What are the key takeaways and observations relating to your club in Round 17?
We have dissected each of the matches and offered a number of talking points for all 18 clubs.
The following will not apply to each club every week but form the basis of our views.
The Key Takeaway
The Undroppables
The Overreaction
The Positive
The Negative
What no one is talking about
What they need to tweak for next week
The Key Takeaway: Flat track bullies tag remains
A win would have got rid of all the doubts surrounding Adelaide’s away record this year.
After pushing Collingwood all the way a fortnight prior, defeating Essendon at Marvel Stadium would have seen the Crows take plenty of momentum into the run home.
But a disappointing opening term set up proved what felt like a clear class differential between the two.
The Crows remain stuck on one win outside of Adelaide Oval this year and if they can’t finish 5th or 6th – which looks increasingly the case – then Matthew Nicks’ side will struggle in finals, if they get there.
The Positive: Adelaide’s midfield still has what it takes
Jordan Dawson and Rory Laird hadn’t done a whole heap in the first half on Sunday, like a lot of their teammates.
But their third terms were something to be marvelled at.
The duo racked up a combined 21 possessions (12 contested), five clearances, five inside 50s, four marks, three tackles in the third term alone and kept that momentum rolling in the final term.
Dawson and Laird simply had to get rolling earlier. But it will prove some condolence to Crows fans for the manner in which they dominated the later stages of the game.
Seb Mottram
The Overreaction: Jack Gunston shows he’s still in the best 22
Despite kicking six goals and receiving seven coaches' votes, Gunston still has a lot more to prove until his position in Brisbane’s side is sewed up.
Cashing in against a barely West Coast Eagles outfit, Gunston bagged half a dozen goals and 20 disposals in a great pipe-opener after being dropped by Chris Fagan last month.
Sent away by Fagan after the Lions’ loss to Hawthorn in Round 13, Gunston has been building on his fitness away from the group with defender Daniel Rich.
Not to say he didn’t have a day out, but the real test will come this week away from home against the likes of Steven May, Jake Lever and Harrison Petty for Melbourne.
The Positive: The Lions escape injury-free
The only negative that could’ve come from Saturday’s date with West Coast was an injury to one of their players.
Entering the last bunch of games ahead of the finals, club’s like the Lions cannot afford injuries to their stars.
And thankfully for them, they got through unscathed on the weekend.
A healthy list is so important come September.
What they need to tweak for next: Their form at the MCG!
The narrative this week leading up to this massive top four clash against Melbourne at the MCG will be their form at the home of footy!
From a Brisbane point of view, you can’t deny their form at the ‘G, it’s no good.
After losing to Hawthorn this year in Round 13, it was Brisbane’s 12th consecutive loss during the home-and-away season at the MCG, the most in a row by any one team at the MCG since Footscray's 13 straight losses between 1994 and 1996.
It’s a serious issue for Fagan’s men.
If the Lions are going to be taken seriously this year, they need to bring their form down to Melbourne and on the ground that hosts the Grand Final!
They beat Melbourne at the ‘G in a final last year, they’ll be hoping for a repeat performance.
Holding on the Lions as genuine premiership contenders until I see it on a more consistent basis at the MCG!
Hugh Fitzpatrick
What no one is talking about: Carlton is defensively sound
Carlton’s issues across their losing streak were almost all offensive. Thy have been a defensively sound side all season, but now have the scoring capabilities to capitalise on it.
It didn’t matter if the Blues restricted Melbourne to just eight games if they kicked 44 points themselves.
Carlton ranks fourth in the AFL for points conceded this season behind only Collingwood, Melbourne and St Kilda.
If they can keep up this attacking style while maintaining quality defensive structures, they will be tough to beat.
What they need to tweak for next week: Do the Blues need a ruckman?
So … does Carlton actually need a ruckman? They have played the last two games without a recognised ruckman and while they’ve been belted in the hit-outs, the midfield has worked well, breaking even in the clearances and looking more mobile around the ground.
