'He thought he could get to the contest': Bulldogs coach explains young gun's hit on Magpie in influential performance (2024)

That was a thoroughly enjoyable game of footy. I've not really known what to make of the Bulldogs this year, but wins like that will go some way to convincing everyone they are still alive as a finals threat.

Thanks for your company tonight, I'll be back tomorrow arvo as round 12 rolls on in to Saturday. Until then, have a good one!

The skipper spoke to Channel Seven minutes after completing an astonishing individual game.

"It was a really important win for us. We were down a few men, like Collingwood are. We just had guys that needed to step up.

"We started the game really poorly, so sort of feel like you come away with two wins a bit. Finding a bit in the first quarter to get back in the game. They could have put themselves further in front. I think that's what we've shown the last month or six weeks, just hang in there and see what happens. The young guys carried the can, Darcy was sensational. A lot of young guys stood up in the absence of older guys.

"It feels like the last four to six weeks been consistently turning up from quarter to quarter. It's building really, but we've got to keep showing it. The hardest thing is backing up week after week and continue to basically show your identity and I feel like we're getting there, which is great."

They gave up a head start. They fell behind again in the third quarter. They saved their best for the last quarter, and in doing so the Western Bulldogs kept their finals hopes well and truly alive.

Marcus Bontempelli though. What Patrick Cripps did for Carlton last night was remarkable, but I reckon Bontempelli's last quarter tonight was even better. He was relentless, dominating the contest but also slicing the Pies apart with his creativity and that left foot of his. He was ably supported by Adam Treloar in the engine room and Bailey Dale running all night, but the Bont was the man. Just like always.

In the end Collingwood really felt the absence of some key players. When it came down to the last term, too much was left to too few and there was only so much Nick Daicos could do. They miss a chance tonight, but will be disappointed more than disheartened.

The Dogs are still in the thick of it. That was a win full of character.

That will do it! Shut the gate and put down the glasses! A double-effort from Sam Darcy has killed this one off for good.

It was Darcy who smothered Moore's exiting kick at half-forward, and it was Darcy who snapped one off a step from the boundary and split the middle. After a shocking first quarter, Darcy has more than made amends tonight.

And I know said this late in the Port-Hawks game a few weeks ago, but I think this one is all done and dusted.

The Bulldogs have to dig deep tonight, and this one will be sweet.

It remains a two-goal margin. The Magpies are rolling the dice but the forward line is looking outmatched and the half-chances are being wasted.

Dogs are nearly there. Just some composure needed.

Could that do it? Is that the goal that gives the Bulldogs a crucial four points at the end of a pulsating game?

They have just peppered the Magpies defence in this last quarter, and though they've managed to thwart the big boys the crumbers have made the difference. McNeil held his nerve, stepped around Howe and banged home a massive goal.

And the skipper may well be winning this game for his club right now. He is playing an inspired last quarter at the end of an all-round brilliant game.

Again the goal comes from counter-attack, with Bontempelli out the back and able to mark the Ugle-Hagan kick close to the line. The snap was never in doubt.

It took the first Collingwood attack of the term to open the space for the Bulldogs to find the go-ahead goal.

The boos are ringing out from the Pies fans as there were a few 50-50 calls in that sequence that fell the Bulldogs' way, but the weight of pressure was always likely to tell. West snuck out the back of the contest, took the crumb and kicked the goal.

The Pies can't get it past halfway and the Bulldogs are racking up inside 50s, but the challenge is proving to be turning that into a score.

The margin is five points with less than 13 minutes to play.

Lobb and Moore were wrapped up at the top of the goalsquare, and the umpire saw enough in it to award the Dogs forward a free kick.

The Bulldogs have been a little slow and pensive in getting the ball forward in this term, but that right there shows the value of putting the defence under pressure with a quick, long entry.

A two goal lead really doesn't feel like very much at all in this game.

The Bulldogs have owned territory since quarter-time but Collingwood's high-risk, high-reward ball use in that term saw them put the more meaningful scores on the board.

Will they continue to gamble through the middle in the last term? Can the Bulldogs take their chances? Who will win the superstar showdown we have brewing between Marcus Bontempelli and Nick Daicos?

Enormous last quarter coming up.

With less than 30 seconds on the clock the Pies sneak a crucial late goal through Schultz.

Not for the first time in this quarter a Pies forward snuck out the back of the Bulldogs defence and was able to mark. Schultz again had too much space to mark close to the line, and snapped through his third.

Lipinski came flying through that stoppage with perfect timing, taking the ball with him and quickly throwing it on the boot.

It's back out to seven points with four minutes to play in the third.

This budding Bulldogs superstar steps up in a big way to make this a two-point game.

Ugle-Hagan unloaded from a step, deep in the pocket and a long way from goal. The ball nearly hit the roof, but hung in the air long enough and drifted back with perfectly to clear the line. Big goal.

Lachie McNeil was awarded a free kick off the ball for an incident with Josh Daicos, and gladly accepted by kicking the goal.

The free kick was for a little jab to the chest by Daicos. There you go.

The Bulldogs defence is breaking down as the Magpies link up with aggressive ball movement straight up the middle of the ground. They couldn't put that together in the second quarter but those counter-attacks are looking dangerous in the third.

Hill marked a Noble kick in the goalsquare and pushed it out to a 14-point Collingwood lead.

It had been a stalemate for the first five minutes of the quarter, with the first goal increasingly more important. Collingwood, through Schultz, are the first to break through.

Quick and direct movement through the middle of the ground broke the Bulldogs open, with Schultz free out the back to receive the penetrating kick from Harrison.

The Bulldogs needed to respond, and respond they have. That was a fantastic quarter from the Bulldogs who were able to overturn a heavy inside-50 deficit and claw their way back through repeat entries.

If not for Nick Daicos's stoppage work, the Bulldogs' dominance would be total. Treloar and Bontempelli took control for the most part after quarter time and plenty of the Dogs' scores came from that avenue.

Suddenly it's Collingwood who need to change things to flip the momentum. That was a pretty engaging first half, and it feels like the best is yet to come.