Western Bulldogs and West Coast Eagles showcased Australian rules football in its purest form

Western Bulldogs and West Coast Eagles showcased Australian rules football in its purest form
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-03-...form/100034576

The ball pinged from one end of Docklands to the other, bodies crashed in on the ground and in the air – Sunday's clash between the Western Bulldogs and West Coast Eagles was football in its purest and richest form.

Laitham Vandermeer's shepherd, Jamie Cripps's tackle, Bailey Williams win against the odds on the half-back flank, Nic Naitanui's tap work, clutch kicks and smothers — I could go on and on – left you gagging for more.

The Bulldogs came from 14 points down in the last quarter to win a match that contained 12 lead changes and had you so engaged your head was protruding through the commentary box window.

West Coast had taken control of the game in the third quarter with Natanui and midfield weapon Tim Kelly combining superbly. The Eagles dominated the air both in defence and attack, where Jack Darling, Oscar Allen and Josh Kennedy were all influential.

When that trio failed to mark it, they put the ball to ground for Liam Ryan and Jamaine Jones to get busy.

That the Bulldogs pulled off an amazing win was in no small part due to their breathtaking level of desperation and commitment, personified by the unflinching efforts of Tom Liberatore, Jack Macrae, Williams and emerging star Bailey Smith.

And then there was Marcus Bontempelli.

Bontempelli with a football is like Shakespeare with a pen — every stroke is wondrous, albeit the Bont produces the stuff of dreams in mid-autumn, winter and the start of spring.

The Western Bulldogs captain amassed 14 telling possessions in the opening term, finished with 30 for the match and kicked three goals including the sealer at the 32-minute mark. The Bulldogs-heavy crowd of 21,000 almost blew the roof off the stadium.

Calling footy off the TV in the ABC boardroom during Melbourne's lockdown last season seemed a million miles away. It was footy at its absolute best.

There is no doubt recent rule changes have enhanced the spectacle. The new man on the mark rule has led to an attack-first mentality, and giving defenders more room at kick-ins has almost completely eliminated those painful chips to the back pocket and laborious movement of the ball from inside the defensive 50.

On a couple of occasions, Eagles veteran Shannon Hurn launched bombs into the middle of the ground that Ben Graham would have been proud of. The game is more open and as a result more enjoyable.

While the Eagles were ultimately beaten on Sunday they remain a serious threat this year, especially with the imminent return of their captain Luke Shuey from a hamstring injury and Elliott Yeo (groin) also still to come back.

It was honestly the best game of football I've seen for years. Both teams should be making other opponents nervous

AFL Extended highlights here

Not a fan of all this hype, to be honest. Yeah, it was a good win but we're not great at handling expectations.

Really hoping we don't drink our own bathwater.

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Originally Posted by comrade

Not a fan of all this hype, to be honest. Yeah, it was a good win but we're not great at handling expectations.

Really hoping we don't drink our own bathwater.

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Dogs by 125. Lid's off.

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Originally Posted by comrade

Not a fan of all this hype, to be honest. Yeah, it was a good win but we're not great at handling expectations.

Really hoping we don't drink our own bathwater.

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I'm all for pouring expectations on the club and this playing group. We have been talked down far too often.
Port rode it well last year

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Originally Posted by GVGjr

I'm all for pouring expectations on the club and this playing group. We have been talked down far too often.
Port rode it well last year

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I definitely hope they prove me wrong.

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Originally Posted by Grantysghost

Dogs by 125. Lid's off.

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And that's in the grand final. Wait until you see what we do to reams in home and away games!

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Originally Posted by comrade

Not a fan of all this hype, to be honest. Yeah, it was a good win but we're not great at handling expectations.

Really hoping we don't drink our own bathwater.

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Hype, Schmype.

You play good football, you'll get talked about.

It was a brilliant game of football, up there with 2017 V Sydney.

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Originally Posted by westdog54

Hype, Schmype.

You play good football, you'll get talked about.

It was a brilliant game of football, up there with 2017 V Sydney.

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I'm not ready to get hurt again :D

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Originally Posted by comrade

Not a fan of all this hype, to be honest. Yeah, it was a good win but we're not great at handling expectations.

Really hoping we don't drink our own bathwater.

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Who, us? Nahhh.

https://i.ibb.co/RQjxZFM/bulldogs-bathwater.png

In full agreement, unearned plaudits - and there's been a lot of them - make me (1) super nervous because well, Bulldogs, and (2) annoyed (see reason #1).

