Resilient Dogs seal finals berth with win over Giants

COACH Luke Beveridge has hailed the Western Bulldogs’ resilience and one of the more significant victories of his career after his charges sealed an AFL finals berth with an impressive thirty-seven-point win over GWS.

But the Dogs could be without Liam Jones for a home elimination final, with the defender certain to come under scrutiny for a dangerous tackle on Aaron Cadman.

In Beveridge’s record 229th game at the helm, the Bulldogs needed victory to seal a top-eight berth.

In difficult, windy conditions at Ballarat’s Mars Stadium on Sunday, five unanswered second-quarter goals set up the Bulldogs’ 14.14 (98) to 9.7 (61) win.

“Today was a little bit about reflection. We were 3-5 (win-loss to start the season), it was acknowledging the resilience among the players and the staff as well,” Beveridge said.

“It’s a tremendous result. There’s great integrity in the way the players have fought their way through the year.

“To be here – we’re going to finish sixth – when it didn’t look likely after round eight, is very satisfying.

“We built it up as a big opportunity, as a game that probably internalises the inspiration a little bit more.

“So from that point of view, it’s one of the more significant wins over the journey.”

The Bulldogs (sixth) are poised to host Hawthorn (seventh) in an elimination final, while fourth-placed GWS will likely play minor premiers Sydney away in their qualifying final.

“We got a bit of an audit today, I reckon,” GWS coach Adam Kingsley said.

“A little bit of an audit around stoppage, about finals brand, which I think we’re quite strong at usually.

“We weren’t today. We were beaten by a better team, so that’s a nice little hit-up leading into finals, and if we’re good enough, we’ll change it.”

GWS gun Brent Daniels (lower back), tagger Toby Bedford (calf soreness) and forward Conor Stone (illness) were late withdrawals, but Kingsley backed all three to be fit for finals.

Nick Haynes, Xavier O’Halloran and Callum Brown (substitute) were called up, with the latter flying down on Sunday morning.

Bailey Dale (27 disposals, one goal) and Ed Richards (29 touches, two goals) stood out, while Marcus Bontempelli (10 clearances) and Tom Liberatore (eight clearances) were tireless.

Beveridge hailed Jack Macrae and Caleb Daniel, who have both been out of favour throughout the season, for responding to being “challenged”.

GWS defender Sam Taylor was superb, while Tom Green (36 disposals, one goal) and Lachie Whitfield (42 touches) were prolific.

Jones, who held Coleman Medallist Jesse Hogan to two goals, was penalised for a dangerous tackle just 18 seconds into the game.

When Cadman took possession, Jones pinned his right arm and drove him down, slamming his head into the turf.

Beveridge said he hadn’t watched the replay of the incident.

Laitham Vandermeer (hamstring tightness) was substituted in the first quarter for Artie Jones and will require scans, with Beveridge hopeful it was only a minor injury.

GWS led by 11 points at quarter-time, but the Bulldogs used the wind in the second term to great effect and led by 17 at half-time.

Toby Greene goaled after the siren to cut the deficit to 11 points at three-quarter-time, but four consecutive Bulldog goals in the fourth quarter iced victory.