Marc Pittonet has proven himself as an excellent tap ruckman, who doesn’t offer a heap around the ground and Tom De Koning is close to the opposite.
Maybe instead of balancing one or both of them, the Blues just go ahead with this mobile combination of Lewis Young, who thrived in the classic ruck marking contests, and Jack Silvagni, who was effectively a fourth midfielder while using his strength to break even at contests.
Up against a Port Adelaide team that will equally be missing quality rucks, is there a point bringing back De Koning or Pittonet?
The Key Takeaway: All roads lead to Port Adelaide
Carlton has now won three games in a row with the pressures of finals expectations seemingly off their backs.
Now, they are seemingly alive once again, but that road now goes through Port Adelaide at Marvel Stadium. To get to 12.5 wins, the Blues can only lose two more games, but they play Port Adelaide, Melbourne and Collingwood from here.
The Power at Marvel Stadium without a recognised ruckman and with one healthy key defender might be the most gettable.
If Carlton is truly the real deal, they’re going to have to do a little more to win us over.
Nic Negrepontis
The Undroppables: Ash Johnson
Ash Johnson probably didn’t deserve a recall to the senior side based of VFL form but received a spot in the line-up with Brody Mihocek out injured and Dan McStay only just returning from surgery.
While Mihocek will return as soon as he’s ready to go, Johnson surely holds his spot after kicking three goals in the win over the Western Bulldogs.
Those three majors are his equal-best return for the year, while he also had a respectable 11 disposals and five marks.
He may not be in the best 22 come finals, but he should at least hold his spot for one more week.
What no one is talking about: Daicos’ half back hole has been filled
Nick Daicos has gone to another level since moving into the midfield, but what’s gone under the radar is Collingwood’s ability to cover for him off half back.
His move further up the ground has allowed John Noble, Isaac Quaynor and Jack Crisp to collect more footy, and their run and dash out of defence is among some of the elite rebounders in the competition.
It’s no surprise that the trio’s best three-week patch of football has come with more opportunity to bring the ball out of defence.
What they need to tweak for next week: Flipping the ‘McRae sandwich’
Collingwood have been renowned for their starts and finishes in 2023, often bridging a lead early before letting teams back into it in the second and third terms before pulling away again late.
Up against the Bulldogs though, it was the other way around as they were outscored 25-47 in the first and fourth quarters combined.
Luckily though, the Magpies made up for it to win the second and third terms 64-30.
They were good enough in that period to win the game, but the Magpies would like to play four quarters of footy more often.
Lachlan Geleit
The positive: Bouncing back
Essendon were left heartbroken last Saturday night after their spirited display against Port Adelaide fell agonisingly short, losing to an after the siren kick from Dan Houston.
All eyes were on Marvel Stadium on Sunday for their response against Crows and they could hardly have been more impressive in the first half, with goal kicking the only difference between them holding a near 10-goal lead at the main chance.
While Adelaide battled back to whittle the final margin down to 18 points, the damage was already done as Essendon piled on the pressure to comfortably defeat a fellow top eight contender.
The Key takeaway: Can Essendon dare to dream now?
The win over Adelaide, combined the Western Bulldogs, St Kilda and Fremantle all losing now sees the Bombers leap up to fifth spot.
No one pre-season would’ve predicted the Bombers knocking on the door of the top four with seven weeks to play, but now they’re here, they’ll be hellbent on completing the job and playing finals.
With a crucial fortnight to come – Geelong in Geelong and then Western Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium – even one win from those two matches should put Essendon in a strong position to feature in September.
Winning the swing games is crucial even more so in this insanely competitive season and the Bombers have nailed their assignments against sides around them in recent weeks.
Laurence Rosen
The Key Takeaway: Too safe. Too slow. Not good enough.
What we saw from Fremantle on Sunday afternoon was a team with no ability to transition the football out of their backline and no dare whatsoever going forward.
