Western Bulldogs‘ finals hopes have been dealt a major blow after being hit with multiple injuries in a loss to Port Adelaide in Adelaide.
Returning to the scene of their preliminary final triumph last year, the Bulldogs did not have nearly the same amount of success this time around, with the Power recording a 12. 14. (86) to 10. 9. (69) win, their third straight win this season.
Luke Beveridge’s side lost Tim O’Brien and Laitham Vandermeer in the third quarter before small forward Cody Weightman’s night was also brought to an abrupt end after a fourth-quarter clash with Power big man Sam Hayes.
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The loss left the Bulldogs in 10th position with an unenviable 3-5 record through eight rounds, with three-time Lions premiership star Jonathan Brown forecasting a grim future for the remainder of the season for last year’s runner-up.
“For Bulldogs supporters I hope I’m wrong, but I can’t see them making finals,” he told Fox Footy after the loss.
“It’s too hard to make a case, they’re too reliant on Aaron Naughton, obviously they were missing some key players tonight in English and Bontempelli, but there’s not a lot to like about the Bulldogs.”
The Bulldogs’ defensive stocks suffered a hit with the injury to O’Brien, and St Kilda champion Nick Riewoldt admitted he was worried.
“Defensively the Bulldogs have got concerns because when Port Adelaide have got the ball, they’ve smashed them,” he told Fox Footy.
“They’ve gone the length of the ground and they’ve looked vulnerable the Western Bulldogs, particularly in marking contests. This has been a bit of a consistent theme for the Bulldogs.
“They’ve kicked five of the seven goals coming from the back half of the ground, which you’d hope the Dogs would be able to reconcile that and make the adjustments because that’s a really high number from one end to the other.”
Port’s efforts were once again led by ageless veteran Travis Boak, with the 33-year-old finishing with 30 disposals and a goal, while off-season recruit Jeremy Finlayson kicked three goals and was one of four multiple goal-kickers.
The Bulldogs’ task gets no easier in round nine with a clash against a plucky Collingwood side at Marvel Stadium, while Port Adelaide will travel to Hobart to face a struggling Kangaroos side aiming for four straight wins.
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