Blog log from R21 of 2025: Western Bulldogs vs Western Sydney

Total domination by the Bulldogs in Q1 of this one, with goals to English and two to Darcy already. (Q1 9:51)
Cadman draws a high contact free at the hotspot but punches it low and to the right. (Q1 14:37)
After Callaghan chips in front of Richards to intercept on members wing, Riccardi contests in the pocket then receives the handball for the first goal for the Giants. (Q1 15:39)
Darcy leads hard into traffic 40m out in front and draws a contact free on Briggs coming from the side late to the contest. This for three for the quarter… just to the left. (Q1 17:26)
Sanders feeds outside a stoppage on members wing to Garcia who kicks across CHF to the fat side, Poulter marks in front of Aleer 40m out on a slight angle and converts. (Q1 19:50)
Turnover on outer wing by a Whitfield kick to grass in front of Callaghan, Richards has West to mark 40m out on a slight angle for the counterattack goal. (Q1 23:44)
Freijah gets a free kick for a wrestle with Ash on the HFF that happens 50 times a game, his set shot is a sack that almost swerves through but ends up hitting the post. (Q1 27:24)
After Johannisen’s intercept in the centre, English marks 35m out on a slight angle and kicks his second goal of the quarter. (Q1 29:24)
Naughton beats Aleer with a hook lead to mark a Poulter pass from the centre to 45m on a slight angle, but misses. (Q1 30:38)
McNeil uses his body for a contested grab over Fonti on the flank 40m out and sails through another one for the Dogs, who got the jump and are now bounding away. (Q2 1:38)
Bontempelli handballs on a lope through the centre to McNeil who misses on the run from 40m on a slight angle. (Q2 4:50)
Naughton smothers Taylor on outer wing to start another counterattack, Freijah pokes a pass for McNeil who draws an arm chop free on Aleer 40m out on a slight angle, he goals. (Q2 7:13)
West pokes a short pass inboard from the boundary 25m out to Kennedy who gets smashed late by Aleer but holds the mark, no penalty but he converts anyway from 20m. (Q2 10:51)
Naughton marks a high Bontempelli ball from half forward in front of a big pack at the hotspot and boots another snag, it’s raining sausage under the roof! (Q2 13:33)
Naughton marks another high ball 40m out on a slight angle and gets a 50m penalty on Whitfield to ensure the goal again! (Q2 15:21)
Downhill skiing from the next bounce, Naughton taps to the flank for Poulter whose grubber hits the goal umpire next to the goalpost, what is the ARC going to say happened there? (Q2 17:04)
As often happens, ARC shows some unwarranted confidence in stating unequivocally that it was a point. (Q2 18:16)
Cadman’s first touch of the footy in a mark from a Jones pass 20m out on the flank, he kicks a much-needed goal for the Giants. (Q2 22:34)
Bontempelli’s long balls into the Bulldogs forward line have mostly worked tonight, Naughton marks the latest one 20m out in the pocket for his third goal. (Q2 26:34)
Williams misses a set shot from the HFF. (Q2 29:20)
Bedford marks just inside true CHF and just manages to clear the pack on the line for a rare goal. (Q2 32:35)
Liberatore passes from half forward to English who outmarks Angwin 30m out on the flank and hits the near left post. (Q3 2:19)
O’Donnell is pinged for a slight touch in the back of Hogan leading down the flank to 30m out, soft but it was there. Hogan tries a screwing set shot, too short and rushed. (Q3 5:28)
Naughton marks 40m out on a slight angle but has to hand the ball over to Darcy who got a contact free on Taylor. The Unicorn hooks to the left. (Q3 7:36)
Stringer marks leading in front of O’Donnell 45m out on the flank, a fusillade of hoots eventually shut up as he delivers a nice finish. (Q3 9:18)
Bontempelli gives to Kennedy after the next bounce but the snap goes to the right from 45m. (Q3 10:37)
Ash runs towards CHF through the centre but Bontempelli smothers to start yet another counter, West with the link mark and kick to the top of the square for Naughton, goal. (Q3 12:45)
Riccardi catches Busslinger HTB at the hotspot and converts. (Q3 14:32)
Taylor is left sprawling in the wake of Darcy who marks 35m out on the flank and boots his third goal. (Q3 15:44)
Doggie fans hoots again after Stringer marks 45m out on the flank and shaped to play on then demurred, ump didn’t call play on so Stringer goes back and misses. (Q3 19:22)
Cadman gets a high contact free on Cleary 45m out on the flank, Doggie fans even unhappier at that one but it was most definitely there, Cadman converts. (Q3 21:26)
McNeil catches the cake of soap after a stoppage deep in attack and goals off his left. (Q3 23:51)
West gets a free kick at CHB off the ball, plays on past the mark and kicks long to 40m where Darcy rises majestically in front of Taylor to destroy him again, but misses. (Q3 26:48)
Darcy is pinged for encroachment to bring Himmelberg from the centre to near the hotspot but his kick is to the right. (Q3 28:48)
Himmelberg is livid after Darcy beats him to mark on members wing, umpire pays 50m for dissent, mark set after the 3QT siren at 45m on a slight angle, goal Bulldogs. (Q3 29:49)
English gets yet another set shot from the pocket 35m out but misses near side right. (Q4 2:05)
Garcia bends over a loose ball 40m out on the flank and gets a rather soft free on Green for high contact, his kick floats across the face to be rushed. (Q4 3:57)
Another turnover from a questionable Whitfield rebound kick but Naughton just misses from 40m on the flank. (Q4 4:27)
Naughton draws a contact free on Idun going for a West centring ball to the hotspot, that one was there, the Astronaught boots his fifth goal. (Q4 7:56)
Richards looks sheepish as his long ball clears Darcy’s lead and rolls through for a cherry goal. (Q4 13:26)
Darcy juggles a mark going back behind Idun to the hotspot from a long Liberatore pass from outer wing. Five for the Unicorn. (Q4 21:51)
McNeil gets a slightly soft contact free kick on Himmelberg just inside CHF but misses. (Q4 23:26)
Williams misses a snap from the HFF in the last minute. (Q4 26:27)