The Western Bulldogs are still alive in season 2022, clinging to eighth spot by percentage only for the next few hours with a 23-point win over Hawthorn.
The Dogs jumped above Carlton by just one percent thanks to late goals from Roarke Smith in the final term.
The 12.15 (87) to 10.4 (64) win ensures the Dogs could play finals – if Collingwood defeat Carlton at the MCG later on Sunday.
It was a tough end to premiership Hawk Ben McEvoy’s career after he played a starring role in the first half of Hawthorn’s loss.
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QUARTER BY QUARTER MATCH REPORT
The Dogs were kicking against the breeze to start the match, while the cold conditions made for some scrappy passages of play.
Still, it was Luke Beveridge’s side that looked in good touch early, with Aaron Naughton streaming into an open goal to deliver his side’s first goal of the day.
A clean collect and finish from Marcus Bontempelli made it two goals against the breeze for the Dogs, with Hawthorn great Dermott Brereton labeling his former side “all at sea”.
As rain began to pepper the ground, Ben McEvoy kicked Hawthorn’s first goal of the match in what was his last AFL contest.
Jack Gunston added to the goal tally shortly after to level the scores, then Harry Morrison made it three goals on the trot and delivered the Hawks the lead for the first time of the afternoon.
The Hawks entered quarter-time with a 12-point lead.
Dylan Moore added another goal to his season tally to open the second term to extend the margin, with Naughton responding via a great kick at goal.
Father-son rookie Sam Darcy stood tall when pushed forward, after playing his first two AFL games down back, and kicked two goals in less than two minutes.
Teammates came from everywhere to celebrate Darcy’s first AFL goal in jubilant scenes.
But after conceding five of the last seven goals, McEvoy again stepped up when his team needed to reclaim the lead.
Cody Weightman continued the see-sawing contest when he kicked a goal with his first touch of the day – coming seconds out of half time.
“That’s poor defense unfortunately by Hawthorn,” commentator Brad Johnson said.
“You can see (Laitham) Vandermeer, it wasn’t quick at all.
“Weightman puts his arms up at the back of the contest. (Hawk Jack) Scrimshaw can’t get back in time.”
By the main break, the Dogs held a three-point lead.
The Bulldogs had plenty of opportunities in the third term to keep their finals hopes alive, but they were wayward in front of goal.
They kicked six consecutive behinds before Jack Gunston was able to add his fourth for the day.
Josh Dunkley was praised for putting his body on the line for his side, with it all to play for.
“That’s a couple of times he’s been able to stand under the ball and take a big grab for the Dogs,” Johnson praised.
“He’s a big unit,” Dermott Brereton added.
A big goal from Aaron Naughton ensured the Dogs held a 10-point lead heading into the final change.
Dylan Moore got the Hawks off to the perfect start when he narrowed the margin to just four early in the final term.
The ball lived in the Dogs’ forward half before Roarke Smith dribbled through his second for the afternoon to close his side to just 0.4 per cent off Carlton in eighth place on the ladder.
“He’s riding every moment now Bevo,” Brereton said as footage of an animated Dogs coach on the bench played.
Beveridge was less than impressed when Naughton sprayed his running shot out on the full when he had options inside 50.
But Lachie Hunter got lucky at the back of a pack and took a chest mark just 10m out from goal.
And his goal put the Dogs into the top eight for the first time on Sunday with the Carlton-Collingwood clash still to come.
When McEvoy gave up a high contact free kick to Roarke Smith, he went back and gave his side some breathing room.
“It’s a big moment for the Dogs and their season,” commentator Mark Howard said.
“He’s kicked three goals – its an important performance on a big day for the Bulldogs,” Johnson added.
“It plays itself into a final.”
The Dogs finished 23-point winners and now await the result of the Carlton-Collingwood clash at the MCG.
THE 3-2-1…
3. DOGS STAY ALIVE IN 2022
The equation was simple for the Western Bulldogs – get the win in Tasmania and stay alive in season 2022.
A loss would have completely ended their finals hopes and early on against the Hawks, it looked a real possibility.
Down by 12 points at the first break, the Dogs kicked five of seven goals in the second term to take a slender lead into the main break.
The Hawks stuck with them in the third before a late cameo from Roarke Smith ensured the Dogs kicked away in the final term to leap into the top eight.
They sat one percent above Carlton by full time.
“If their midfield catches fire in a final, look out!” commentator Brad Johnson said.
“But they’ve still got some scratchiness.
“The teams, especially the top four teams, it would be extremely difficult with where they are at and what they’ve put out on the field consistently (to make an impact in finals).
“Still plenty of work for the Dogs if they make a final.”
But Fox Footy’s Dermott Brereton warned the Dogs could pose a danger if they clicked like they did in their 2021 grand final run.
“They are capable of clicking in a hurry,” Brereton said.
“Dogs supporters will hope it stays at 48 points a piece (with Carlton at the end of Round 23) and that click happens in 14 days’ time.”
2. FATHER-SON ROOKIE ‘WORTH HIS WEIGHT IN GOLD’
Sam Darcy made his debut against Fremantle and was one of his side’s most impressive thanks to his aerial ability.
In just his third game, Darcy showed he has another string to his bow by pushing forward against the Hawks.
Darcy, the 19-year-old, 205cm key position player, took two big grabs in the space of less than two minutes and kicked two goals when his side needed to find a way to hit the scoreboard.
“Sam Darcy set the Bulldogs alight with two important marks inside the forward 50,” Brad Johnson praised.
“I was excited after seeing Sam push forward in the second quarter.
“His height was the standout. They didn’t have the match up for him.
“He kicked his first goal, teammates get around him.
“We liked what we saw from Darcy inside forward 50.”
Fox Footy’s Dermott Brereton said Darcy’s day showed he belonged as a forward.
“He kicked a set shot with a right foot and then just nonchalantly went with the other side and thought: ‘left will do!’,” he praised.
“He’s got some talent about him.
“There’s a bright future for that man.
“Why would you waste someone like that down back when they can do that up forward? You can get any monkey to play as a backman. Not being offensive to monkeys.
“If you can do that up forward, you are worth your weight in gold.
“That was really exciting the way he got on the end of the footy in the forward line.”
Darcy’s day finished with 13 disposals – seven of those contested, along with three contested marks.
Johnson said the Dogs trade period could determine where Darcy’s future lies.
“If they can get a Liam Jones and a Rory Lobb over the trade period, then all of a sudden that adds some flexibility to the way they develop over the next couple of years as he grows into his body,” he said.
1. THE TAG IS BACK!
It’s been years since we saw sides employ a regular tag on the opposition’s best.
But in 2022, St Kilda has used Marcus Windhager to great effect and the Eagles have opted for Jackson Nelson at times.
But it’s been Hawks coach Sam Mitchell’s decision to turn to Finn Maginness as a tagger than has kept Hawthorn in games.
Against the Dogs on Sunday, Maginness restricted Dogs star Bailey Smith to just 13 touches to three quarter time.
Smith has been averaging 30 disposals a game in season 2022.
Mitchell then made the move in the final term to shift Maginness to Tom Liberatore.
“I like the move,” Dermott Brereton said.
“They (Smith and Liberatore) are two different styles of player and it will be a big learning for Maginness to adapt to their play.”
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