With six rounds to go, every match counts in the battle for the top eight — the Bulldogs and the Saints cannot afford to lose at Docklands.
LIVE AFL: Saints in 'survival mode' after being 'slaughtered' in horror start.
It’s that going in the corridor when they don’t need to. “We know they want to take the corridor on. You need to be punchier than that,” commentator Daisy Pearce said. The Western Bulldogs (8-8, 110.4%) will be without star forward Aaron Naughton under the health and safety protocols. There were no late changes for either side. The Western Bulldogs started the must-win clash with St Kilda full of run, and punished the Saints at every opportunity.
Follow along for all the major moments and post-game reactions as the Bulldogs and Saints square off at Marvel Stadium in Friday night AFL.
Ben Long’s attack on the ball on the wing was excellent. Unlike much of the night, they took the game on and moved the ball quickly. Time is on the Dogs’ side.
FRIDAY night's clash between the Western Bulldogs and St Kilda is the closest thing you can get to an elimination final outside of September.
The Dogs will enter the crunch clash one game and some percentage out of the eight, and a loss would see them slip further down the ladder - and further away from finals. Both the Western Bulldogs and St Kilda sit just outside the top eight, and a loss for either side decreases their finals chance enormously. FRIDAY night's clash between the Western Bulldogs and St Kilda is the closest thing you can get to an elimination final outside of September.
Follow along for all the major moments and post-game reactions as the Bulldogs and Saints square off at Marvel Stadium in Friday night AFL.
We don’t look further than next week which is against the Melbourne. We have top eight teams and we want to finish in the eight, we have to beat those sides. I think we’ve been really disappointed with the way teams have been able to move through us in the last couple of weeks in particular. I think that is the recipe for going forward and how we want to play. I think the way teams are able to utilise their half-backs, it suits my strengths in a way. I think the midfield tonight obviously spent a lot of time forward early. Yeah, the way the half-back is played in this day and age, a very attacking position.
Follow along for all the major moments and post-game reactions as the Bulldogs and Saints square off at Marvel Stadium in Friday night AFL.
We don’t look further than next week which is against the Melbourne. We have top eight teams and we want to finish in the eight, we have to beat those sides. I think we’ve been really disappointed with the way teams have been able to move through us in the last couple of weeks in particular. I think that is the recipe for going forward and how we want to play. I think the way teams are able to utilise their half-backs, it suits my strengths in a way. I think the midfield tonight obviously spent a lot of time forward early. Yeah, the way the half-back is played in this day and age, a very attacking position.