Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge says he “couldn’t believe” Marcus Bontempelli’s phenomenal first half that lifted their aspect to a 13.8 (86) to 10.11 (71) win in opposition to GWS.
The Bulldogs skipper completed with career-high clearances (14) and contested possessions (25), serving to himself in a first-half blitz that included 10 clearances, 15 contested possessions, six inside 50s and a aim.
It helped the Bulldogs get via a considerably patchy efficiency in driving rain at Manuka Oval with a top quality win, the Giants once more not rolling over however falling in need of snapping their eight-game dropping run within the capital.
Four straight objectives to start out the second half noticed the Dogs burn their opponents off, though the Giants returned the favour within the last time period’s first 11 minutes to maintain themselves within the combat simply 10 factors down.
It arrange a grandstand end, however back-to-back majors from Bulldogs key ahead Aaron Naughton iced the sport off.
Beveridge mentioned the one fixed via a blended bag of a efficiency had been their captain’s brilliance.
“He’s had a pretty good year up to date, but I couldn’t believe he’d had 10 clearances at halftime … that’s pretty phenomenal,” he mentioned.
“He’s always doing his absolute best to lead the charge and he played a really solid game.
“We had boys bob up and put a stamp on the sport right here and there, however we simply did not have any fluency.
“To come away with a win against a team that’s been ultra competitive and progressing with some of the kids, we walk away happy but there’s a bit to work on.”
But he traded blows with rising GWS bull Tom Green, who posted his personal profession highs with 38 touches and three objectives again on his residence Canberra turf.
He seemed each bit the Giants’ future famous person, significantly with skipper Toby Greene a late withdrawal with an ankle damage.
The Bulldogs shared the load up ahead with 9 particular person goalkickers and their energy trio of Naughton, Jamarra Ugle-Hagan and Rory Lobb discovered six between them regardless of the moist situations, whereas a younger pleasure machine led the way in which early.
Sixth-gamer Arthur Jones kicked two objectives in a full of life cameo, his high-energy play inside 50 serving to them pinch a 10-point quarter-time break.
Greene’s absence clearly damage the Giants they usually lacked effectivity inside 50, veteran Callan Ward stepping as much as kick two objectives earlier than Green hit the scoreboard late to offer his aspect a lifeline.
In eight video games beneath Kingsley, the Giants have not sustained a last margin of greater than 21 factors, however nonetheless have a 3-5 report.
“The effort to get back in the game was great, (but) it’s pretty disappointing how we let the game slip away,” Kingsley mentioned.
“We had opportunities to get the ball inside 50, scoring shots might have been similar, we just couldn’t finish our work and we couldn’t stop them from scoring.
“The abstract of the sport is +11 inside 50s, scoring photographs the identical … they have been incredible defending our entries and I did not suppose we supplied our forwards with sufficient alternatives.”
A possible hamstring damage for midfielder Adam Treloar that noticed him instantly subbed out of the sport was the one main detrimental for the Bulldogs.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