And the external view that the way we play is somehow the 'best' way to play because it's convenient for the league, its advertisers and its spruikers is weird.

Winning is nice, but back up like professionals against a banana peel like North, then do it again against a rival not missing their two best mids and I'll start to chill TF out.

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Originally Posted by Rocket Science

Who, us? Nahhh.

https://i.ibb.co/RQjxZFM/bulldogs-bathwater.png

In full agreement, unearned plaudits - and there's been a lot of them - make me (1) super nervous because well, Bulldogs, and (2) annoyed (see reason #1).

And the external view that the way we play is somehow the 'best' way to play because it's convenient for the league, its advertisers and its spruikers is weird.

Winning is nice, but back up like professionals against a banana peel like North, then do it again against a rival not missing their two best mids and I'll start to chill TF out.

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I will say that the fight back on Sunday was unlike anything we've produced in the last few years. Hopefully it's a sign of things to come, but I need to see more until I'm comfortable with the hype train pulling into West Footscray station.

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Originally Posted by comrade

I'm not ready to get hurt again :D

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You're involved in the wrong game if you're worried about getting hurt.

I think we are a team that thrive on confidence. There has been something joyless in our footy in recent years. I saw so much more spirit, risktaking, signs like blocking and working harder for each other. Over recent times we would have gone back into our shells when the Eagles took command. We continued to take the game on. It's why I see it as one of our most important wins post 2016.It's

I thought I'd read/ heard that we have come from behind at 3/4 time 14 times under Bevo and that that was a big number. Then there was that Hawks win two years ago.

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Originally Posted by jeemak

I thought I'd read/ heard that we have come from behind at 3/4 time 14 times under Bevo and that that was a big number. Then there was that Hawks win two years ago.

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I wonder how many of those games we should have been behind at 3/4 time.

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Originally Posted by comrade

I'm not ready to get hurt again :D

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You need to put yourself out there :)
I'm not lowering expectations on this side any more. We simply need to show up and put in a good effort because we have the talent to be a genuine top 4 or 5 contender.

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Originally Posted by GVGjr

You need to put yourself out there :)
I'm not lowering expectations on this side any more. We simply need to show up and put in a good effort because we have the talent to be a genuine top 4 or 5 contender.

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Agree, the players are now matured, we have a good blend of games experience from <50, 50-100, 100- 150 and 150 plus. We have one of the best midfields in the AFL, and two big forwards who can mark and kick goals and a pretty good defence, plus help in the ruck.

Whether we are good enough will remain to be seen. I am confident of a top 4 finish.

Yep must be top 4 this year.

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Originally Posted by bulldogsthru&thru

I wonder how many of those games we should have been behind at 3/4 time.

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It's an interesting, yet unanswerable question given the resources at my disposal!!!

We all have different expectations from this group, some think we should have been contending or at least closer to contending the past 24 months while others think we've had massive turnover and have been rebuilding and are just about where we should be (I'm in the latter group).

If we can bring the desire/ willingness to keep competing shown on the weekend week in and week out, then we've already improved. That's been the biggest issue for me these past few years, though inconsistency in these areas is typical of developing sides. While we still have deficiencies in some areas which are well known, a lot can be compensated for with consistent effort from a team that shows up each week.

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Originally Posted by The bulldog tragician

I think we are a team that thrive on confidence. There has been something joyless in our footy in recent years. I saw so much more spirit, risktaking, signs like blocking and working harder for each other. Over recent times we would have gone back into our shells when the Eagles took command. We continued to take the game on. It's why I see it as one of our most important wins post 2016.It's

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A piece of play that highlights this which was in the last qtr and was highlighted on one of the footy shows was when LV put a block on for Hunter and then received the handball before putting the ball on a platter for Naughts who rightfully converted. LV could've peeled off, but the team first mentality was on display and we/ he was rewarded.

When we do this right ,we become very hard to beat.

With this team no room for negativity or fear from players or supporters.
No tentative anxieties have a place.
You are on the train or not. This is potentially the best team we have ever had.
It is now or never.
Leave the decisions to the club and enjoy your team.
The best ever time to be a Footscray supporter.

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Originally Posted by The bulldog tragician

I think we are a team that thrive on confidence. There has been something joyless in our footy in recent years. I saw so much more spirit, risktaking, signs like blocking and working harder for each other. Over recent times we would have gone back into our shells when the Eagles took command. We continued to take the game on. It's why I see it as one of our most important wins post 2016.It's

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Great point re: return of joyful footy.

