Dogs chase Cats off the Dome

Western Bulldogs   133 defeated Geelong   98

A seven goal third-term from the Western Bulldogs has restored some respect to a disappointing season, as they dented Geelong’s top-four hopes with a comprehensive 35-point win at the Telstra Dome this afternoon.

Despite needing a win to go back above St Kilda, the Cats looked sluggish from the get-go and it took a deficit of nearly 70 points to spark them into any sort of action.

The Bulldogs on the other hand were quicker, tougher and just a much better side in every facet of the game, although will have disappointed canine faithful by not putting in such an effort earlier in the season when finals were still a possibility.

Geelong lost the services of Brad Ottens before the game, welcoming Steve Johnson back into the fold instead, while the Dogs gladly welcomed back veterans Rohan Smith and Chris Grant.

For the Bulldogs, Nathan Eagleton took best-on-ground honours, kicking four goals from a wing to go with 28 touches. Robert Murphy was everywhere with 22 possessions, 13 marks and a goal, while unheralded Wayde Skipper bobbed up with a career-high five goals.

For the Cats, Darren Milburn was his usual reliable self with 28 touches and a goal, while Kent Kingsley kicked four and Gary Ablett battled hard for his 27 touches and three goals, although he was kept in check by rookie pup Ryan Griffen when the real heat was on in the first half.

After kicking only five goals for the game last week at AAMI Stadium, the Bulldogs welcomed the comforts of home, piling on six goals to two in the first term and thrashing Geelong in terms of intensity and commitment.

The stand-out was Skipper, who, despite having only four career goals previously, broke the game open with three in the quarter, including a freakish left-foot snap from the boundary that will certainly go under consideration for Goal of the Year.

Cat fans could have been forgiven for thinking their side had been stung into action at the start of the second term, as they got the first two goals in quick time through Milburn and Jimmy Bartel.

The joy lasted only minutes however, as the Dogs piled on the next three goals – including two to Rohan Smith – and when Matthew Robbins kicked truly late on, the half-time margin was out to 31 points.

Whatever Mark Thompson said at halftime obviously went in one cat ear and out the other, as the Bulldogs grabbed the first two majors of the second half, before Kent Kingsley grabbed his third in a lone-hand up forward.

From there it was a procession, with the home side piling on six goals in 10 minutes to take the margin out to nearly 12 goals, before five goals in time-on trimmed the difference back to 38 points in a belated effort from the Cats.

If one moment summed up Geelong’s day, it was at the 15-minute mark of the final quarter, as James Kelly lined up from 30 with a chance to bring the margin back to three goals, an amazing proposition given the margin half an hour before.

Instead, the ball cannoned off the post, Eagleton kicked his fourth down the other end and the Cats were left licking their wounds with a loss that could potentially drop them down to sixth.

Next week, the Bulldogs take on Brisbane on Saturday night at the Telstra Dome, while Geelong will try to bounce back against the Bombers at the Dome on Friday Night Football.

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