The Bulldogs, last year’s wooden spooners, remain winless after three rounds after a ten point loss to Melbourne at the MCG on Sunday despite the Demons doing almost everything possible to ensure the westerners’ special day ended in a fairytale finish.
The club formerly known as Footscray was finally presented with its 1954 premiership cup before the game but if Bulldogs fans hoped the sight of Charlie Sutton finally lifting the cup would inspire the current-day side, they were sadly mistaken.
In fact if not for Melbourne’s atrocious kicking for goal this match would have been over by halfway through the second quarter.
But as the Demons continued to waste chance after chance in front of goal, the Bulldogs somehow remained in contention despite playing nowhere near as well as during their two close losses to West Coast and Collingwood so far this season.
And with Chris Grant on and off the field throughout the day injured, the Bulldogs just could find no-one to inspire a run of goals that surely would have panicked a Melbourne side that did its best to lose one of the worst matches imaginable.
However in the end it was Melbourne’s superior defence that proved the difference as Neale Daniher’s side won its second successive game as the stocks of the Demons continue to rise since their dismal first round loss to Hawthorn.
But this win was nowhere near as impressive as last week’s mauling of Richmond although a team in the Demons’ position – another club desperate for on-field success after a premiership drought that stretches back only ten less years than the Bulldogs – will gladly take any win.
The Demons’ final score of 12.25 (97) to the Bulldogs 12.15 (87) said everything about the Demons’ finishing on a day when even the club’s sharpshooters such as skipper David Neitz and exciting goalsneak Aaron Davey were continually astray in front of goal.
Neitz finished the game with 3.4 but did kick a magnificent goal from 55 metres out midway through the final term to end the Dogs’ resistance while Davey kicked 2.6 but was a constant danger.
However it was at the other end that the Demons won this instantly forgettable game thanks to the efforts of unsung duo Alistair Nicholson and Jared Rivers.
Nicholson, so often maligned even by Melbourne fans, played the best game of his career in totally eclipsing Bulldogs’ star Jade Rawlings while Rivers played like a defender with 206 games experience and not six as he continues to establish himself as one of the brightest young defensive prospects in the AFL.
With those two dominating, the Bulldogs struggled for goals all day except for a brief period late in the second term when they kicked the last four goals of the quarter after the Demons had led by 40 points at the seven minute mark of the term.
However the Bulldogs just did not get enough out of their top players such as Brad Johnson, Scott West and Luke Darcy on a day when the club’s fans were so desperate to see the team win.
But in contrast the Demons top players such as ruckman Jeff White, who played his best game of the season so far, and midfield runners Scott Thompson, Brad Green, Cameron Bruce and Travis Johnstone did just enough to ensure the Demons got home.
However the Demons will have to play far better than this if they are to become genuine finals contenders this season while Bulldogs fans must be wondering just where their next team’s win will come from, let alone another premiership cup to sit alongside the trophy from 1954.
Mindful that the Bulldogs would be up for the game given their premiership anniversary celebrations, Melbourne coach Neale Daniher was relieved to escape with a win, even though the Demons were very wasteful with the ball.
“I was really happy with the initial intensity in the game. It was a big game for the Doggies, so to come out and kick three goals eight (in the first quarter), I was really happy with that,” Daniher said.
“Obviously our kicking today didn’t allow us to win by more.
“I was really disappointed in our second quarter effort. I thought we dropped off and allowed them back into the game. After a bit of a rev, I thought the second half was solid.
“But never at any stage did our kicking – be it our field kicking or goal kicking – allow us to really dominate the game.
“I thought we probably dominated for three quarters but never got the reward for our effort. It kept the door open and I’m just pretty relieved.”
WESTERN BULLDOGS: 1.3, 6.7, 9.10, 12.15 (87)
MELBOURNE: 3.8, 6.14, 9.19, 12.25 (97)
GOALS: Bulldogs: Bowden 4, McMahon 2, Eagleton, Darcy, Rawlings, West, Street, Harrison
Melbourne: Neitz 3, Davey 2, Thompson 2, Yze 2, Bruce 2, Green
BEST: Bulldogs: Bowden, Murphy, Eagleton, Smith, Cooney.
Melbourne: White, Nicholson, Rivers, Johnstone, Green, Thompson, Yze, Bruce
INJURIES: Bulldogs: Grant (coked hip), Rawlings (jarred knee), Johnson (ankle)
Melbourne: Jolly (medial ligament), Vardy (hamstring)
REPORTS: Nil
UMPIRES: Rowston, Dore, Jeffery
CROWD: 27,764 at MCG
