Bulldogs vs Sydney

2022 - 3 - 31

Post cover — Image courtesy of "Fox Sports"

'What can I say?' Swans coach speechless as fans stunned by Dogs ... (Fox Sports)

'What can I say?' Swans coach speechless as fans stunned by Dogs' free kick edge.

The free kick count was 8-1 in the third quarter and finished at 31-14 for the game — the Dogs received more than double the amount of free kicks than the Swans. Desperate to put the first two rounds of the season behind them, the Bulldogs got off to a flyer and led for the entire game at Marvel Stadium. The Western Bulldogs finally got their first win of 2022 against the Sydney Swans on Thursday night but all AFL fans could talk about was the lopsided free kick count in their favour.

Western Bulldogs beat Sydney by 11 points despite misfiring in front ... (ABC News)

The Western Bulldogs ride their luck and survive a plague of inaccuracy in front of goal to open their account for the AFL season with a scrappy 11-point ...

There was a third-quarter scare for the Bulldogs when Bontempelli reached across a charging Paddy McCartin in a marking contest and was hit in the left shoulder, then landed on it as he fell. The Bulldogs held Sydney to just one goal in the first half and should have led by more than 25 points at the main break but wasted a string of chances in kicking 1.7 to 0.0 for the second term. The Western Bulldogs have ridden their luck and survived a plague of inaccuracy in front of goal to open their account for the AFL season with a scrappy 11-point win over Sydney.

As it happened AFL 2022 round 3: Bontempelli's goal sees Western ... (The Age)

Follow along for all the major moments and post-game reactions as the Western Bulldogs and Sydney Swans open round three.

yesterday The Doggies were the opposite of that and to their credit they were hard and hungry and we didn’t go with that. yesterday The message came through there it was one of those stingers and hopefully that’s all it is. And it’s just so pleasing to see Ryan Gardner play the top game that he did. “That was encouraging.

AFL 2022 round 3 LIVE updates: Western Bulldogs lead Sydney ... (Brisbane Times)

Follow along for all the major moments and post-game reactions as the Western Bulldogs and Sydney Swans open round three.

The Doggies were the opposite of that and to their credit they were hard and hungry and we didn’t go with that. The message came through there it was one of those stingers and hopefully that’s all it is. And it’s just so pleasing to see Ryan Gardner play the top game that he did. Those sort of injuries can still hang around for a little bit but just the way he showed courage at different times and that spoil on the last quarter. And but again, in the third quarter, I felt we let it go over the back too much and we’re gonna need to improve on that to.” “That was encouraging.

Final teams in: Dogs out for FIRST blood of 2022, live from 7.20pm ... (AFL)

The Western Bulldogs and Sydney set to get round three off to a flyer at Marvel Stadium.

Marcus Bontempelli, who hurt his ankle in round one, will also play. Hayden Crozier, who fainted at half-time during last week, will play limited minutes in a reserves game. Quite simply, slumping to 0-3 would be disastrous for last year's Grand finalists.

Western Bulldogs v Sydney - The Big Questions - The Mongrel Punt (The Mongrel Punt)

In a pulsating last quarter, the Dogs managed to hold off a fast-finishing Swans and put the game on ice thanks to a goal out the back by Marcus Bontempelli ...

With the Dogs winning the clearances, and Libba coming to the fore late, Kennedy in the middle for the last ten minutes would have been nice. Loved his second efforts and his tackling pressure was excellent late in the game – just enough to force a rushed kick or a poor decision. Constantly on the move, and dangerous with the ball on the deck, his pace could worry a few defenders over the journey. or blow anyone at all, for that matter, but if we are looking for a way to gauge how Ugle-Hagan played, it would have to be with his second efforts, and the way he attacked the contest. Normally, if a player saw someone in the open and attempted to hit them to get the team running, that would be fine, but this… What the hell do you want him to do – get out of the way? The Dogs were working hard to make sure he got room to move and a free run at the footy at every opportunity. At one point in the third quarter, it was revealed that the Dogs had been on a run of 17-3 free kicks since the start of the second quarter. Isaac Heeney was cracked in the head by Lachie Hunter in a marking contest, but the umpire was waving his arms around like he was trying to take off, in an effort to call play on. One of his kicks to open the game up on the wing was the catalyst for the Mitch Wallis goal out the back in the last quarter – just a perfect kick to hit a teammate without breaking stride. English does, and in this case the trade off worked for the Dogs. Of the big men in the league, he is arguably the most skilled ball-user and looks the most comfortable when he receives the footy in space. It was a strange game, this one – the Dogs should have put the Swans away.