THE WESTERN Bulldogs have hung on for a one-point victory against a brave North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium, the nail-biting win putting them back inside the top eight.
The Bulldogs had dropped four of their five previous games entering Saturday night's game to slip to ninth on the ladder, with grave doubts emerging about the health of their premiership defence.
They looked to have secured their first win since round 10 when they led by 26 points at the 11-minute mark of the final term, but the Roos were not done, kicking the next four goals and levelling the scores when Shaun Higgins kicked a behind at the 29-minute mark.
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With little more than a minute remaining, Jake Stringer reclaimed the lead for the Dogs with a behind from 45m on the boundary line, a threadbare margin they held until the siren to claim a 15.17 (107) to 16.10 (106) win.
The Bulldogs' victory was not without controversy. After Ben Cunnington goaled to cut the Dogs' lead to one point at the 24-minute mark, Ben Brown looked to have put the Kangaroos in front two minutes later when he marked close to goal, played on and kicked truly.
But the goal was disallowed after a free kick was paid against Mason Wood for holding, with the Bulldogs receiving a 50m penalty given Brown played on.
Luke Beveridge's men will face sterner tests in the run to the finals but their win was a welcome sign of life after the Bulldogs' heavy losses to Sydney (46 points) and Melbourne (57) suggested their season might be flat-lining.
Jack Macrae (32 disposals, five clearances and 10 tackles) and Marcus Bontempelli (28 disposals, eight clearances and 10 tackles ) were outstanding through the middle of the ground as the Bulldogs won the clearance count 40-35 and centre clearances 18-12, while Toby McLean (26 disposals and six clearances) was also a valuable contributor.
Liam Picken was dangerous in attack with three goals and three score assists, and was well supported by Jake Stringer (1.4 and two score assists), while Easton Wood (21 disposals, seven marks and one goal) was an influential playmaker across half-back.
The Dogs led by 21 points at half-time, but North piled on five goals to three in the third quarter to cut the difference to 13 points at the final break.
Declan Mountford missed an opportunity to cut the margin to single figures in the opening minute of the final term and the Bulldogs looked to have steadied when they kicked the next two goals.
But from there North began its unlikely charge, only to suffer its second loss to the Dogs by less than a goal this season – they lost their round four encounter by three points when Lindsay Thomas missed a late shot at goal.
Ben Cunnington (28 disposals, six clearances and six inside 50s) was a prolific ball-winner for the Roos all night and sparked their stirring last-quarter comeback with two goals and 12 telling possessions.
The Roos fielded an extremely tall team that included four key forwards – Jarrad Waite, Ben Brown, Mason Wood and Majak Daw – but the Bulldogs' defence kept them in check for most of the night, with the decidedly shorter reigning premiers taking 21 marks inside their forward 50 to the Roos' 12.
Waite spent some time up the ground in an uncustomary role on the wing, showcasing his rare athleticism for a key-position player to finish with three goals, nine marks (three contested) and three inside 50s.
Brown overcame a quiet first half to finish with two goals and six marks, while Shaun Higgins (19 disposals and six clearances) and Jack Ziebell (19 disposals, nine tackles and five clearances) were also valuable contributors.
NEXT UP
The Bulldogs host West Coast next Saturday at Etihad Stadium, a venue where they have defeated the Eagles in their past three clashes. The Kangaroos travel to the Gold Coast to take on the Suns next Saturday night, having won the teams' first clash this year by 13 points at Etihad Stadium in round six.
WESTERN BULLDOGS 6.4 10.8 13.14 15.17 (107)
NORTH MELBOURNE 3.4 7.5 12.7 16.10 (106)
GOALS
Western Bulldogs: Picken 3, Redpath 2, Dale 2, Hunter, Wallis, Suckling, Dahlhaus, Stringer, Wood, Campbell, Bontempelli
North Melbourne: Waite 3, Wood 2, Daw 2, Brown 2, Cunnington 2, Macmillan, Goldstein, Hrovat, Garner, Clarke
BEST
Western Bulldogs: Bontempelli, Macrae, Picken, Campbell, Wood, Dahlhaus
North Melbourne: Cunnington, Brown, Waite, Hrovat, Higgins
INJURIES
Western Bulldogs: Nil
North Melbourne: Nil
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Donlon, O'Gorman, Findlay
Official crowd: TBC at Etihad Stadium
