Western Bulldogs into their first Grand Final for 55 years
Footscray’s last Grand Final was Hawthorn’s first. The latter have played in 18 since and have 13 pennants. To say this club and its members are deserving is such an understatement.
And from seventh. And after having to go to Perth. And having to eliminate both of last year’s Grand Finalists; including the mob who won the last three.
Then go to Western Sydney against a team so destined. Luke Beveridge said a couple of weeks ago that the story wasn’t over yet. Turns out he was spot on.
There’ll be reports and recaps and the like all over the website, so keep an eye out for them. But for me, that’s enough. Hope you enjoyed the ride. Thanks for your company.
What scenes. Those Dogs rooms out of control for the song. At some point they’ll need to wind it back a bit and start thinking about Saturday, but they get this moment first.
Final score - GWS 12.11.83 defeated by Western Bulldogs 13.11.89
You can’t beat the boys of the Bulldogs breed.
Updated
Peter Gordon crying in the crowd, he saved this club. Along with thousands of members who wouldn’t accept merger in 1989. Utterly inspirational.
THE DOGS ARE IN THE GRAND FINAL!!!!!!!!!!
Emotional players, supporters in tears; Tony Liberatore one of them. Soak it up, our game doesn’t get better than this.
High tackle! Dogs free. And they can hold the ball. Kick it around! They will. But had to go down the line. Inside 50. Stringer. Dickson marks! 23 seconds to go.
A GOAL WILL WIN THE GAME.
Updated
Defending they will show at the Dogs forever if they win this. The captain Easton Wood got back and made it count. No Giants player could get clean hands. All of a sudden the ball is back on the wing an out of bounds with 74 seconds to go and that’s not a bad result for the Dogs.
Is that the moment? GWS get the break, Devon Smith loads from 49 and MISSES. Five the margin, two minutes to go. Another lunge on the wing, bodies everywhere.
Bulldogs goal! 4th quarter (3:00 remaining) GWS 12.10 (82) vs Bulldogs 13.10 (88) DOGS LEAD AGAIN! Jack Macrae gets on the end of a Libber entry. Back with the flight. Perfect technique on the mark, and the set shot. Can it be so?
SCORES ARE LEVEL! Greene takes a left foot snap and it is a minor score after the deep Mumford entry. Bodies everywhere, 3:43 on the clock.
Updated
Cameron hasn’t had a touch all night and misses the snap when he gets his chance. After Stringer prevented another GWS shot with a huge tackle. They were the two with quiet first halves. One has stepped up, the other hasn’t. Margin is one point and you start thinking about extra time with 4:14 left on the clock.
Another crazy passage of play. Cordy is everywhere in the F50 for the Dogs, working in collaboration with Libber. Bont sets up the surge from centre half forward, but it is a behind when Johannisen sprays it from 50.
GWS goal! 4th quarter (7:20 remaining) GWS 12.8 (80) vs Bulldogs 12.9 (81) Back the other end, Greene gets the boot to it and it goes 15.1 metres; mark paid. Patton goal from 20m out and it is back to a point. Whoever wins this will need at least two more goals from here.
Bulldogs goal! 4th quarter (8:40 remaining) GWS 11.8 (74) vs Bulldogs 12.9 (81) Caleb Daniel out to Cordy via a deflecton who snaps and it is true and the Dogs are seven points ahead with eight minutes to play and IT IS A FEATURE FILM IF THEY DO THIS.
Updated
Bulldogs goal! 4th quarter (09:40 remaining) GWS 11.8 (74) vs Bulldogs 11.9 (75) DOGS HIT THE LEAD. It is magic from Johannisen, his toe through the guts as good as you’ll see, then finding the champ Bont, who steadies and sets and DRILLS IT FROM 45. Oh, Johannisen that was sensational. The roar from the away support inspirational.
Updated
All happening. Dogs hit the post. After a magic Libber tackle in the previous wave; a missed snap there too. Every entry they are getting some sort of chance. But they remain behind by five points. If they can nab the next one it’ll break the Dogs’ heart. It’s a scrap, the players, understandably, spent.
Stringer has lifted. Second contested ball he has won this quarter. Johannisen undoes the great work by not finishing it off. Not much pressure either. How often have I said that tonight when reflecting on a Dogs shot? Inside 50 they go again. And again.
