THE Western Bulldogs are on the verge of ending their AFLW finals drought after captain Ellie Blackburn led from the front in a hard-fought fifteen-point win over St Kilda.<\/p>\n
Blackburn (24 disposals, six tackles) and in-form ruck Alice Edmonds (38 hit-outs, nine tackles) were outstanding as the Bulldogs overcame inaccuracy in front of goal to post a 4.11 (35) to 3.2 (20) victory in Ballarat on Sunday.<\/p>\n
The result snapped the Dogs’ three-game losing streak as they bounced back from an embarrassing 64-point hiding from Melbourne.<\/p>\n
It put Nathan Burke’s side a win and percentage clear of ninth-placed Gold Coast, with two home-and-away rounds left.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe good thing is it’s in our hands,\u201d Burke said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we win two games, we get to play the week after. It’s as simple as that. If we drop some we shouldn’t, then it makes it tough.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe’ve been in this position the last couple of years, and this is probably the game that we\u2019ve dropped that\u2019s put us behind the eight-ball and chasing to get in, so to win it today is really pleasing.\u201d<\/p>\n
One of two clubs who paved the way for the national women’s competition, along with Melbourne, the Bulldogs have only once played finals.<\/p>\n
That was in 2018, under Burke’s predecessor Paul Groves, when they won the premiership through a one-off season decider, rather than a finals series.<\/p>\n
Sunday\u2019s result ended St Kilda\u2019s slim finals hopes and there could be further pain in the fallout, with Nicola Xenos\u2019 sling tackle on Kirsty Lamb certain to be reviewed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
THE Western Bulldogs are on the verge of ending their AFLW finals drought after captain Ellie Blackburn led from the front in a hard-fought fifteen-point win over St Kilda. Blackburn (24 disposals, six tackles) and in-form ruck Alice Edmonds (38 hit-outs, nine tackles) were outstanding as the Bulldogs overcame inaccuracy in front of goal to […]<\/p>\n