Hotdog60
23-05-2021, 08:46 AM
It was only seven-and-a-half months ago when the Saints prevailed in a thriller to knock the Bulldogs out of the premiership race. Now, that result is almost inconceivable.
The Bulldogs have bitten a sizeable chunk out of St Kilda’s finals hopes while storming to the AFL ladder’s pinnacle with a destructive 111-point triumph – the fifth-greatest winning margin in the club’s history.
https://static.ffx.io/images/$zoom_0.479%2C$multiply_1.0582%2C$ratio_1.5%2C$width_756%2C$ x_0%2C$y_0/t_crop_custom/q_86%2Cf_auto/605869ce1571cb07af7bfadfc925f603221a08de
It was the Saints’ fourth heavy defeat in the first 10 rounds of the season, having suffered beltings at the hands of Essendon, Richmond and Port Adelaide in the lead-up to the elimination final rematch.
The Bulldogs, on the other hand, are charging towards September, and were again led by skipper Marcus Bontempelli (four goals from 20 kicks along with six tackles), the ever-reliable Jack Macrae (41 touches and eight tackles), the quickly developing Bailey Dale (two goals, 33 disposals), contested beast Tom Liberatore (31 touches at 93 per cent efficiency), and spearhead Aaron Naughton, who combined five-goals-four with nine marks.
For the Saints, captain Jack Steele’s effort could not be questioned, while fifth-gamer Ryan Byrnes could hold his head high, coupling 24 disposals with a game-high 12 marks.
The Bulldogs used the second term, in particular, to feast upon a startled St Kilda, constantly streaming unchecked down the spine of Marvel Stadium and piling on seven goals to the Saints’ one in a seemingly effortless manner.
https://static.ffx.io/images/$zoom_0.324%2C$multiply_1.0582%2C$ratio_1.5%2C$width_756%2C$ x_0%2C$y_0/t_crop_custom/q_86%2Cf_auto/d1d8e1def3d8a922a0934fe7f900c11fca1984ec
It meant the premiership fancies had whipped up a 51-point lead by the main break, and despite possessing the ball almost 50 times more than their opponents, had also laid 17 more tackles.
The commanding Bulldogs’ on-ball brigade had begun to assert its dominance, more than doubling St Kilda in centre clearances during the second-quarter procession, while the anxious Saints started to accumulate an alarming clanger count.
Armed with an big lead in the third term, the Dogs were content with moving the ball largely by the wings in order to work around St Kilda’s tighter defence of the corridor.
Then, after patiently building their lead in the third quarter, the Bulldogs powered home in the last with six goals to one to produce the club’s greatest-ever winning margin over St Kilda.
Death, taxes and …
Macrae disposing of the ball over 30 times. Remarkably, the Brownlow smoky has
achieved the 30-touch feat in every game so far this season. He was again sublime in
the Dogs’ crushing victory on Saturday night, with 41 disposals, six marks, and eight
tackles.
Saints’ goalkicking demons
A week on from St Kilda’s shambolic 5.17 score-line in round nine, a mere look at the quarter-time scoreboard, which read 2.0, would suggest it was unblemished in front of goal early. The highlights will also show Jack Billings’ neat dribble from deep in the pocket, but in reality, the Saints’ yips were alive and well.
Tim Membrey sent an attempt out on the full early, while the enigmatic Shaun McKernan and
fifth-gamer Ryan Byrnes both failed to make the distance by considerable margins in their respective set shots.
Worth his weight in gold
It was only his second game for the season and fifth in his two-season career. But Cody Weightman is cementing his place in the Bulldogs’ star-studded line-up, and followed up a strong showing against Port Adelaide last week with two goals, 14 disposals and six marks.
