THE WESTERN BULLDOGS have continued their unbeaten start to the season with an 18-point win against the Sydney Swans at the SCG.
The Dogs rebounded from a slow start with a seven-goal second term and were never headed, holding off the home side to win 18.4 (112) to 14.10 (94).
Adam Cooney was best afield with 25 touches and five goals, while Brad Johnson had four goals and 19 touches. Ryan O’Keefe (32 possessions) was among the Swans’ best, and Adam Goodes (27 touches) was good after half time.
After the Bulldogs dominated the second quarter, the third term was an evenly-matched affair.
The pressure that was absent from the Swans midfield in the second quarter returned, and the Dogs struggled to maintain their free-running style.
As both sides exchanged early goals, Adam Cooney remained a standout at both ends of the field.
He added two more goals and could often be found in defence, setting up the Bulldogs’ attacking forays.
Swans flanker Amon Buchanan emerged from a quiet first half to boot two third-quarter goals, while Peter Everitt bobbed up in the goalsquare to cut the margin to 13 points.
The Swans squandered several chances to take the lead, with former Geelong forward Henry Playfair (twice) and Everitt failing to convert.
The home side’s profligacy cost them as the ball was swept up the other end to the in-form Cooney, who coolly slotted his fifth goal from 50m to put the Dogs 16 points in front at the last change.
Mitch Hahn’s mark and goal from the first clearance of the final term ensured the Dogs had a little more breathing space.
When Brad Johnson added his fourth goal from a free kick at point blank range, the 28-point deficit seemed too much for the Swans to haul in.
The home side won plenty of the ball across half-back, but continually turned it over going in the forward 50.
The game looked over when Stephen Tiller kicked his second goal to put the Dogs 28 points up with 10 minutes remaining.
But the Swans rallied, with Jude Bolton and Michael O’Loughlin booting three goals in five minutes to cut the gap to 12 points with four minutes left.
It proved beyond the Swans, with Nathan Eagleton booting the sealer after yet another turnover in the home side’s forward line.
Earlier, Jarrad McVeigh starred in the first term with two sharp goals, and he narrowly missed a third as the Swans opened a two-goal break.
Where the home side’s goals came easily from flowing midfield play, the Bulldogs were forced to work the ball forward laboriously.
When they did find the ball in scoring range, Cooney, Johnson and Hahn all delivered.
But those moments were rare as the Swans worried their opponents out of possession time and again.
A late goal to Henry Playfair lifted the Swans’ morale even further and gave the home side a 15-point lead at the first change.
Whatever coach Rodney Eade said to his charges at the huddle had the desired effect. Cooney, Matthew Boyd and company began to win at the stoppages, and the run that was markedly absent in the first quarter had returned.
As the Swans forwards cleaned up in the first term, so did the Bulldogs marksmen – to the tune of seven unanswered goals in the first 20 minutes.
The sight of Robert Murphy dominating at centre half-forward with precision and menace was a vision to gladden the hearts of the band of travelling Dogs fans.
He slotted two goals to match the output of his skipper Johnson in the term, while Tim Callan, Stephen Tiller and Cooney also chipped in to put the Dogs 28 points up.
A late goal to Swans tagger Kieren Jack reduced the margin to 21 points at half time.
Western Bulldogs 3.1 10.2 14.2 18.4 (112)
Sydney Swans 5.4 6.5 10.10 14.10 (94)
GOALS
Western Bulldogs: Cooney 5, Johnson 4, Hahn 2, Murphy 2, Tiller 2, Callan, Minson, Eagleton
Sydney Swans: O'Loughlin 3, Buchanan 2, McVeigh 2, Jolly, O'Keefe, Playfair, Jack, Everitt, Goodes, J. Bolton
BEST
Western Bulldogs: Johnson, Cooney, Murphy, Lake, Hahn
Sydney Swans: McVeigh, Jack, O'Keefe, Buchanan, O'Loughlin
INJURIES
Western Bulldogs: TBA
Sydney Swans: None
Reports: Nil
Umpires: McInerney, Rosebury, Stevic
Official crowd: 29,018 at SCG
The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