They were choked into mistakes by the Blues and then on the off chance they got the ball forward, they squandered easy set shots.
It was an all-round awful performance that has likely snuffed out any hopes of Fremantle playing finals.
Jye Amiss had his moments, but the forward line looked incapable of kicking a winning score and that is the biggest headache for Justin Longmuir.
The Negative: Sean Darcy wastes huge advantage
Sean Darcy won 58 hit-outs against Carlton, and yet the Blues won the clearances 45-32. How can that happen?
You would think one of the five best ruckmen in the comp going up borderline unopposed would be able to give his midfield first use – or at the very least gain territory by punching it forward.
Whether the Dockers should have been more creative with him is up for debate, given he finished with just 14 disposals and three marks to go with the hit-outs.
It summed up a disappointing day for the Dockers.
Nic Negrepontis
The Positive: Gryan Miers!
Few saw this coming!
Before Round 16, Miers hadn’t had more than 25 touches in a game this year.
But he’s racked up a combined 59 possessions in the last fortnight, including a game-high 32 disposals against North Melbourne.
He wasn’t at his potent best, but it’s a good sign that Miers can still find new ways to impact the contest this late in the season.
He could prove a real barometer for whether Geelong plays in September and signed on until 2026 on Monday in another big boost for the Cats.
What no one is talking about: Tyson Stengle’s season-best haul
It came against the lowly Kangaroos, but five goals is nothing to sneeze at.
Stengle hadn’t booted more than two in a game in 2023 and hadn’t been near the level that saw him earn a maiden All-Australian blazer last season.
But on Sunday afternoon the 24-year-old did as he pleased as he hit the scoreboard and also chopped out when needed, finishing with a game-high nine score involvements.
If North Melbourne has played Stengle back into form, watch out for the Cats on the road to September.
Seb Mottram
The Key Takeaway: Hands up if you saw this coming
A week of getting smacked in the media. Coach under fire. All the pressure off in a game no one was backing the Suns away from home.
So is it any surprise the way they played in the first and second terms? The lead was three goals early in the second quarter and the Suns looked as impressive as they ever had in recent weeks.
But nine goals to one in the third term shows where Gold Coast is really at. For all the interest and intrigue at half-time, it’s another loss and one that has them more than a game out of the finals at a crunch point of the season.
The Negative: What happened to Ben King?
Opening the stats after Gold Coast’s loss, you would have thought Ben King had been subbed out early with an injury.
But that wasn’t the case. The mercurially talented key forward was subbed out in the third term with zero impact, merely an ineffective kick to his name.
It was his second consecutive goalless week, while King has just three goals in the last month.
It was a forgettable night in every sense for him.
What no one is talking about: Jack Lukosius’ last few weeks
Speaking of Gold Coast key forwards, King’s partner in crime, Jack Lukosius, has been far from his best in recent weeks.
Lukosius made Lachie Jones look like twice the player he is on Saturday night and only kicked one goal from 14 disposals.
He’s kicked just four majors in the last month. In Rounds 11 and 12 we were lauding Lukosius as someone who could even rival King for the Suns' best key forward title after two bags of five goals.
But it’s clear he’s got plenty of work to do.
Seb Mottram
The Key Takeaway: 2023 has been a big success
Whether or not the Giants sneak their way into finals, Adam Kingsley’s first season as head coach has been a big tick. After starting the year 3-7, the Giants have gathered momentum and won five of their last six games to sit just half a win outside the top eight. There has been improvement across the board with the Giants defense and pressure being key factors in their rise.
The negative: Giants midfield gave Hawks a sniff
Kieren Briggs has done an excellent job as the Giants’ first ruckman but his midfield are letting him down.
Despite defeating both Melbourne and Hawthorn in consecutive weeks, the Giants midfield lost the centre clearance by an aggregate of 31-8.
The Giants strong defence ensured that they held on for both wins but it is a cause for concern.