Palmer shank. The Giant shoulda gone better there. Daniel takes the mark, wins a 50m penalty after a late infringement. And the little bloke finds a target at half forward. Hood ball movement. It’s out of bounds. But good signs on each line for the Dogs.
Half a chance! Stringer’s snap, after Picken’s F50 entry, nearly. Cordy in the mixer down there too; he’s been good. Patton dropped mark down the other end. Plenty left in this.
Bulldogs goal! 4th quarter (16:40 remaining) GWS 11.8 (74) vs Bulldogs 10.6 (66) And it does! Dickson gets on the end of a nice, long kick from Boyd that finds him on the chest. To make no mistake of it, he plays on and whacks it through. Three goals in three minutes to begin the quarter. Good sign for the Dogs, who need the game to remain open to bridge the gap, which is only eight points.
Updated
GWS goal! 4th quarter (17:40 remaining) GWS 11.8 (74) vs Bulldogs 9.6 (60) Two in a minute! Toby Greene has a chance from long-range, just inside the 50 and on the angle he makes no mistake with a late inswinger to the right handed batsmen. Real pretty. Fourteen point margin now. Ominous for the Dogs if they can’t get the next. But they should, right? This is what we know from the night: every time this happens.
Updated
GWS goal! 4th quarter (18:35 remaining) GWS 10.8 (68) vs Bulldogs 9.6 (60) Scully finds space, gets a snap deep and Lobb takes the grab! Classy player, good enough to create the angle and snap it home with his non-preferred left.
Three quarter time - GWS 9.7.61 v Footscray 9.6.60
I’m just going to be repeating myself. But the desperation here is completely befitting of the stage. Neither team has disappointed; total commitment to the cause.
The flow has been consistent tonight, each time one side has the ascendancy to the tune of more than a single goal, it seldom lasts more than a minute. GWS hung on for the early part of that quarter, benefitting from the Bulldogs again failing to take their chances, before going down the other end to make them pay. Heath Shaw’s goal had to hurt.
But as their lead moved to 11, it was the Scraggers who jagged the final two. That last one, if they get over the line, will be spoken of for a long while.
Get a tin of beer, or whatever it is that calms you. This is destined to be decided in the very last moments. Can the Dogs do this? Can they really? A first Grand Final for 55 years? Or will GWS close it out? FOOTY.
Bulldogs goal! 3rd quarter (1:00 remaining) GWS 9.7 (61) vs Bulldogs 9.6 (60) INCREDIBLE goal to put the Dogs within one point. Caleb Daniel wanted it more, starting it with a desperate tackle to force the ball inside 50. But then, Patfull turns it over doing likewise. Full stretch tackle from him too. But who really wants it more? Libber to Daniel to goal. Our game at its best. Blimey!
Let off, Dogs. Scully gets the crumbs from Cameron in comfortably his most influential moment of the night, bangs it home from close range. But it’s touched. Stringer, another who has been quiet tonight, gets his fingers to it in the dive. Hoooooold.
Bulldogs goal! 3rd quarter (3:00 remaining) GWS 9.5 (59) vs Bulldogs 8.6 (54) And there it is! Immediate response. Bont superb; makes the marking contest, gets the ball the ground, wins it again, hands off to Cordy in space who finishes from 30. Lead back to five.
GWS goal! 3rd quarter (4:30 remaining) GWS 9.5 (59) vs Bulldogs 7.6 (48) Heath Shaw! Runs up to collect a handball ala Buddy Franklin, gets the little handball receive and booms it home from 55! He’s had a crazy old night, starting fights with his own team and the opposition each time he is on camera. And now he has his first goal... of the season. The Giants lead is 11. Ten minutes ago they looked in real strife. Which suggests there’ll be another twist soon enough.
The Giants half-backs are starting to take control. The Dogs' pressure looks to be dropping off somewhat.
— Daniel Cherny 📰 (@DanielCherny) September 24, 2016
Updated
Unreal footy. Not the prettiest. But the tackling, the handballing, the pressure. Whitfield just tried to belt MacRae. No idea why, but gives a sense that they’ll worry about next week later. Until then: whatever it takes.
