Blog log from R21 of 2024: Western Bulldogs vs Melbourne

Weightman roves and snaps near side left form a pack 25m out on the flank. (Q1 0:19)
Weightman sits under a long ball by Treloar and marks 25m out on the other flank just before Lever arrives, no penalty for the contact so Weightman has go back for another miss. (Q1 2:23)
Bramble starts a rebound from the HBF around outer wide, ball whipped by hand all the way to half forward for Vandermeer whose running snap from 45m on a slight angle rolls left. (Q1 3:30)
Repeat inside 50s for Footscray early, Naughton marks 45m out near the boundary and curls in a lovely set shot off the left for the first goal of the night. (Q1 3:59)
Another attack around outer wing by the Dogs off turnover, Weightman again is the target for the mark 20m out in the pocket, this checkside screws in off the right. (Q1 6:02)
McDonald intercepts deep in defence but comes off his line too early, Ugle-Hagan monsters him from behind to win a HTB free 20m out but hits the right post. (Q1 7:59)
Williams marks running back with the flight 45m out in the corridor for another one for the rampaging Dogs! (Q1 9:51)
The Dogs are all over the Dees in general play, swarming the ballcarrier to win it back and flipping the crumb around by hand, latest such play ends in another poster to McNeil. (Q1 12:48)
West roves a throw-in and tries a low-percentage snap from 25m on the boundary that bounces across the face. (Q1 14:46)
Gawn intercepts on members wing and switches long via May, who goes to the flank 40m out for Fritsch to mark over Khamis… set shot is short for no score. (Q1 16:50)
van Rooyen is behind the Dogs defence 30m out on the flank but chooses to centre for Fritsch at the same distance, Fritta kicks the first Demon goal. (Q1 19:30)
Petty receives from van Rooyen in a pack at the hotspot, fends off a Richards challenge and checksides off a step on the turn… stays left. (Q1 22:12)
Garcia passes to Naughton 40m out on the flank on the end of a counter attack started by Lobb on outer wing. His drop punt stays left and flies across the face. (Q1 23:45)
Oliver gives Gawn a hospital handball on the HBF, all Gawn can do is give up a HTB free to Garcia…. but his set up kick is not good. (Q1 24:50)
Bontempelli snaps off a step from 40m on a slight angle, ball swerves in the air, McDonald is at the fall but might have missed it with his fist… review confirms a goal! (Q1 26:45)
Gawn flies across a pack 20m out on a slight angle to mark a Chandler pass from half forward untouched. Max has the team on his shoulders, and he goals here… just. (Q2 4:54)
Bontempelli had a belter of a Q1 and feeds Treloar after a give by Liberatore at a throw in on the HFF, Treloar finishes from 40m with ease. (Q2 8:54)
Gawn marks May’s rebound kick to the centre and wears late contact by English, ump pays 50 to bring the mark just inside true CHF, kick is short for no score. (Q2 10:24)
Neal-Bullen rides a tackle by Coffield to poke a short pass to the pocket for Pickett 30m out, who checksides a fine finish. (Q2 11:22)
Vandermeer passes to Ugle-Hagan to mark on the lead just inside 50m on the flank, he tugs the set shot right. (Q2 12:54)
Ugle-Hagan marks again near the hotspot for hits second goal. This match has settled into one of those where the Q1 margin might be the full-time margin. (Q2 15:00)
McDonald spoils a Vandermeer contest to a Darcy speculator to 40m on a slight angle, ump saw an arm chop and TMac sees red, chuntering as he stalks away. Then VDM shanks, no score. (Q2 17:39)
Gawn is also distraught at being pinged for a push in the back on English in ruck 45m out on a slight angle, not much to complain about there though. Big Chilli misses. (Q2 18:39)
Ugle-Hagan beats McDonald one out to mark a Poulter clearance from midfield to 45m in the corridor, but he misses. (Q2 21:35)
Sparrow marks in the pocket 25m out, plays on inside and curls in the goal. (Q2 23:47)
Richards misses a flying snap from the HFF. (Q2 25:38)
Fritsch snaps a left-foot goal from 40m on the flank to get Melbourne back within touch in Q@ red time. (Q2 27:01)
Ugle-Hagan marks 40m out in front but again tugs the kick, this one to the right. (Q2 28:38)
Richards misses another long snap from 50m on a slight angle to the left. (Q2 29:30)
Bontempelli has two Demons to beat chasing a bounce handball by West on outer wing, he gathers and rides the tackle to reef it out to set up Weightman’s second goal from the HFF. (Q3 0:53)
Treloar marks 25m out on the flank and curls in the goal. With May subbed, things look grim for the Demons. (Q3 4:05)
McDonald is again livid after a 50m penalty for scragging Weightman that gifts Ugle-Hagan a goal from the square. (Q3 6:15)
Lever feeds Bowey to run through the centre and pass over CHF to Sparrow 45m out for a rare goal. (Q3 10:20)
Naughton goes long the square from the HFF on outer wide, Bontempelli beats Sparrow easily once again to mark and goal. It’s all Bont. (Q3 13:40)
Pickett fumbles a Moniz-Wakefield give on the HFF, jinks past Vandermeer and passes to Fritsch 25m out in the pocket who misses. (Q3 18:23)
Poulter’s snap from CHF looks to be drifting right but it pitches and takes a wicked leg break, McNeil shepherds the chasing McDonald away, ball tips over for a fine goal! (Q3 20:00)
Rivers plays on to snap a goal, but this is junk time now. (Q3 22:40)
Darcy takes a link mark at half forward and passes to English 40m out in front, who misses. (Q3 26:04)
van Rooyen marks in the pocket 20m out and screws the goal just inside the near left post. (Q3 27:14)
Ah, but a late review shows a spike on Edge so it’s just a behind. (Q3 28:21)
Weightman sharks a Langdon handball at a stoppage in the pocket but curls his right-foot snap narrow from 20m. (Q3 31:13)
Ugle-Hagan tries the same trick in the other pocket but also misses. (Q3 32:31)
McDonald marks 30m out in the pocket for a shot after the HT siren, but that one skews OOTF to cap off a thoroughly disgusting half for the poor old bloke. (Q3 34:25)
Goals to Richards and Naughton to kick off Q4 junk time then one by young Woewodin. (Q4 8:41)
Pickett skids through some more junk on the run from outside CHF. (Q4 10:21)
Ugle-Hagana snaps from 40m, it’s a very high ball that drifts to the pocket 20m out where Darcy uses his height to mark and goal. (Q4 17:38)
English marks in front of Petty 25m out on the flank for some garbage. (Q4 20:29)
Ugle-Hagan flies in front of a four-man pack for a chest mark 30m out on the flank. Now comes the hard part… curls too narrow to the right. (Q4 23:07)
Bontempelli snaps very high off the left from the hotspot, the ball floats the wrong side of the left goalpost. (Q4 28:40)
Richards also spills some cherries with a long set shot miss. (Q4 29:33)