The positive: Stephen Coniglio’s return to form
After a highly publicised dip in form in 2020-2021, Stephen Coniglio has returned in a big way to produce the best football of his career.
Coniglio was the difference against Hawthorn as he amassed 30 disposals, four tackles and kicked a crucial three goals.
Under Adam Kingsley, Coniglio has put career-high numbers as he has averaged 29 disposals a game, six clearances, five inside-50’s and eight score involvements a game.
Charles Goodsir
The Key Takeaway: Hawthorn needs another key forward
The Hawks are desperate for another key forward. Mitch Lewis was comprehensively beaten by Sam Taylor. For the second straight week, Lewis struggled with the extra attention.
Whilst the Hawks don’t have another quality key forward, this will continue to happen. Denver Grainger-Barras came into the side and whilst it was nice to see him kick his first goal at AFL level, he finished the game with four disposals and didn’t touch the ball in the second half. He is not the answer.
The Undroppable(s): Josh Ward
Ward was one of the Hawks’ best players against the Giants. He finished with 20 touches and two goals.
With the likes of Cooper Stephens, Cam Mackenzie and Henry Hustwaite performing well at VFL level, they will be pushing for senior selection in the coming weeks. When their time does come, Ward needs to remain in the senior side.
The Positive: Finn Maginness
Maginness showed why he widely regarded as the best stopper in the AFL. Whilst he hasn’t played a lot of senior football in 2023, Maginness played arguably the best game of his career.
He was given the task of running with GWS star Josh Kelly and held him to just the six disposals, whilst getting 15 himself. This week he will be given the task of running with North Melbourne star Luke Davies-Uniake.
The Negative: Disposal inside 50
The Hawks had 55 inside 50s and only took five marks. What hope do the forwards have? Time and time again the ball was bombed into the forward with the Giants defenders doing as they pleased.
The midfielders and half backs need to lower their eyes when kicking inside 50.
What they need to tweak for next week
It’s time to see some new faces. Ned Long was best on ground in the VFL. Cooper Stephens and Henry Hustwaite continue to play well in the VFL.
They all deserve an opportunity. The Hawks play North Melbourne this week and if there was ever a week to bring in some new faces, this is it.
Brad Klibansky
The Positive: Petracca’s shift forward
Melbourne needed to move some magnets with Bayley Fritsch out injured, and Simon Goodwin opted to flip Christian Petracca forward.
While Petracca is obviously a superstar midfielder, he’s equally as damaging up forward and may have been the difference in Saturday’s win over St Kilda with four goals and 20 disposals.
If Melbourne can cover for his absence in the midfield – which they were able to against the Saints as they broke even in the clearance count – he could be the spark needed inside 50 to take the side to the next level.
They probably need to go to another gear if they’re to win it all, perhaps this is the move that unlocks them.
What they need to tweak for next week: Small forward impact
Melbourne need to get more out of their small forwards.
While Petracca kicked four, the only other recognised Melbourne forwards to hit the scoreboard were Jake Melksham, Ben Brown and Alex Neal-Bullen – all lead-up options.
In the pockets, both Kysaiah Pickett and Charlie Spargo went goalless as the duo combined for just 15 touches.
If they’re to get more potent in front of goal, they need much more from their crafty smalls inside 50.
The Negative: Again failed to kick a big score
Melbourne’s score of 79 marks the seventh game in a row where they’ve failed to kick 80 points.
While their defence is clearly holding up, the Demons need to score more heavily if they’re to put a gap between themselves and the chasing pack.
As it stands, the Demons have the seventh-best attack in the competition, and that probably won’t be good enough if they’re to win it all.
It’d be a big statement if they were able to finally crack 80 and even push triple figures against the Lions at the MCG on Friday night.
If they do that, we’ll start to believe in the Demons again.
Lachlan Geleit
The Key Takeaway: Outplayed once again
It was a similar story for North Melbourne as they were defeated convincingly by the Cats at GMHBA Stadium by 62 points.