Steve Waugh up in corporates watching on with Kevin Sheedy. Better than Andre Agassi last night at the ‘G? Anyway, footy footy footy.
And just like that, the @GWSGIANTS are back within one point! #AFLFinals https://t.co/lyYTrcfRYU
— AFL (@AFL) September 24, 2016
Updated
GWS goal! 3rd quarter (10:00 remaining) GWS 8.5 (53) vs Bulldogs 7.6 (48) Giants back in front! Two goals in 90 seconds, and the Dogs will need to dig deep now. How often do you see it? One team dominates, can’t convert that to the scoreboard, other mob go down the other end and change the game. A fine contested mark by Lobb, who is going to be a superstar. He turns around and finishes off the job from 30.
GWS goal! 3rd quarter (11:30 remaining) GWS 7.5 (47) vs Bulldogs 7.6 (48) Toby Greene on the end of an intercept, has a yard and takes it, finds Patton deep in the paddock who turns around and boots the goal! From absolutely nowhere they are a point down again. Superb tackle Tom Scully to set it all up. That’s been the pattern of the night.
Updated
Give me strength, that is ridiculous. Poor clearing kick by Davis out of GWS’ defensive 50 and he’s pinged for deliberate. Spirit of the rule, etc. They are yet to convert from it. A missed snap, another poor Stringer set shot. But they’ll keep coming, be sure of that.
Dogs surge! Dahlhaus strong contest in the corridor, wins the free for his effort. Back the other way and Jake Stringer is out the back! Hasn’t been seen all night, and in keeping with that anonymity misses to the near side. Lift, fella. Lift.
Bulldogs goal! 3rd quarter (15:30 remaining) GWS 6.5 (41) vs Bulldogs 7.5 (47) Tory Dickson too strong and too good and too classy. Drives home his third from 20m after taking an excellent grab over Heath Shaw. Timely. But they all are at this time of the season, aren’t they?
Updated
GWS goal! 3rd quarter (17:30 remaining) GWS 6.4 (40) vs Bulldogs 6.5 (41) Lobb! Benefits from a fumble at the kick-off line, clever banana from the big man and GWS get their first of the third term. They’re peppering.
Meanwhile, Bont hobbles off after copping a whack to the hip courtesy of Dylan Shiel. And Ward is back on the bench, albeit in his tracksuit, the TV tells me.
Liquid football. The Giants move the ball 100m quicker than Ben Johnson. But the finish isn’t there. Then Devon Smith doesn’t convert a snap from relatively close range. Maybe their turn to miss a few?
That was quick. We’re back at the footy. Stick with us, we’ve got the close one.
John Smith has dropped us a line. “Adam. Thanks for the live blog which i am following from Yazd in Iran,”
Can you beat that? We had Sub-Saharan Africa last week.
He quickly adds that next week he’ll be in Tehran for the Grand Final. Probably no pub crawl, then.
Ian Swan doesn’t like BT’s commentary. Reckons he is barracking for the Dogs. I was worried I’d do that tonight. How’s my driving?
Scott Dare has a good point on twitter. @andrew_54 is the most passionate Dogs man on the entire world wide web. Follow his emotions over the next hour.
Two touches for Jeremy Cameron, four for Jakey Stringer. #aflfinals
— Ashley Browne (@hashbrowne) September 24, 2016
RougheadFalcon.gif pic.twitter.com/bl71aiU4Mo
— Daniel Cherny 📰 (@DanielCherny) September 24, 2016
Half time - GWS 5.2.32 v Bulldogs 6.5.41
Jason Dunstall on the telly has it about right: an entire half of arm-wrestling. A case can be made for the Dogs being far further ahead due to inaccuracy, but the Giants twice hit the lead in that second term.
Both sides have lost a man, Jordan Roughead to a ball in the eye, then Callan Ward a knee to the jaw. Clay Smith the Dogs’ talisman, four majors in the half. Toby Greene has three for the hosts.
“If he comes back on this man is Hercules,” says Dermie at ground level about the Ward injury. He knows a bit about that.
What do you reckon? Who breaks this open? We’ve got 15 minutes, let’s have a chat. Adam.Collins.Freelance@theguardian.com.
Siren! Phew. Bloody hell. I need a drink. The 44 blokes out there need an orange.
