THE Kangaroos have celebrated Glenn Archer’s 300thmatch with a 26–point win – 17.9 (111) to 11.19 (85) – over the WesternBulldogs at the MCG on Sunday.
The Roos set up the win with an eight-goal first quarter,six of those coming from the boot of Drew Petrie, who finished the match with sevenmajors.
It was almost unthinkable that the Kangaroos would not comeaway with the points in the Shinboner of the century’s big game, but the Dogs senta scare through the camp with the first two goals of the last quarter beforeBrent Harvey doused the danger with two settlers.
Petrie set the tone for the match with his early display ofindividual brilliance and finished the game with 14 disposals and nine marks,including a sensational leap that will be a contender for mark of the year.
Adam Simpson (26 disposals) and Harvey (27 touches) were pivotal in theresult, as was Brady Rawlings, who gathered 19 disposals and kicked a goalwhile curbing the influence of Scott West.
Daniel Giansiracusa was the Bulldogs’ best with 27 possessionsand three goals.
The man of the moment, Archer, was solid in defence in his milestonematch with 22 touches.
He had Roos supporters on their feet when he clattered into Giansiracusawith customary hardness and courage with the resulting turnover leading toPetrie’s fourth.
There was no mistaking the significance of the day as hundredsof school kids wearing No.11 t-shirts formed a guard of honour as the Kangaroostook the field and they responded with a first quarter that was simplystunning.
Petrie’s first came inside a minute and by the time hebooted his fourth 10 minutes in, the Roos had established a 23-point lead.
Corey Jones broke the Petrie sequence, but he soon found thegoals again with a nice snap in traffic and then a set shot after a strong leadand mark.
The Dogs’ first goal came in the 18th minute andhad a hint of luck about it as Farren Ray converted after marking a ShaunHiggins miskick.
It seemed to steady his shell-shocked side and goals toGiansiracusa, Chris Grant and Lindsay Gilbee followed, bringing the margin backto 22 points at the first break after the Roos led by as much as 35.
Daniel Wells celebrated his return from a six-week injurylayoff with a goal early in the second, but two majors to Brad Johnson,including a party trick snap over his head, kept the Dogs within strikingdistance.
Petrie continued his purple patch, adding his seventh, butScott McMahon, a late replacement for Aaron Edwards, took centre stage late inthe term kicking the first two goals of his career, the second coming after abrilliant pack mark.
The Roos’ lead was 34 points as the second half got underwayand while their scoring slowed with just three goals for the quarter, theymanaged to keep the Bulldogs to a couple to edge closer to the win.
Brady Rawlings rubbed salt into the Doggies’ wounds when hegoaled after the veteran Scott West put him on the goal line with a 50-metrepenalty and David Hale gifted Jones his second with a nice hand pass over thetop.
The margin was 35 points at the last change but was soondown to 22 after goals to Giansiracusa and Johnson.
Harveywas having none of that however, and celebrated with the crowd after his secondgoal sealed the win in front of over 39,000 supporters.
KANGAROOS 8.2 12.5 15.6 17.9 (111)
WESTERN BULLDOGS 4.4 6.7 8.13 11.19 (85)
Goals
Kangaroos: D Petrie 7 C Jones 2 B Harvey 2 S McMahon 2 B Rawlings D Wells J Sinclair L Brown
Western Bulldogs: B Johnson 3 D Giansiracusa 3 F Ray C Grant L Gilbee M Hahn S Higgins
Best
Kangaroos: D Petrie B Harvey H McIntosh C Jones B Rawlings A Simpson
Western Bulldogs: D Giansiracusa B Johnson M Boyd A Cooney J Akermanis J McMahon
Injuries
Kangaroos: Nil
Western Bulldogs: T Williams (ankle) M Lynch (ankle)
Reports: Nil
Umpires: M Vozzo L Farmer S Wenn
Official crowd: 39,433 at the MCG
