Match

Carlton vs Western Bulldogs

Commentary / 16 Jul 2017

Pre Game

59:30
Welcome to MCG for the Carlton v Western Bulldogs Round 17 clash.
59:33
Outs for Blues: S.White, D.Thomas, P.Cripps, C.Sheehan, H.Macreadie, D.Cuningham
59:34
Ins for Blues: C.Byrne, A.Silvagni, D.Buckley, L.Sumner, B.Boekhorst, N.Graham
59:35
Outs for Bulldogs: E.Wood, F.Roberts, M.Boyd, C.Smith
59:36
Ins for Bulldogs: B.Williams, L.Young, R.Murphy, S.Biggs
59:40
Don't forget to enter your tips for this match, you have until the bounce to make your selection.
00:00
Don't forget to enter your tips for this match, you have until the bounce to make your selection.
00:10
The loss of Patrick Cripps will affect the Blues, but after losing him early last week, Carlton were able to compensate against the Demons. Nine Blues players notched 10 or more contested possessions and 10 players laid four or more tackles last week.

Quarter 1

00:00
Q1 is now underway.
01:06
That first kick to Marcus Bontempelli illustrates the struggles the Bulldogs have had in the last six weeks. The Bulldogs have recorded a forward half kicking efficiency of 50 per cent since Round 11, rankled last in the AFL in that time.
02:45
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Charlie Curnow)
03:12
Charlie Curnow kicks the first goal for the Blues to get off to a perfect start. He earned his Rising Star nomination last round with 19 disposals, 10 marks including a career-high four contested marks and two goals against the Demons.
03:49
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Rushed)
05:52
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Rushed)
07:24
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Levi Casboult)
07:52
Two inside 50's for two goals now for the Blues. The Blues average a goal from 23 per cent of forward 50 entries this season, ranked 15th in the AFL. By contrast the Bulldogs have five inside 50's for two behinds.
09:33
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Blaine Boekhorst)
10:59
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Jack Silvagni)
13:11
Jackson Macrae forces the turnover and Lachie Hunter converts to get the Bulldogs first goal. The Bulldogs average one goal per game from Intercept Possessions in their forward 50, ranked equal 15th in the AFL this season.
14:07
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Mitch Honeychurch)
15:35
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Mitch Honeychurch)
18:28
Luke Dahlhaus has started strongly for the Bulldogs, leading all players with 143 metres gained and three inside 50's. However only one of his three kicks has been effective.
18:40
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Sam Kerridge)
20:03
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Jake Stringer)
20:48
The Bulldogs have lifted to get themselves back in this match, particularly around the stoppages. They have recorded five of the last seven pre-clearance contested possessions and the last five clearances, leading to six of the last seven inside 50's.
26:35
Bryce Gibbs has started strongly for the Blues, leading all players with 10 disposals, four contested possessions and six pressure acts. He is averaging career-high's this season in disposals (28 per game), tackles (six) and contested possessions (11).
28:23
The siren has sounded to end Q1.
28:33
Jackson Macrae was strong for the Bulldogs in the first quarter, recording a team-high 10 disposals, with just one of his seven kicks being ineffective. He also leads all players with six uncontested possessions and one goal assist.

Quarter 2

00:00
Q2 is now underway.
01:35
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Lachie Hunter)
01:57
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Toby McLean)
01:59
The Bulldogs have started strongly in the second term, blowing the Blues away winning six of the first eight contested possessions and launching their first goal for the term from a Mitch Wallis Intercept Possession in their forward half.
03:41
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Bailey Dale)
03:51
Bulldogs Interchange - Jake Stringer and is possibly out for the game.
06:43
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Mitch Honeychurch)
07:04
Mitch Honeychurch gets to kick the goal he helped launch by causing the turnover. The Bulldogs have as many scores as they have inside 50's this term (2.2 from four entries). Since Round 11 they rank 16th in this category (46.7 per cent efficiency).
08:10
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Marcus Bontempelli)
09:29
Jake Stringer is out for the Bulldogs with what appears to be a bad hamstring injury. He had started the game well with seven disposals and a goal so the Bulldogs will need to find another avenue to goal.
10:55
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Bryce Gibbs)
12:20
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Bailey Dale)
13:50
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Liam Picken)
14:32
The Blues are yet to launch a possession chain from their forward half this term. In the first term they launched nine chains and scored 2.1 (13) from these chains. They average six goals per game in 2017 from this zone, ranked 15th in the AFL.
19:24
The Bulldogs have scored 2.2 (14) from 18 Intercept Possession chains this term. Shane Biggs leads all players with five Intercepts this term. The Bulldogs average seven goals per game from this source in 2017, ranked 14th in the AFL.
19:41
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Charlie Curnow)
21:45
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Liam Picken)
22:49
The Blues have lost 36 per cent of their offensive one-on-one contests this season, ranked 18th in the AFL in 2017. Both sides in this match have lost three of eight offensive one-on-one's today (38 per cent success).
26:51
The Bulldogs have dominated their opponents at ground level this term. They have recorded 10 more groundball-gets, eight more contested possessions, two extra clearances and three more tackles than the Blues this term.
27:29
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Rushed)
28:29
The siren has sounded to end Q2.
28:39
Bailey Dale leads all players with 320 metres gained in the first half. He is on track to set a new career-high mark in this category, with his best return being 431 metres gained against West Coast in Round 15 this season.