Updated
Best Clay since... pic.twitter.com/Ia9upZio36
— Russell Jackson (@rustyjacko) September 24, 2016
Bulldogs goal! 2nd quarter (1:45 remaining) GWS 5.2 (32) vs Bulldogs 6.5 (41) Clay Smith has four! Ball up inside the Dogs 50 and he finds room where it surely didn’t exist, roving the Giants’ tap. It’s a wonderful finish! Oh and Heath Shaw has lost his mind in response! Unclear who he is directing the spray at, but it’s fierce.
Drop marks, tackles, turnovers. Both sides, frantic. Two minutes to go in this half and they look spent.
GWS goal! 2nd quarter (3:20 remaining) GWS 5.2 (32) vs Bulldogs 5.5 (34) These handballs! That movement! Whitfield brings up the ball for GWS, takes a bounce, gets it to Griffen (cue boos) who bangs it into Patton. He can’t complete the mark, but can the snap. We’re back to two points at the Showgrounds.
Bont! No. Turnover at 50, has a moment to compose himself... and misses. Johannisen’s pace through the guts impressive there. As I type, Lobb has fallen over his boots, the ball spilling out of bounds. Five minutes to go in the half.
Ward is back from the rooms. Walking with some purpose as well. Great sign for the home side. And Patton nearly added to that positive spirit with a BOMB from 55m, touched on the line! It’s end to end stuff! Don’t miss a moment.
Bulldogs goal! 2nd quarter (10:00 remaining) GWS 4.1 (25) vs Bulldogs 5.3 (33) Clay Smith has a third! This is evolving into a cracking final. Defined by the tackling, that forward surge created by a Picken take down to prevent a Giants push. Once back the other way, it was Hunter’s hands under pressure to the man overlapping, Smith’s snapping from 30 hit crisp and straight.
Bulldogs goal! 2nd quarter (12:22 remaining) GWS 4.1 (25) vs Bulldogs 4.3 (27) Three lead changes in three minutes, Tory Dickson nailing his set shot from 50. Dunkley created the opportunity, a big tackle on Haines in the middle winning a turnover. The game moving quickly now.
Good sign Callan Ward, though wobbly, not holding jaw? Can't play w broken jaw, could still get over concussion #AFLGiantsDogs #AFLFinals
— Andrew Wu (@wutube) September 24, 2016
GWS goal! 2nd quarter (14:30 remaining) GWS 4.1 (25) vs Bulldogs 3.3 (21) But Toby Greene ensures the Dogs’ lead only lasts a minute, taking a grab just short of the goal square, going back to convert the major. He has two in quarter.
Giants move the ball like sex
— Matt Nicholls (@mattnicholls29) September 24, 2016
Updated
Bulldogs goal! 2nd quarter (15:28 remaining) GWS 3.1 (19) vs Bulldogs 3.3 (21) That’s an urgent goal from Clay Smith who runs into the open goal after a turnover generated by a Tory Dickson tackle. The string of handballs ended with Smith who did the rest. Relief for the away support. I know it is still relatively early, but they really needed that.
Oh! That’s ugly. Callan Ward has copped an awful knee to the head in a marking contest. This isn’t nice. BT mentions on the broadcast that if you are deemed concussed you can’t take any further part in the game. A stretcher is coming out and he doesn’t look that well - albeit awake, which is encouraging. It was Zaine Cordy’s knee that copped him. This is gutsy: Ward now walking off. It’s a bit of a stumble, but at least he’s on his feet.
Updated
GWS goal! 2nd quarter (19:14 remaining) GWS 3.1 (19) vs Bulldogs 2.3 (15) Toby Greene executes a textbook smother, Joel Hamling the defender with the error. The Giants All-Australian collects and bangs it over the Dogs cheer squad. They have the last three. Took them a while, but GWS have found their groove now.
Okay, we’re back. And GWS hit the lead within 45 seconds! I’ll explain in a new post.
Quarter time - GWS 2.1.13 v Bulldogs 2.3.15
More stats, more clearances, more hit outs, 19-10 inside 50s. Yet the Dogs go in with just a two point lead. They absolutely dominated the middle quarter-hour of that term, but weren’t able to drive home the advantage with the Giants going down the other end and draining their only two set shots.
