WC - Dogs see off the Swans

5:00:57 PM Sat 19 February, 2005
Paul Gough
exclusive to afl.com.au
It was a successful return to the coaches' box for Rodney Eade on Saturday as the Western Bulldogs advanced to the quarter finals of the Wizard Home Loans Cup but it might be his former apprentice Paul Roos who will go home the happier man.

In what was the first meeting as coaches between Eade and the man who replaced him as coach of Sydney halfway through the 2002 season, the Bulldogs won 1.11.15 (90) to 0.11.4 (70) after breaking the game open in the third quarter.

But while the Bulldogs were virtually at full strength, the Swans had nearly half of their best side unavailable and fielded ten new players - including eight who are yet to play at AFL level and five who are still on the club's rookie list.

In light of the huge gulf in terms of player availability between the two teams, it was a gallant effort by the Swans although if not for bad kicking, the Bulldogs would have led by more than nine points at half-time.



But with Barry Hall, Stuart Maxfield, Paul Williams, Jason Ball, Michael O'Loughlin, Jared Crouch, Jason Saddington, Ben Mathews and late withdrawal Tadgh Kennelly all on the sidelines, it seemed only a matter of time before the Bulldogs broke the game open.

And that is exactly what occurred at the start of the second half as Mitch Hahn and Matthew Boyd goaled in the first three minutes to extend the lead to 21 points before Heath James was penalised for running too far to hand another goal to Patrick Bowden.

And when Robert Murphy booted the game's only nine-point goal minutes later, the Bulldogs lead was suddenly out to 40 points.

But as is to be expected of a club which has almost forgotten how to win - with just eight wins in the past two years - the Bulldogs almost blew the lead as Sydney surged back to within 16 points early in the final quarter.

And when the Bulldogs' defensive linchpin Brian Harris went down with a heavy knock shortly after, the home side looked vulnerable.

But in what would have been a pleasing sign for Eade, the Bulldogs steadied through the class of Brad Johnson - who slotted a great goal from the boundary line - before last year's No.1 draft pick Ryan Griffen sealed victory with a goal on the run at the 17-minute mark.

Griffen was the only new player on display at the Bulldogs and was used sparingly by Eade, although he looked a class act each time he got the ball.

The Swans, in contrast, were almost unrecognizable in terms of personnel but there was much for Roos to be pleased about.

While experienced recruits Darren Jolly and David Spriggs were serviceable, some of the youngsters used by Roos showed great promise.

Rookies Guy Campbell and Luke Vogels both looked promising in attack and booted three goals between them while the Swans' number one draft pick last November Jarred Moore was lively after half-time.

But the young Swans had no answer to the class of the Bulldogs' elite players with Johnson booting three goals while Rohan Smith only let himself down with poor kicking for goal.

However it was not just a case of the Bulldogs relying on their star players to get them home as Lindsay Gilbee showed he in course for a big season while Adam Cooney and Farren Ray both looked to have benefited from getting another pre-season under their belts.


WESTERN BULLDOGS: 0.1.7, 0.5.9, 1.9.14, 1.11.15 (90)
SYDNEY: 0.2.0, 0.5.0, 0.8.1, 0.11.4 (70)

NINE POINT GOALS: Bulldogs: R Murphy
Sydney: Nil
SIX POINT GOALS: Bulldogs: Johnson 3, Faulkner 2, Smith, Hahn, Cooney, Bowden, Boyd, Griffen
Sydney: Vogels 2, C Bolton 2, McVeigh, Jolly, Kirk, Moore, Campbell, Nicks, Buchanan
BEST: Bulldogs: Gilbee, Johnson, McMahon, Cooney, Harris, Giansiracusa, Hargrave
Sydney: Nicks, C Bolton, Roberts-Thomson, O'Keefe, Kirk
INJURIES: Bulldogs: Nil
Sydney: Nil
REPORTS: Nil
UMPIRES: McLaren, Goldspink, Fussell, Farmer
CROWD: 10,580 at Telstra Dome