They may have put up a fight in the second half, but the game was taken away from them in the early stages of the game. Geelong had a 41-point lead at the first break and the Kangaroos had no answers in the second quarter with the Cats' lead extending to 55 points.
Since becoming interim head coach, Brett Ratten has still yet to lead the inexperienced Kangaroos to a victory as they had their losing streak extended to 14.
It is an important clash for North Melbourne next week if they want to break this losing streak, as they face the Hawks at Marvel Stadium.
The Positive: Son of a gun makes his debut
It may have been another loss and disappointing afternoon for all involved at North Melbourne, however, there was something to smile about when the son of 432-game Kangaroo legend Brent Harvey, Cooper debuted for the club.
After a dominant period in the VFL, Harvey was rewarded with a senior debut and he definitely gave North fans something to be excited about.
He finished with 10 disposals, six marks and three tackles, however, the moment that will always be remembered was his first goal where we saw a fantastic reaction both by his teammates on-field and also in the stands with the Geelong home crowd applauding the goal.
Moments like that are what make this sport incredibly special.
What they need to tweak for next week: Starting games stronger
In the past two games against two quality outfits (Adelaide and Geelong), the Kangaroos have started both games poorly and it has ultimately led to a struggle to remain in the game.
The expectations for this North Melbourne side might not be incredibly high, but after a promising start to season 2023 to now be facing a 15th loss in a row, this upcoming clash against the 16th-place Hawks is a massive chance for them to get their third win of the season.
It all starts from the first bounce, they can’t let the Hawks take control early otherwise we will see them be at risk of a 15th loss in a row.
Ethan Daffey
The Key Takeaway: The streak continues
The Power surged to their 13th consecutive victory as they defeated the Suns by 33 points at Adelaide Oval.
Despite Gold Coast having their way early with a six-point lead at half-time, the Port Adelaide we’ve seen throughout this record-breaking winning streak flexed their muscles in the third term, kicking nine goals to one in the quarter.
Ken Hinkley’s side broke the game open through their domination in their forward 50. The Power had 19 marks inside 50 compared to the Suns with only five, which ultimately led to the game getting away from Stuart Dew’s side.
The Positive: Jeremy Finlayson
He may have been inaccurate in front of goal on Saturday night, but the impact Jeremy Finlayson has on this Port Adelaide is immense.
In his 100th AFL game, he didn’t disappoint kicking three majors and leading the game in score involvements with 12.
There were question marks when he made his move to Alberton from the Giants, but the season he is having has definitely silenced the naysayers.
With a top-two spot looming for the Power, it’s going to be an exciting prospect in September with the form Finlayson is in and the energy he brings to the side.
The Negative: Trent McKenzie ankle concern
There weren’t many negatives in the Power’s victory, however, there was a negative on the injury front and it was veteran defender Trent McKenzie who went down with an ankle problem in the first quarter.
He has been a stalwart in defence in Ken Hinkley’s side this season and with captain Tom Jonas still, out of the side, his role in the side has vastly become more important.
A clash with in-form Carlton at Marvel Stadium awaits, and without McKenzie in their back six it could be extremely dangerous with the likes of Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay up forward for the Blues.
Ethan Daffey
The Key Takeaway: Rare come-from-behind win
Richmond hasn’t had much luck when trailing at three-quarter time in 2023. In five attempts prior, the Tigers failed to get over the top when behind at the final break.
Andrew McQualter first masterminded a much-needed single-figure win over GWS in Round 12.
Now he has a precious come-from-behind victory on his Richmond CV after he oversaw a four-goal final term to Sydney’s one.
The Tigers started poorly but worked into it nicely, particularly after half-time, to come away with a gritty 12-point triumph which keeps them in touch with the eight.
The Positive: Bouncing back from Brisbane battering
The Tigers were battered by the Lions in Brisbane, going down by 81 points in Round 16.