Dogs have come through way more than a few jitters in front of goal this year. A talk with Bevo & they'll be fine #AFLGiantsDogs
— Tim Watts MP🐶🔴⚪️🔵 (@TimWattsMP) September 24, 2016
Siren! Oh Clay Smith has missed another set shot for the Dogs. A mark pulled from nowhere just on the siren set up the kick after the bell and he’s missed from directly in front.
GWS goal! 1st quarter (2:00 remaining) GWS 2.1 (13) vs Bulldogs 2.2 (14) Patton! Two in a heartbeat to the Giants and the margin is one. Very nice set shot from the old-fashioned 45 degree angle. Dogs must keep it together here and go again after the break. Can’t concede again.
GWS goal! 1st quarter (3:00 remaining) GWS 1.1 (7) vs Bulldogs 2.2 (14) It has taken 22 minutes, but GWS have gone up the other end and converted! Scully did the legwork through the the guts, but Devon Smith was pushed out of the contest. A free kick from similar range to the pair of set shots the Dogs missed up the other end. The margin is seven, flattering L’Orange.
Updated
Macrae to McClean with a bullet left-foot pass. It is the Dogs’ 17th inside 50 (to six). But again the shot misses. Second set shot they’ve missed in the space of a couple of minutes. Not going to start talking about [Malcolm Blight] Football Gods [/Malcolm Blight] yet. But they deserve to go into the break further ahead than this.
And here’s that hanger...
Best game in the world. #AFLGiantsDogs pic.twitter.com/k7qrb9QWOe
— Adam Zwar (@adamzwar) September 24, 2016
It's the first quarter. Easton Wood has already taken six marks and has nine intercept possessions. Leading from the front. #AFLGiantsDogs
— Anna Harrington (@AnnaHarrington) September 24, 2016
What a grab! Easton Wood with a hanger! The Dogs’ skipper’s fifth mark, climbing Whitfield. Plenty breaking their way here. Josh Dunkley great tackle inside F50. He’ll have a shot at goal... and he’s pulled it. Yuk. Should have done better, the kid. The lead 12 points with 6:50 remaining, opening term.
Updated
Bulldogs goal! 1st quarter (10:00 remaining) GWS 0.1 (1) vs Bulldogs 2.0 (12) They’ve got the jump! Wonderful second effort from Tory Dickson, unable to take the contested grab at the top of the square, but keeping his feet just well enough to win a snap, and makes no mistake. Heath Shaw doesn’t like it, starting a scrap as the ball goes back to the middle.
Updated
Lots going on. Hunter doesn’t make the journey with a set shot for the Dogs, Lobb back with the flight in the square. Quality contested mark. But then he pops it out on the full. Early skill errors defining the opening stages of this game. As Al Clarkson always says of these big finals, you are going to make loads of mistakes. It’s about which teams gets their act together first.
Bulldogs goal! 1st quarter (15:32 remaining) GWS 0.1 (1) vs Bulldogs 1.0 (6). First goal of the preliminary final to the Doggies, and and doesn’t Clay Smith enjoy it! The Bulldogs cheer squad going wild as he roves perfectly and makes no mistake from 30. Came after GWS missed a snap , Dylan Shiel unable to snap truly himself from a much tighter angle.
Luke Darcy spotted something juicy. Jordan Roughead went to shake hands with Shane Mumford at the bounce, but the big beast wanted none of it and “smashed him”.
First proper entry inside 50 for the hosts via Lobb, who delivers as he’s smashed himself. Great kick, but too much juice for Patton running back with the flight. The Dogs burn their own first entry. Understandable nerves.
Updated
We are away!
Siren. Let’s do it.
Callan Ward has won the toss. GWS will kick with the wind. I’m making that up, but unless you are Michael Tuck and it is the 1991 Grand Final, that’s what you do in September.
Here he is. Craig Willis. I think I said this last week, but in case I didn’t: if I die early, please get him to MC the funeral.
And it’s the tape for the anthem, in case you were wondering. Have to wait for next week to hear from Daryl Somers or whichever 80s star AFL House have lined up for the gig.
Few things better in footy than that roar over the top of the final few bars. PROPER.
Doggies banner on point as always.
"Our club was born in blood and boots, not in AFL focus groups."@westernbulldogs banner.
