Dees down dogs
Round 11 – Western Bulldogs Vs Melbourne – Dees Down Dogs – This game had everything – Nathan Jones’ 250th game and Neville Jetta had his best game of this season.
Liam Chambers – our corespondent in Coffs Harbour
This game had everything. All the players seemed determined to make Nathan Jones’ 250th game something special. The Doggies played hard and in the first quarter really took the fight to Melbourne. The Demons fought for every point and Neville Jetta had his best game of this season. If he doesn’t make the All Australian Team this year then there is no justice.
Apart from the high drama there was also the tragedy of Jake Lever’s potentially season ending injury. The Dees have great depth but will miss Lever’s outstanding contribution to Melbourne’s success so far in 2018.
Melbourne started off looking in ominous form marking well and looking like they were going to dominate the Dogs. Unfortunately WB had other ideas and Mitch Honeychurch kicked the opener followed by another two from Josh Schache and Marcus Bontempelli. The Doggies had Melbourne on the ropes and they struggled to get out of their inside 50. Things only got worse when Jake Lever limped off in the twentieth minute. Finally though the legend of Tom McDonald continued when he kicked his first of the day. However further bad news for the Dees when Jake Melksham injury was balanced with a beautiful captain’s goal from Nathan Jones. Scores at quarter time 21-13.
Melbourne started the second quarter with an Alex Neal-Bullen goal closely followed by T Mac’s second to put the Dees in front. A goal from Billy Gowers showed the Dogs still had plenty of spirit left but then Jesse decided it was time to add to his impressive scoring record this season. If he’s not careful he’ll end up top goal kicker for 2018. Tom McDonald might not be far behind as he slotted his third. Jesse Hogan kicked the last goal of the half to have Melbourne leading by sixteen points at 30-46.
Bontempelli got his second in the opening minute of the third quarter but Christine Petracca hit back with his only goal of the game. Another from Jesse was followed by one from Fritsch who has been one of the Dee’s best markers. Mitch Hannan again showed why you don’t give him an opener when he scored in the seventeenth minute. Jordan Roughead scored for the Dogs in what would be the last of the quarter. Scores 44-83.
Melbourne were comfortably ahead at the start of the last quarter but Hogan made it even more difficult for the Dogs with a goal in the third minute. Then it seemed like it would be a low scoring last twenty minutes before Tom McDonald got his fourth quickly followed by Angus Brayshaw (again playing brilliantly) before Jesse Hogan sealed it with his fifth. We won’t mention his behind after the siren except to say it clocked up another game of three figure points for the Dees.
We knew the Bulldogs game was going to be difficult and it was Melbourne’s toughest since we played Hawthorne in Round 4. Simon Goodwin can be justifiably proud of our lads though and it bodes well for the rest of the season. The Dees are still managing to fly under the radar a bit but more commentators are starting to take them seriously and a win against Collingwood next weekend will see expectations rise. The Pies are always a notoriously difficult game for the Dees and they will need to bring their very best performance to the MCG on the public holiday Monday to make sure we bury another hoodoo.
WESTERN BULLDOGS 3.3 4.6 6.8 7.9 (51)
MELBOURNE 2.1 7.4 11.7 15.10 (100)
GOALS
Western Bulldogs: Bontempelli 2, Honeychurch, Schache, Gowers, Roughead, Suckling
Melbourne: Hogan 5, T.McDonald 4, Jones, Neal-Bullen, Petracca, Fritsch, Hannan, Brayshaw
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