It was intriguing to see if that was an aberration or a sign of things to come. To play four poor quarters against the Lions and then 1.5 average quarters against the Swans is tough to come back from, but they managed to completely alter things on the run.
Richmond’s midfield was dwarfed by Brisbane’s last week, but the on-ball unit was aided by the returns of Dustin Martin and Dion Prestia.
They helped with the contested possession and stoppage side of the game where the Tigers excelled, helping contribute greatly to the win.
The performance was very tough after a bleak beginning and is the type of win to take plenty away from, apart from the invaluable four points.
The Undroppable: Jack Ross
After being dropped to the sub role, Jack Ross grasped his opportunity with both hands.
Unfortunately, debutant Jacob Bauer suffered a hamstring in the opening few minutes which forced him out of the game.
Ross jumped out of his skin in a sliding doors moment to replace Bauer and did a fine job.
He finished with 20 disposals, eight score involvements, three rebound 50s and three inside 50s, while also kicking 2.2 from the wing.
Ross appears to be treated more harshly than others at Richmond when it comes to selection, but he simply cannot be dropped after this latest performance.
What they need to tweak: Set shot kicking
Richmond finished poorly from set shots last Thursday night.
The Tigers kicked 12.16 overall with their inaccuracy largely down to their set shots at goal which finished at 4.9.
They need to go away and work hard on their set shot kicking this week, much like Melbourne did - and that worked a treat for them.
The Tigers will need all the help they can get if they want to play finals. Helping themselves in front of goal is a major step.
Andrew Slevison
The Negative: Max King injury
You can’t help but feel for Max King.
After missing the first half of the year with a shoulder and hamstring injury, the young spearhead returned with a bang, booting 11 goals in his first three weeks.
He looked primed for a massive second half of the year.
But St Kilda’s worst fears became true on Sunday.
It’s been confirmed that King will miss the remainder of the year after re-injuring that shoulder and the reality of not having King has hit St Kilda fans like a train.
Ross Lyon will need to get creative at selection as their inability to kick a score is hurting them badly.
The Key Takeaway: St Kilda are in a fight for their life to stay in the eight
The Saints are in a serious form slump, succumbing to Melbourne on Saturday night and making it their third loss in four weeks.
After a great start to the season, the Saints have failed to record back-to-back wins since Round 4, and it’s become a massive issue for Ross Lyon’s men.
A date up on the Gold Coast on Saturday afternoon looms as a mini-final as the Saints look to remain in the top eight with challengers looming large.
The Saints have no attacking flare and it’s been an issue for some time. Lyon will need to find an answer, especially with Max King being ruled out for the year.
The Positive: St Kilda’s young stars continue to perform
If there’s one positive to take out of the year so far, it’s the rise of some of St Kilda’s best players.
Jack Sinclair and Callum Wilkie continue to do what they do, all but locking down their spot in the All-Australian team this year.
But it’s the form from young guns Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera and Mitch Owens that has Saints fans excited.
Wanganeen-Milera has been incredible since moving to half-back, his ball use is first class and he’s quickly becoming one of St Kilda’s most important players.
As for Owens, he just keeps stepping up and he could’ve quite easily kicked four goals on Saturday night.
Owens and young Lion Will Ashcroft will be fighting it out for the Rising Star this year and that’s something St Kilda fans haven’t seen from one of their young guns in some time.
When you take a look at their list, the Saints are slowly building a group of genuine A-Graders. Sinclair and Wilkie are already in that group, but the likes of Rowan Marshall, Wanganeen-Milera and Owens are playing like A-Graders at the present time.
Hugh Fitzpatrick
The Key takeaway: Swans are done in 2023
After reaching the final day in September in 2022, the loss to the Tigers on Thursday night all but ensured the Swans will miss out on finals in 2023. Whilst injuries to key position players throughout the season have played their part, players such as Tom Papley, Will Hayward and Isaac Heeney have failed to play the level they are capable of.
