THE WESTERN Bulldogs were forced to scrap and scramble but overcame an injury-hit Collingwood to post a 21-point win on Sunday.

The Dogs lacked their usual run, dare and potent skill, and looked set for successive defeats before overrunning the Magpies to claim the 11.8 (74) to 7.11 (53) win at the MCG.

Collingwood will rightfully rue its bad luck in the defeat, with the Magpies suffering four injuries that left them with no available players for nearly the whole final quarter. 

And the damage came in all parts of the ground for the Pies.

Five talking points: Collingwood v Western Bulldogs 

Half-back Alan Toovey (concussion) was out of the game in the second term, a hamstring injury cut short midfielder Taylor Adams' afternoon minutes into the second half, and exciting forward Alex Fasolo didn't return to the field after injuring his shoulder in the third quarter.

The Pies had options on the interchange bench 10 minutes into the last term when emerging star Darcy Moore copped a knock to his shoulder that saw him head to the rooms and return with his arm in a sling. 

The disastrous injury run didn't dispirit the Magpies, who bravely continued to push the Bulldogs and compete well, but Luke Beveridge's men ground their way to their seventh win of the year.

Luke Dahlhaus was terrific with 37 disposals, Tom Liberatore had six clearances from 31 touches, and Matt Suckling returned to the side from injury to show his class with 22 disposals at 82 per cent efficiency.

Proving the Dogs' ability to grind out a victory, Tory Dickson, Jack Redpath and Josh Dunkley all booted two majors each as star forward Jake Stringer went goalless and Marcus Bontempelli (20) was well held by Levi Greenwood.

Beveridge admitted his team had benefited from Collingwood's run of injuries across the day.

"There's no doubt we dodged a bullet. To Collingwood's credit I think they ended up with just 18 left and they really ground it out. They showed great courage and we were fortunate enough from there to win," the Dogs coach said after the match.

"I'm always grateful to our players for their efforts, but the way we use the ball there's no doubt some of it was due to Collingwood's pressure, but a lot of it wasn't.

"To turn the ball over so often – I think we were 30 (turnovers) at half-time, we're normally 34 for the game – it was only our defensive side of it that really kept our head above water and then just allowed us to come over the top in the end.

"Part of that was our players' persistence, but a significant part of it was probably because Collingwood only had 18 players left."

Recruit Jeremy Howe was among Collingwood's best, with the former Demon registering a career-high 28 disposals across half-back and taking 11 marks. Midfield trio Adam Treloar (31), Scott Pendlebury (32) and Steele Sidebottom (26) were also important before tiring in the final quarter.


Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley conceded trying to steer a team to a win without anybody available on the bench "isn't fun", but said the Pies could have wrapped up the game earlier.

"There were plenty of areas we were in control of early on where we needed to gap the opposition in shape or form and we weren't able to do it," he said.

"As much as we lost soldiers, we could've been more effect and efficient in those first three quarters on the scoreboard."

With Collingwood searching for its third straight win and the Dogs keen to bounce back from their loss to GWS last week, the high stakes nature of the game was obvious early. A Pendlebury sidestep and goal from the pocket was the highlight of a tightly fought opening term, which the Pies closed leading by a point.

The Dogs had their chances, however, with two costly misses from Redpath and Stringer, but the pair were causing trouble for the Magpies. On several occasions the dangerous Stringer found himself in open space, while Redpath's return from suspension gave the Dogs a reliable marking target near goal.

GAMEBREAKER: Stand-in stands up

Notwithstanding the close margin, it felt like a game Collingwood had control of in most places except the scoreboard. Sidebottom's relentless running was important in the second term as he racked up 11 disposals, but both sides managed just one major in another tough but inefficient quarter.

Collingwood's five-point advantage at the main change, and the evenness in all of the key statistical measures, probably didn't truly reflect its edge in the contest that gave the Dogs a sniff.

But the Pies' task to capitilise on their dominance became far harder early in the third term when the injuries started to mount, and although they hung on as best they could, the Bulldogs could smell a chance to break free.

It took a little while to come, but without any rotations for the final 20 minutes of the game the Pies grew tired as the Dogs charged home.

Six-and-a-half minutes remained in the last term when Bulldogs recruit Suckling kicked truly to extend the lead to 14 points, and while the Pies look set to lose a handful of players for some time, they shouldn't have lost any admirers for their effort. If not for the injuries, the day's story might well have had a much different ending.

MEDICAL ROOM
Collingwood: The Pies appear likely to feel the effects of Sunday's loss for a little while, with Taylor Adams (hamstring), Alex Fasolo (shoulder) and Darcy Moore (shoulder) all finishing the game on the bench with their injuries. Alan Toovey was also hurt in the second term with a head knock, and played no further part in the game due to concussion. Buckley said post-game the club would need to "wait until the dust settles" before any clarity came on the injuries. Young Magpie Ben Crocker hurt his ankle in the third term as well, but played out the game after some attention from medical staff. 

Western Bulldogs: Unlike their counterparts, the Bulldogs seemed to get through the game without any major injury dramas.

NEXT UP
The Bulldogs' top-four credentials will get another test next week when they host West Coast at Etihad Stadium in what looms as the game of round 11. Collingwood takes on Port Adelaide at the MCG on Sunday afternoon.  

COLLINGWOOD              3.1      4.7      6.8      7.11   (53)                 
WESTERN BULLDOGS     3.0      4.2      6.5      11.8   (74)         

GOALS
Collingwood: Moore 2, Fasolo, Pendlebury, Crocker, Blair, Treloar
Western Bulldogs: Dunkley 2, Dickson 2, Redpath 2, Campbell, Dahlhaus, Bontempelli, Wood, Suckling

BEST
Collingwood: Sidebottom, Reid, Howe, Pendlebury, Greenwood, Treloar
Western Bulldogs: Wood, Dahlhaus, Liberatore, Macrae, Hunter, Suckling

INJURIES
Collingwood: Toovey (concussion), Adams (hamstring, knee), Fasolo (shoulder), Moore (shoulder)
Western Bulldogs: Nil 

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Rosebury, Hosking, Meredith 

Official crowd: 45,078 at the MCG