Gun \u2018couldn\u2019t have done much more\u2019\u2026 but star duo go missing on big stage<\/a><\/p>\nMembrey misses in Wildcard epic! | 00:29<\/p>\n
8. MATTHEW KENNEDY<\/p>\n
A hard-edge final that suited a hard-edge player. Started on the ball opposed to Nick Daicos at stoppages \u2014 and got an early win on the Magpies chap, drifting forward to mark and kick the Dogs\u2019 first goal of the game. Then had a 12-disposal, five-inside 50 second term as part of the Bulldogs\u2019 surge. A huge contested effort in the fourth term saw him undergo a HIA and receive a subsequent concussion diagnosis, but it also led to a Dogs goal. Won\u2019t play next week. 8<\/p>\n
9. RYLEY SANDERS<\/p>\n
All class. Began the game on the wing. Showed off deft kicking inside 50 and shrewd decision-making throughout the night. Eight of his 25 touches led to Dogs scores. 7<\/p>\n
14. RHYLEE WEST<\/p>\n
Laid a brilliant tackle on Jordan De Goey as part of a busy first term where he was constantly involved in attacking forays. Then delivered an eight-disposal second term, including a brilliant pass to Aaron Naughton that set up a goal for his teammate, but kicked two behinds. 7<\/p>\n
Rhylee West of the Bulldogs. Picture: Quinn Rooney\/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images<\/p>\n
18. JAMES O\u2019DONNELL<\/p>\n
Lined up on Dan McStay at the start of the game. Conceded the first goal of the game to McStay, but had a couple of big defensive efforts minutes later, while his spoil in the third term to deny Tim Membrey a mark and set-shot goal was huge. Spoiling all night was a feature. 5<\/p>\n
19. CONNOR BUDARICK<\/p>\n
Began on Beau McCreery, who was big after quarter-time. Riled up Magpies players and fans when he pushed Nick Daicos in the back off the ball. 4<\/p>\n
20. ED RICHARDS<\/p>\n
Had Ed Allan at the opening ball-up, but got off the chain early with nine touches and three inside 50s in the first term. Allan put the clamps on across the second and third quarters, but roared back to life in the last on his way to 25 touches and seven clearances for the game. His quick snap goal that gave the Dogs a seven-point lead was telling. 7<\/p>\n
24. BUKU KHAMIS<\/p>\n
Rotated between Tim Membrey and Lachie Schultz at the start of the game, but tried to play as a spare defender when possible. Couldn\u2019t get his intercept game going, but in general was OK one-on-one. 4<\/p>\n
26. JOSH DOLAN<\/p>\n
Next to Josh Daicos early. Missed two early goal opportunities, spraying two snap attempts in the first term. 4<\/p>\n
27. JOEL FREIJAH<\/p>\n
Thrived with the heavily contested nature of the game. A prominent and proficient start at stoppages with three first-quarter clearances, but a poor snap attempt \u2014 dubbed \u201clazy\u201d by Fox Footy\u2019s Garry Lyon \u2014 cost the Dogs a late opening-term goal. Fox Footy\u2019s Tom Hawkins said it looked like Freijah \u201cwas at home\u201d on the ball, while Jonathan Brown had \u201cworked his way back into form\u201d, adding: \u201cHe\u2019s been physical \u2026 He\u2019s helped them set up their clearance dominance.\u201d 8<\/p>\n
29. LACHLAN BRAMBLE<\/p>\n
Showed excellent dare and dash playing as a high half-back. A brilliant half-volley pick-up in the second term set up a Marcus Bontempelli goal. Finished with 22 touches. 6<\/p>\n
31. BAILEY DALE<\/p>\n
Nice to have him back. A brilliant kick set up a goal to Cody Weightman in the first term. Had 10 touches in the third term and 24 for the game, to go with a team-high four intercept marks. 6<\/p>\n
32. ARTHUR JONES<\/p>\n
No wonder rival clubs are so keen on this exciting and dangerous uncontracted player. Garry Lyon said: \u201cI tell you what, you\u2019d be lining up for him.\u201d What a night for a career-best four goals! Huge team-lifting moment in the opening quarter, running down Billy Frampton to win a free kick before converting the set shot. Typified his pressure and defensive smarts. Then took a towering mark in the second term that led to his second goal before adding another in the third term. Fox Footy\u2019s Jason Dunstall said: \u201cI love the ability of Arty Jones to compete in the air. He\u2019s added an extra string to his bow.\u201d But his best moments came in the fourth term, first chasing down Jeremy Howe to force a loose ball then kicking off the ground to Josh Dolan \u2014 who set up Cody Weightman\u2019s goal \u2014 then booting his fourth to give the Dogs the lead with less than three minutes left. Jones has interest from Essendon, Brisbane and West Coast, but wants to re-sign at the Dogs. 8<\/p>\n
Arthur Jones of the Bulldogs. Picture: Quinn Rooney\/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images<\/p>\n
33. AARON NAUGHTON<\/p>\n
Thank goodness he was fit to play! Billy Frampton went to him at the first ball-up, but he produced the fourth-highest-rated half by a Bulldogs player ever. Got his confidence up early with two score involvements: A big pack mark that set up a goal to Matt Kennedy then a nice set-shot strike in the first term. Added another two across the second and third terms, then kicked a clutch goal in the fourth term. Trademark competitiveness and high-flying nature was on full display. 8<\/p>\n
34. BAILEY WILLIAMS<\/p>\n
Took Tim Membrey early. Was solid with his intercepting and rebounding throughout the night. Finished with 17 disposals, seven marks and seven intercepts. 6<\/p>\n
35. LUKE KENNEDY<\/p>\n
A couple of big moments in the fourth quarter, laying a massive tackle on Jordan De Goey and showing good composure across half-forward minutes later. 5<\/p>\n
37. MICHAEL SELLWOOD<\/p>\n
Was exposed deep in the final quarter when Jordan De Goey outmarked him one-on-one deep inside 50. Had eight touches and two intercepts. 3<\/p>\n
42. SAM DAVIDSON<\/p>\n
Big in the second term. Drifted forward in the third term and showed great composure to nail a goal against Collingwood\u2019s momentum, before nailing a rundown tackle on Ed Allan minutes later. Had 19 disposals and six inside 50s. 6<\/p>\n
43. RYAN GARDNER<\/p>\n
Just his fourth game in the past three seasons! Spent the entire first half on the bench. Fox Footy\u2019s Anthony Hudson cheekily said: \u201cI thought the sub rule had gone!\u201d Jason Dunstall said Gardner was being used like a sub as insurance for Naughton and English, but Garry Lyon argued: \u201cIt\u2019s a massive call. To go 22 v 23 in a final. To play one down in a big final, incredible.\u201d Came on halfway through the third term \u2014 79 minutes and 15 seconds into the game, to be exact \u2014 and showed off his fresh legs with an athletic leap at his first ruck contest, much to the delight of Dogs fans. Finished with three touches from 16 per cent game time. 2<\/p>\n
44. TIM ENGLISH<\/p>\n
A terrific game in a great battle with Darcy Cameron. Showed off his tremendous aerobic capacity and clean ball use, while he also laid six tackles. 7<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Usual suspects Marcus Bontempelli and Aaron Naughton led from the front, but a young forward announced himself \u2014…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":871639,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[560],"tags":[638,64,63,55,639,85],"class_list":["post-871638","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-afl","tag-afl","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-australian-football-league","tag-australianfootballleague","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/871638","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=871638"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/871638\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/871639"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=871638"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=871638"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=871638"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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