THE WESTERN Bulldogs and St Kilda will play off for long-awaited grand final appearances following convincing weekend victories over the Sydney Swans and Collingwood.
The Saints have not appeared in a season decider since losing to Adelaide in 1997, while Bulldogs fans have had an even longer wait – the 1961 loss to Hawthorn being the last chance they had to cheer on their team on the biggest day of the season.
The Dogs could again face Hawthorn in this year’s grand final, but to do so, they would have to beat reigning and minor premier Geelong in a preliminary final.
The task looks similarly daunting for the Saints against the Hawks, although Ross Lyon’s team was a surprise 30-point victor when the two sides last clashed in round 16.
If St Kilda can carry through its form – and even more so, its accuracy – from the 34-point first semi-final win over the Magpies, then a grand final berth is certainly not out of reach.
After an even beginning, the Saints kicked clear in the second quarter and were never headed from then on.
Nick Riewoldt was the dominant forward on the ground with a haul of 5.0, and his dead-eye shooting seemed to spread among his teammates, with St Kilda kicking 17.4 (106) to Collingwood’s 9.18 (72).
The only down points for the Saints were the continued absence of Luke Ball with a hamstring ailment, and the report of Justin Koschitzke for unduly rough play on Pies veteran Shane Wakelin.
The Bulldogs, meanwhile, dominated the second half in ending the Swans’ season with a 37-point second semi-final win on Friday night.
Rodney Eade’s side led by just four points at the long break, but five unanswered goals in the third quarter paved the way for an impressive victory.
While Barry Hall continued his recent good form with a match-high four goals for the Swans, the Bulldogs had 11 individual goal-kickers and by far the more four-quarter contributors.
The Dogs will meet Geelong on Friday night, while the Hawks and Saints will face off on Saturday night. Both preliminary finals will be played at the MCG.
It may not turn out to be the premiership quarter, but the third term certainly proved important in the Western Bulldogs’ 37-point second semi-final win over the Sydney Swans. While the Swans’ managed a paltry 0.6, the Bulldogs piled on 5.4 and, despite Paul Roos’ side’s penchant for dramatic comebacks, the match was effectively over as a contest in the half-hour after half-time. The final scoreline reflected the Dogs' superior hardness at the contest, with the victors having 10 more tackles than the Swans (65-55). Matthew Boyd was superb with 33 possessions, while Robert Murphy’s three goals from half-forward were also important.
The Saints ensured the top four sides from the home-and-away season would play off for grand final spots after a 34-point win over the more fancied Magpies. With Nick Riewoldt, Justin Koschitzke and Stephen Milne combining for 11 goals, the Saints were always going to be in the box seat – but it was their response to a potential third-quarter Collingwood surge that proved decisive. The Pies had the chance to reduce the deficit to single figures early in the third term, with ruckman Chris Bryan lining up a seemingly simple chance following a 50m penalty. However, Bryan sprayed his shot, and two quick goals at the other end of the ground pushed St Kilda’s lead out to the best part of five goals. From there, Ross Lyon’s charges never looked like being seriously threatened.
