The Footscray Bulldogs have dominated their Round 9 VFL clash at Mission Whitten Oval, defeating the Geelong Cats by 23 points.

From the opening bounce, the Bulldogs seized control with slick ball movement and relentless pressure, setting the tone for a dominant display which resulted in a 14.10 (94) to 11.5 (71) victory.

By quarter-time, they led 16-1, showcasing fierce tackling and precise delivery that left Geelong struggling to respond.

The second term saw the Bulldogs maintain their intensity. Anthony Scott opened with a sharp snap for his second goal, with Fred Valpied quickly following suit.

Footscray’s midfield, led by Cooper Hynes and Jedd Busslinger, controlled the game, feeding a potent forward line.

The Bulldogs held a 17-point lead by half-time, with the scoreboard reading 6.7 (43) to 4.1 (25).

Geelong showed signs of a fightback in the second half, but the Bulldogs’ defence, anchored by Lachie Jaques, held firm.

Will Lewis and Caleb Poulter added goals to extend the margin to 36 points at the final change, before Chan Hargraves and Phoenix Spicer pushed the lead to a commanding 49 points midway through the last.

The Cats continued to push late, but the Bulldogs' buffer was enough in the end.

A standout performance came from Fred Valpied (three goals from 13 disposals), while Scott and Poulter each contributed two goals for Footscray.

Jaques was rock-solid in defence, amassing 22 disposals, while Jedd Busslinger (26 touches, six marks) and Cooper Hynes (25, four tackles) were promising.

The Bulldogs will have a bye in Round 10, before facing Coburg Lions at Barry Plant Park on Saturday 7 June.

Footscray: 2.4 6.6 10.9 14.10 (94)

Geelong Cats: 0.1 4.1 5.3 11.5 (71)

Goals: Valpied (3), Scott (2), Poulter (2), Dolan (2), Lewis (2), Spicer, Hargraves, C. Smith.