So often since the flag it felt like the story was written mid week, come game day we’d see an inaccurate and fluctuating effort result in us being torched by 1 good quarter of opposition footy. Some times 3Q of good footy undone by just 1Q. Not fun for us, we’d seen it all before.

Players going one paced in a very methodical fashion. It was joyless.

Laitham’s introduction into the team is a fa for. The exuberant footy that Dutch in particular brings the table reconnects this squad with the Bulldog identity. Our women’s team did it this season, their best traits were the things we see in our idealised version of the club. The boys are going to bring it too.

I find it hard to fault the start of the year too much.

- We introduced 4 new players to a group that already hasn't played heaps of footy together.
- Pies round 1, MCG Friday night, big stage - won, and at times looked electric. Scoreboard flattered the opposition.
- Round 2, playing a very good team, we got behind but found a way to generate our own momentum to get back in front and overrun them.

You can choose to focus on the excuses for opposition, or that we didn't absolutely flog them - but reality is, we've got 8 points from 2 games, and would have taken that at the start of the year regardless of how it comes.

Of course, it all means nothing if we don't win this week and lose that advantage. But we've gotten ourselves a head start on Collingwood, West Coast, Geelong, Brisbane and St Kilda in terms of the start to the year - and we know there is improvement to be had in connecting with our forwards, and in conversion.

Exciting times.

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Originally Posted by Ozza

I find it hard to fault the start of the year too much.

- We introduced 4 new players to a group that already hasn't played heaps of footy together.
- Pies round 1, MCG Friday night, big stage - won, and at times looked electric. Scoreboard flattered the opposition.
- Round 2, playing a very good team, we got behind but found a way to generate our own momentum to get back in front and overrun them.

You can choose to focus on the excuses for opposition, or that we didn't absolutely flog them - but reality is, we've got 8 points from 2 games, and would have taken that at the start of the year regardless of how it comes.

Of course, it all means nothing if we don't win this week and lose that advantage. But we've gotten ourselves a head start on Collingwood, West Coast, Geelong, Brisbane and St Kilda in terms of the start to the year - and we know there is improvement to be had in connecting with our forwards, and in conversion.

Exciting times.

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It will be nice if we can go 3-0 into a crack at Brisbane next week in Ballarat.

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Originally Posted by bornadog

It will be nice if we can go 3-0 into a crack at Brisbane next week in Ballarat.

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Hope the lions win tonight in a really tough game.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ozza

I find it hard to fault the start of the year too much.

- We introduced 4 new players to a group that already hasn't played heaps of footy together.
- Pies round 1, MCG Friday night, big stage - won, and at times looked electric. Scoreboard flattered the opposition.
- Round 2, playing a very good team, we got behind but found a way to generate our own momentum to get back in front and overrun them.

You can choose to focus on the excuses for opposition, or that we didn't absolutely flog them - but reality is, we've got 8 points from 2 games, and would have taken that at the start of the year regardless of how it comes.

Of course, it all means nothing if we don't win this week and lose that advantage. But we've gotten ourselves a head start on Collingwood, West Coast, Geelong, Brisbane and St Kilda in terms of the start to the year - and we know there is improvement to be had in connecting with our forwards, and in conversion.

Exciting times.

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I'm pretty rapt with how we've played. We've won in 2 very different types of games, but most pleasing is we have displayed effort and commitment right until the final siren in both games which isn't something we've been consistent with for years.

I'm really hoping the penny has dropped and this is the baseline standard for the rest of the year. If so, we're into this season up to our eyeballs.

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Originally Posted by comrade

I'm pretty rapt with how we've played. We've won in 2 very different types of games, but most pleasing is we have displayed effort and commitment right until the final siren in both games which isn't something we've been consistent with for years.

I'm really hoping the penny has dropped and this is the baseline standard for the rest of the year. If so, we're into this season up to our eyeballs.

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Wait til we get Jamarra in the side....

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Originally Posted by Ozza

Wait til we get Jamarra in the side....

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https://media.giphy.com/media/sGnKAiOUrincs/giphy.gif

I was pretty pessimistic going into the season but have been very impressed thus far.

I still have queries about a lot of list management decisions but the 22 that has been playing has been working really well and we have certainly delivered, most importantly we don't look like the fragile side of the last few years. May this form continue.