The Age (Andrew Stafford)
In the seven years that the AFL has fixtured a game at Cazaly Stadium in July, one thing has been certain: the best player on the ground is invariably the five-goal northerly that blows in off Trinity Bay during the first half.
On this day, though, the breeze was bested by the Western Bulldogs' evergreen Liam Picken, who kicked a career- and ground-best six goals, three of them against the wind in the first quarter, to strike the decisive early blows that sunk the Gold Coast Suns and kept the Bulldogs in the finals hunt.
They also gained a potentially valuable percentage boost, slamming on six goals to just two behinds in the last quarter to turn a 15-point lead at the last change into a 54-point victory
The Bulldogs were harder, smarter and had much more to play for. Without Ablett to contend with, they dominated the clearances, bullying the Suns off the ball. And up forward, they were having a picnic, with nine marks in attack for the quarter. Once they started taking those marks closer to goal, they quickly reeled the Suns in.
Best Players: Picken, Macrae, Hunter, Dahlhaus, Johannisen, Biggs
AFL Media
The Dogs' finals hopes would have been in severe jeopardy if they'd lost, and they were challenged by the Suns, particularly in the third quarter, as Rodney Eade's men got the margin inside a goal.
The Bulldogs led by eight points at the first change after kicking into a strong breeze and then used it to their advantage in the second term to increase the margin to 20 points at half-time.
But the Suns, who were without midfield stars Gary Ablett (hamstring) and Jarryd Lyons (ankle) and lost key defender Rory Thompson just before the match, would not go away.
They kicked four of the next five goals - two of them from gun rookie Ben Ainsworth - to close within one point. But that was as close as they got.
Best Players: Picken, McLean, Dahlhaus, Hunter, Wallis
Cairns Post (Jordan Gerrans)
The Western Bulldogs’ late season finals charge is gaining momentum after they defeated the Gold Coast in Cairns.
The reigning premiers have now won all four of their appearances at Cazalys Stadium over the Suns since 2014.
Clever small forwards Liam Picken and Bailey Dale were the catalysts inside 50 as their unconventional forward line kicked the winning score.
The victory, in front of 9364 screaming fans, is the Bulldogs second on the bounce following their thrashing at the hands of Adelaide in Round 16.
Fox Sports (Brayden May)
Throughout the year the Bulldogs have been crying out for numerous threats in front of goal and it appears they may have found their man in Picken.
In a different-looking forward line, the Bulldogs veteran stole the show with a record-breaking performance with six goals, the most of any player at Cazaly’s Stadium in a single game.
A record Picken was certainly modest about, he told Fox Footy: “I’ll take that.”
Despite having previously shown an ability to play in a host of positions, Picken admitted he found himself in a unique situation against the Suns.
“It was a bit different this week, playing up forward. It was nice when the ball was coming in and to get on the scoreboard,” he said.