The Swans now sit in 15th and are two wins outside the top eight. With matches against the Bulldogs, Fremantle, Essendon and GWS in the next month, it would be an amazing achievement to get to the finals from here.
The Positive: Buddy Franklin’s return
Lance Franklin had a strong game for the Swans in what will likely be his final game at the MCG. Buddy scored 2.1 from his 15 touches including seven marks, three tackles and one goal assist.
The focus for the rest of the season now turns to what should be Buddy’s farewell tour and ensuring one of the game’s greatest ever players is sent off in wonderful fashion.
The negative: Swans let another win slip
Sydney led at every change against Richmond but eventually succumbed to a 13-point defeat. The Swans have failed to bury teams when they had the chance and allowed sides to run over the top of them.
The Swans squandered wins against Port Adelaide and GWS by allowing late comebacks and were lucky to escape with a draw in Round 16 against Geelong.
Charles Goodsir
The Positive: It could have been much worse
There was a sense that a repeat of the Sydney clash could have been on the cards for the Eagles on Saturday night.
Heading into the formidable affair that is a clash against Brisbane at the Gabba, a blowout was a near certainty.
However, West Coast showed some fight against the Lions, keeping the margin within double digits.
While it was still a drubbing, it was much better than many expected, with the Eagles clearly taking a bit of inspiration from last week’s strong showing against St Kilda.
The Negative: 14 games
14 weeks is a long time to go without a win.
At least they’re tied with North Melbourne for the longest ongoing losing streak… will the Eagles win another game this season?
What no one is talking about: Brady Hough
Brady Hough was stellar against the Lions.
Given the tough assignment of Charlie Cameron, the 20-year-old defender exceeded all expectations, keeping him goalless while collecting 22 touches of his own.
It was the best performance of the second-year player’s career so far, and indicated that the youngster could be a key part of West Coast’s rebuild.
The Eagles would love nothing more than to see Hough keep delivering displays like that.
Jack Makeham
The Key Takeaway: Not quite enough
In what has been a common theme this year, the Bulldogs weren’t able to put together a full performance.
An electric start saw the Bulldogs rampaging at Marvel early, kicking the first three goals and keeping Collingwood scoreless through the first 15 minutes.
This dominance would have been impossible to keep up against a side as good as the Magpies, and the Bulldogs were content to grind out the second term and go into the half with the lead.
Then it all went wrong.
The Dogs were blown away in the third term, with all their good work in the initial half immediately undone as the Magpies wrenched back the lead.
Luke Beveridge’s men came back in the final quarter, but the damage was already done.
This is the latest performance in which the Bulldogs weren’t able to put together a complete game, and it cost them.
The Positive: Took it to a top side
While they ended up with the loss, this match showed that the Bulldogs can compete with the competition’s best when in-form.
Put the third quarter aside, and the Dogs went blow for blow with the premiership favourite, a feat that many wouldn’t have expected at the start of the season.
The Bulldogs have come a long way from their difficulties early on, and if they can sustain their energy for all four quarters, they’ll make some noise in September.
The Negative: The defence
The Bulldogs’ defence has a real issue with letting teams get on a run. This was the latest performance which saw their opposition kick a string of goals in a row, completely swinging the momentum of the game.
Speaking on SEN Breakfast¸ it was an issue that Kane Cornes identified. “Why do the Western Bulldogs concede so many goals in a row? This has been a theme for a long time dating back to the Grand Final,” he said.
“This year against the Saints they conceded the last eight goals of the game. Round 4, seven goals in a row in quarter two. Round 12, six goals in a row against Geelong. Six goals in a row against Melbourne. Four goals against Port Adelaide, the last four. The last four goals against the Giants and then on the weekend, they had that game in control, they started so well and their forwards looked dangerous.”
It's an area that the Bulldogs must identify as the ramp-up to finals continues.
Jack Makeham