— Greg Baum (@GregBaum) September 24, 2016
Salute!#AFLGiantsDogs
Bits and pieces. Firstly, some teams.
Small forward Rhys Palmer is into the GWS side, replacing Stevie J. And Fletcher Roberts comes in for the Scaggers, the tall defender a logical replacement for Matty Suckling who bunged up his Achilles against his old club last week.
And we should talk. If you are new to these blogs, they work best when we do that.
Adam.Collins.Freelance@Theguardian.com for most cutting edge analysis. An email address that tells you all you need to know: my name, and that I will work for anyone who will pay me.
Of course, @collinsadam for the hot takes. Come at me.
The players are out. Anthems and toss in a tic. Hopefully they have someone singing it live and not the Julie Anthony tape. I have nothing the tape, but this is an event that warrants a live rendition.
This could be one of those nights.
Good evening across the country, and indeed the world, for the Guardian’s live coverage of the second preliminary final between GWS and the Western Bulldogs.
I’m Adam Collins and I have the privilege to be on the tools here tonight, in a final that can only be described as one of the most anticipated in modern memory. Certainly in my lifetime.
And better still, if the typical pattern of prelims continues in 2016 – one blow out, and one thriller – we are due for something special.
To go back to that first point, I was thinking earlier that you have to go back to Victorian State Election day of 1999, when Carlton defied Essendon, for a non-grand-final-final with so much to it.
First the visitors. The people’s champs. The Dogs. Their story is already staggering to the extent that they somehow hung on and clawed their way into contention after losing their stirring leader Bob Murphy within weeks of the season beginning.
While 2016 has been an awful year in so many ways for human kind, on the sporting field it feels right the AFL may follow suit with Leicester in the Premier League or Portugal in the Euros. Or something like that.
Two weeks ago when they bounced the Eagles in Perth they had their entire state with them. Last week their banner claimed 24 million Australians were in their corner when accounting for the best team of the modern era. Impossible as it sounds, that number will swell further tonight.
If they can proceed to the last Saturday in September (or the first in October, but you know what I mean) from seventh on the ladder, it sets up a magical finale. We should be so lucky.
Which isn’t to speak ill of the Giants. Sure, they’re the AFL darlings. And tonight they grapple with an unfamiliar role – the hunted. The hated. They also carry the weight of expectation and favouritism with all the vagaries that come with it. All within five years of joining the comp. Theirs, too, is a helluva story.
Stadium politics dominated much of the early week, but the hosts earned the right to be exactly where they are this evening. The boutique 24,000-seater at the Showgrounds will heave like it never has been. A ground where the Giants have gone 6-2 this year.
It was there that they accounted for the Doggies by 25 points the last time they met in round nine when Jeremy Cameron booted five. If he replicates that tonight, or even his burst from their first final where three of his four majors came in the premiership quarter, they’ll be hard to catch.
As will their carefully curated midfield, combining youth and experience. Stevie J is taking a seat tonight after smashing Josh Kennedy in their qualifying final, but the engine room has far more to do with Stephen Coniglio – their best in their six goal win against Sydney at the Olympic Stadium – or Callan Ward or Tom Scully or Ryan Griffen. They bat deep, with no one getting the ball from the guts with greater efficiency.
And Cameron isn’t alone up there inside 50 either. His twin-tower Jon Patton is a matchwinner in his own right, while Rory Lobb has been a revelation.
Where the Dogs match up well is with their own relentless midfield. This is how they did Hawthorn in, the 23 point margin flattering the losers. The final five minutes of the third quarter last Friday night was frenetic as it was effective in banging home six unanswered goals. The Hawks had nowhere to turn.
Oh. And then there’s Marcus Bontompelli. If they were giving out Brownlow votes for last week’s win he would have got all of them; a clearance masterclass putting him into yet another bracket of the most elite. All at age 20. Again, tonight?
As ever with the Dogs, the narrative is never far away. To win tonight would see them advance to the grand final for the first time since 1961. No one forgets 1997. Or the trio of missed chances last decade.
Absorbing, the lot of it. Let’s take a deep breath. This could be one of those nights.
Updated
Adam will be with you shortly but in the meantime, check out JP Howcroft’s preview of tonight’s game.