Quarter 3

00:00
Q3 is now underway.
01:44
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Rushed)
04:54
Bryce Gibbs has picked up where he left off in the first half, leading all players with four disposals at 100 per cent efficiency, three contested possessions, two clearances and one tackle this term.
09:19
Carlton has elevated their pressure on the ball-carrier this term. They lead the disposal count by 13 (44-31), but they also lead the tackle count by eight (12-4). The Bulldogs have laid just four tackles from 12 attempts (33 per cent efficiency).
14:10
Robert Murphy has been let off the leash this term. He recorded seven disposals in the first half. He leads all players with eight disposals and six uncontested possessions this term.
16:22
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Marcus Bontempelli)
16:24
Both teams are defending strongly this term, with Carlton losing only one one-on-one contest and the Bulldogs zero. This has resulted in 15 forward 50 entries between the two teams for just three behinds collectively.
18:01
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Marcus Bontempelli)
18:24
The Bulldogs are kicking at 73 per cent efficiency in their forward half, compared to Carlton's 44 per cent efficiency in their front half. This has allowed the Bulldogs to spend 67 per cent of this term in their forward half resulting in the first goal.
20:25
Blues Interchange - Dylan Buckley and is possibly out for the game.
20:30
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Nick Graham)
24:00
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Matthew Wright)
25:55
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Mitch Wallis)
27:33
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Toby McLean)
27:44
Two quick goals to the Bulldogs before the three quarter time siren, both launched from clearances. The Bulldogs average 3.6 goals per game from this source, the second-worst average in the AFL in 2017.
29:20
The siren has sounded to end Q3.
29:30
Marcus Bontempelli helped steady the ship in the third term for the Bulldogs. He recorded ten disposals, nine of which were kicks, and lead all players with 163 metre gained for the term and 1.1 (7).

Quarter 4

00:00
Q4 is now underway.
00:48
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Toby McLean)
01:18
Lewis Young has enjoyed a strong debut, leading all players on the ground with eight Intercept Possessions, including five Intercept Marks.
03:55
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Jason Johannisen)
05:47
Blues Interchange - Alex Silvagni and is possibly out for the game.
06:00
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Charlie Curnow)
06:33
After conceding the first four inside 50's and only letting the Bulldogs score two behinds, the Blues need only one forward 50 entry to allow Charlie Curnow to get his second goal for the game and the Blues first for the term.
07:14
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Jason Johannisen)
08:16
Just like that Jason Johannisen answers back for the Bulldogs with his first goal since Round 10. He has enjoyed not having a hard tag in this match, recording 21 disposals, 314 metres gained and four Intercept Possessions.
12:58
Blues Interchange - Ciaran Byrne and is possibly out for the game.
13:26
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Matthew Wright)
13:54
Bulldogs Interchange - Robert Murphy off due to the blood rule.
13:58
The Blues have improved their kicking efficiency, electing to take short options rather than kicking long. They are kicking at 79 per cent efficiency this term. They average a kicking efficiency of 68 per cent in 2017, ranked second in the AFL.
16:33
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Jacob Weitering)
18:50
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Levi Casboult)
19:38
Two behinds in a row from set shots looks set to end the Blues hopes of staging a comeback. Up until these two scores the Blues had scored 6.1 (37) from set shots. They average an accuracy of 51.2 per cent from set shots in 2017, ranked 10th in the AFL.
21:44
The Blues are down to just one rotation for the final five minutes of this game, with Alex Silvagni, Ciaran Byrne and Dylan Buckley all done for the day with various injuries.
23:10
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Bailey Dale)
23:11
Bailey Dale kicks the sealer for the Bulldogs to get them back on the winning ledger. He has played arguably his best game, recording 25 disposals, 572 metres gained, 19 uncontested possessions and two score assists to go with 2.1 (13).
26:34
Bryce Gibbs has fought valiantly for the Blues today, with 32 disposals including 20 kicks, 10 contested possessions, eight clearances, three inside 50's and a goal to go with 388 metres gained.
26:47
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Matthew Wright)
27:43
The Bulldogs have won this game off the back of a strong performance around the stoppages outscoring their opponents by 22 points from this source despite conceding one extra clearance to the Blues.
27:55
The siren has sounded to end Q4.