
05/11/2012 07:25:31 AM
 
Dockers brace for pumped-up Power
05/11/2012 06:42:59 AM
 
 
 

Most Read Articles

Is this the true AFL Ladder?
Is this the true AFL Ladder?
AFL
05/16/2012 03:30:17 AM
Take a look at what the AFL ladder would look like if games against the bottom three ...
 
 
Adelaide United snare win in Japan
Football
05/16/2012 11:19:39 AM
 
Five suspended in IPL spot-fixing saga
Cricket
05/15/2012 06:36:38 PM
 
Eagles' injury crisis easing
AFL
05/16/2012 03:12:17 AM
 
Victory part ways with Hernandez
Football
05/16/2012 07:30:19 AM
 
McLaren lend support to Williams
Motorsport
05/15/2012 09:37:19 PM
 
Kelly: No rift with Scott
AFL
05/16/2012 01:28:21 AM
 
Phelps to retire after London Olympics
Other Sports
05/15/2012 06:45:06 PM
 
 
 

Fantasy AFL: Best Players

Our Say

Is this the true AFL Ladder?
Is this the true AFL Ladder?
Bren O'Brien
Take a look at what the AFL ladder would look like if games against the bottom three ...more
Crackers' Call: Same old story for Roos
Crackers' Call: Same old story for Roos
Peter 'Crackers' Keenan
I'm a life member of North Melbourne footy club and I've enjoyed my association with the ...more
 
Poll
Which NRL club is hit the hardest by Origin?