BEST:
Western Bulldogs Bontempelli, Naughton, Macrae, Liberatore, Dale, Daniel
St Kilda Sinclair, Byrnes, Steele
VOTES
Bontempelli 8
Naughton 8
Macrae 8
Dale 7
Liberatore 7
LINK (https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/dominant-bulldogs-march-over-saints-20210522-p57ua5.html)
The Bulldogs have bitten a sizeable chunk out of St Kilda’s finals hopes while storming to the AFL ladder’s pinnacle with a destructive 111-point triumph – the fifth-greatest winning margin in the club’s history.
https://static.ffx.io/images/$zoom_0.479%2C$multiply_1.0582%2C$ratio_1.5%2C$width_756%2C$ x_0%2C$y_0/t_crop_custom/q_86%2Cf_auto/605869ce1571cb07af7bfadfc925f603221a08de
It was the Saints’ fourth heavy defeat in the first 10 rounds of the season, having suffered beltings at the hands of Essendon, Richmond and Port Adelaide in the lead-up to the elimination final rematch.
The Bulldogs, on the other hand, are charging towards September, and were again led by skipper Marcus Bontempelli (four goals from 20 kicks along with six tackles), the ever-reliable Jack Macrae (41 touches and eight tackles), the quickly developing Bailey Dale (two goals, 33 disposals), contested beast Tom Liberatore (31 touches at 93 per cent efficiency), and spearhead Aaron Naughton, who combined five-goals-four with nine marks.
For the Saints, captain Jack Steele’s effort could not be questioned, while fifth-gamer Ryan Byrnes could hold his head high, coupling 24 disposals with a game-high 12 marks.
The Bulldogs used the second term, in particular, to feast upon a startled St Kilda, constantly streaming unchecked down the spine of Marvel Stadium and piling on seven goals to the Saints’ one in a seemingly effortless manner.
https://static.ffx.io/images/$zoom_0.324%2C$multiply_1.0582%2C$ratio_1.5%2C$width_756%2C$ x_0%2C$y_0/t_crop_custom/q_86%2Cf_auto/d1d8e1def3d8a922a0934fe7f900c11fca1984ec
It meant the premiership fancies had whipped up a 51-point lead by the main break, and despite possessing the ball almost 50 times more than their opponents, had also laid 17 more tackles.
The commanding Bulldogs’ on-ball brigade had begun to assert its dominance, more than doubling St Kilda in centre clearances during the second-quarter procession, while the anxious Saints started to accumulate an alarming clanger count.
Armed with an big lead in the third term, the Dogs were content with moving the ball largely by the wings in order to work around St Kilda’s tighter defence of the corridor.
Then, after patiently building their lead in the third quarter, the Bulldogs powered home in the last with six goals to one to produce the club’s greatest-ever winning margin over St Kilda.
Death, taxes and …
Macrae disposing of the ball over 30 times. Remarkably, the Brownlow smoky has
achieved the 30-touch feat in every game so far this season. He was again sublime in
the Dogs’ crushing victory on Saturday night, with 41 disposals, six marks, and eight
tackles.
Saints’ goalkicking demons
A week on from St Kilda’s shambolic 5.17 score-line in round nine, a mere look at the quarter-time scoreboard, which read 2.0, would suggest it was unblemished in front of goal early. The highlights will also show Jack Billings’ neat dribble from deep in the pocket, but in reality, the Saints’ yips were alive and well.
Tim Membrey sent an attempt out on the full early, while the enigmatic Shaun McKernan and
fifth-gamer Ryan Byrnes both failed to make the distance by considerable margins in their respective set shots.
Worth his weight in gold
It was only his second game for the season and fifth in his two-season career. But Cody Weightman is cementing his place in the Bulldogs’ star-studded line-up, and followed up a strong showing against Port Adelaide last week with two goals, 14 disposals and six marks.
BEST:
Western Bulldogs Bontempelli, Naughton, Macrae, Liberatore, Dale, Daniel
St Kilda Sinclair, Byrnes, Steele
VOTES
Bontempelli 8
Naughton 8
Macrae 8
Dale 7
Liberatore 7
LINK (https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/dominant-bulldogs-march-over-saints-20210522-p57ua5.html)