A FAMOUS FINALS WIN
Well, that's it from me tonight, hope you enjoyed our coverage of a sensational performance from the Western Bulldogs, who live to fight another day. Enjoy the win, Doggies fans, and commiserations to you Eagles, it's a kick in the teeth, but it's still a youngish list with plenty of good football ahead of it. Enjoy the rest of this weekend's finals, and I'll catch you again soon. Rohan Connolly signing off here at Blog Central.
ANALYSIS
It's hard to appreciate fully just how significant a win this is from the Dogs. While they might again go in an underdog next week against either Geelong or Hawthorn, they will rightly fancy their chances against either with that sort of commitment. Inferior form, an intimidating venue and a rack of changes at selection all meant nothing as the Bulldogs seized the initiative from the word go and just continued to build their lead. West Coast had won nine of 12 finals at Subiaco prior to this game, but never looked like it tonight in their first home finals defeat since 2007. It's a bitter one, too, West Coast going from runner-up to first team out of the finals the following season in a year that looked after a dodgy start like it was really going somewhere. The Dogs were supposed to be troubled by the Eagles' potent forwards. They weren't. They weren't supposed to be able to kick enough goals. They did. And once again, coach Luke Beveridge's mantra of evenness and flexibility was critical. Everything worked, smaller targets chipping in for goals, the Dogs boasting 11 individual goalkickers. Their on-ball division was superb, none better than little Caleb Daniel, while Luke Dahlhaus helped set the tone for the evening. Tom Boyd and Jordan Roughead plaeyd critical roles in the ruck and with their mobility around the ground, and their team defence, led by Matthew Boyd, rebounded superbly. They'll be without Lin Jong with a serious shoulder injury now, but it's just another in the long catalogue of injuries they've had to endure in 2016, and they coped with all of them admirably. This is a team that just refuses to accept its fate, and if it continues in this mood, no team will feel anything other than anxious having to face them this September.
POST-MATCH
Well, to be honest, I can't remember too many better wins by an underdog in a final. The Dogs were paying $4.50 at one stage for this game, but they made an absolute mockery of those odds with an incredibly disciplined and mature performance to win their first final since 2010. West Coast had won nine of their last 10 games, but it counted for nought in the face of determined opposition. They'll treasure this win, the Doggies, and so they should.
FULL TIME
And there it is! The Western Bulldogs have recorded a famous finals victory, and they will play the loser of tomorrow night's qualifying final between Geelong and Hawthorn
Q4 28 MIN, WC 52 WB 99
Goal for Kennedy, only his second of the evening, and with only a few seconds left, the Coleman medallist will finish the season with 82 goals.
Back to topQ4 27 MIN, WC 46 WB 99
All the sting has gone out of this game now, as the enormity of what the Bulldogs have accomplished sinks in. And the Eagles night is summed up by another miss from point blank range by Yeo.
Caleb Daniel may have been dudded at the Rising Star awards this week but tonight his star is the brightest of all Great hands & feet #skill
— Darren Berry (@ChuckBerry1969) September 8, 2016
Bulldogs last finals win over Cats was in 1956. They're 0-4 in finals v HAW. Whoever they play next week, they're a big chance.#AFLFinals
— Joshua Kay (@js_kay) September 8, 2016
God I love Caleb Daniel! #AFLEaglesDogs
— Rohan Connolly (@rohan_connolly) September 8, 2016
Q4 12 MIN, WC 45 WB 96
Another nail in the coffin! Daniel, who's been superb, finds Stringer right on 50 and while he's been quiet, he makes no mistake now and slams it home! What a win this is for the Bulldogs!
Back to topQ4 11 MIN, WC 45 WB 90
Bontempelli hits the post, Suckling hit it a couple of minutes earlier, and really, this could end up a shellacking with the Eagles losing hope now.
Q4 8 MIN, WC 45 WB 89
But yet again, the Bulldogs find an answer. Bontempelli gets a free kick for a high tackle and from a fair way out goes BANG! No mistake, 44 points the lead, and she's all over folks.
Q4 4 MIN, WC 45, WB 81
There's one back. Mark LeCras takes a courageous mark running back with the flight and from point blank range coverts it, crowd finding it hard to get excited though, still a long way to go.
Q4 2 MIN, WC 39 WB 81
That will be it! Just 90 second in, Josh Dunkley snaps a goal from a cluster of players 20 metres out, and the Dogs lead by 42 points. Game over!
ANALYSIS
The Dogs again took the ascendancy again after the break with the first two goals, and while West Coast really lifted their intensity, the Bulldogs had scent of a famous win in their nostrils and continued to bullock, bash and belt the ball forward, their on-ballers far more conspicuous, ruckman/forward Tom Boyd and Jordan Roughead also having an impact. The lead got out to seven goals after a brilliant mark and play-on effort from Roughead, before Darling gave the Eagles at least a tiny bit of hope with a goal right on siren time. Dahlhaus, Daniel and Boyd have been outstanding for the Dogs, Gaff, Masten and Shuey have tried hard for the home side, but they're going to need something of a miracle to get out of this and avoid losing their first final at home since 2007.
Back to topTHREE-QUARTER TIME
Just 14 seconds left on the clock after that goal, and at the last change it's the Bulldogs by 36 points and on the verge of a famous win.
Q3 30 MIN, WC 39 WB 75
West Coast respond, after Jack Macrae got caught with the ball as the Dogs cleared the decks. Jack Darling takes a huge grab and converts, and they're still alive ... just.
@jordan_roughead that goal tho 🙌🏽
— Moana Hope (@moanahope) September 8, 2016
Q3 26 MIN, WC 33 WB 74
And that might be the ball game! What a goal from Jordan Roughead! He marked strongly, played on straight away and slotted it on the run from 40 metres. 41 points now, that's an enormous deficit in a a final.
Huge! Big goal for the Doggies, Lycett marked for the Eagles and saw Yeo in the centre. But Biggs made great ground to intercept, Daniel picked up the spoils and Dunkley was on his own in the 50 and made no mistake. Dogs by 35 points.
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