Match

Melbourne vs Western Bulldogs

Commentary / 17 Mar 2024

Pre Game

00:00
The Bulldogs have won just two of their last six matches at the MCG, losing by 50 points in the corresponding clash last year to Melbourne. Seven of the last ten games the Demons have played at this venue have ended with a single-digit margin.

Quarter 1

00:00
Q1 is now underway.
00:50
The first centre bounce clearance was won by Marcus Bontempelli and the Bulldogs. Last season the Bulldogs were ranked fourth in centre bounce clearance differential.
01:08
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Aaron Naughton)
01:45
The first four contested possessions of the game have been won by the Bulldogs. Melbourne was the No.1 ranked team for contested possessions last season, but there Bulldogs were also strong (ranked third).
03:14
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Rhylee West)
03:25
The second score of the game to the Bulldogs followed their first forward half intercept. Last season, the Bulldogs averaged 31 points per game from this source (ranked third).
04:14
An early goal for each of the Bulldog key forwards following a forward 50 mark. The Bulldogs have a 22-2 lead in disposals and have dominated the early exchanges of this game.
05:23
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Jack Viney)
05:46
A centre bounce clearance and goal for the Demons. Melbourne was the No.1 ranked team at scoring from centre bounces in its 2021 premiership year but had dropped to a mid-table ranking in this measure last season.
08:04
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Clayton Oliver)
08:11
After Marcus Bontempelli and the Bulldogs won the first two clearances of the game, the Demons won the last three as they started to work their way into the game. Both teams were ranked in the top-4 for clearances last season.
09:43
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Cody Weightman)
09:56
All four scores for the Bulldogs have followed a forward 50 mark with the Bulldogs displaying a good connection when entering the forward 50.
10:47
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Rory Lobb)
11:01
Another forward 50 mark and goal for the Bulldogs who continue to look dangerous entering their forward 50. The Bulldogs have an early 3-0 lead in contested marks and a 5-0 advantage in forward 50 marks.
13:30
The early ball movement of the Bulldogs has been extremely efficient with seven of their first eight chains resulting in an inside 50 entry. Melbourne has generated four inside 50 entries from nine such chains.
14:45
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Jack Billings)
15:59
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Ben Brown)
17:43
Melbourne has generated the last four inside 50 entries and won six of the last seven contested possessions after the Bulldogs dominated these measures in the early minutes.
18:47
The Demons have won six of the last seven clearances and scored 2.2.14 from these chains including the last goal from Kysaiah Pickett.
19:27
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Cody Weightman)
20:43
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Rushed)
21:18
Melbourne continues to look dangerous when moving the ball from stoppage with the last behind coming from a chain started with a defensive 50 clearance. The Demons were ranked last in 2023 for points scored from such chains.
25:19
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Harvey Gallagher)
25:26
A goal in his first game for Harvey Gallagher that followed a defensive 50 turnover by the Demons. The Bulldogs have an early 5-2 lead in forward half intercepts and also lead 13-0 in points scored from this source.
29:19
Melbourne leads 6-2 in intercept marks and the last of these by Steven May (his third such mark) launched the chain that resulted in the goal from Kade Chandler.
32:22
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Jacob van Rooyen)
32:42
The last two goals for the Demons have followed a forward 50 crumb. Melbourne has a 6-3 advantage in crumbs and after conceding contested possessions early in the quarter it has levelled this count.
35:05
After the Bulldogs kicked two early goals when Melbourne had barely touched the ball the Demons worked back into the game as the quarter progressed. Melbourne leads effective clearances 12-4 and points scored from stoppages 21-7 with its midfield gaining ascendancy after the slow start.
35:32
The siren has sounded to end Q1.

Quarter 2

00:00
Q2 is now underway.
00:10
The Bulldogs started quarters well last season and were ranked second behind only Brisbane in the first ten minutes of quarters, while the Demons were the No.1 ranked team in time-on. The opening quarter today followed that trend.
01:53
Three consecutive goals to the Demons and a terrific assist from Clayton Oliver on the last goal. Oliver has recorded a game-high 13 disposals and has been involved in three scores for Melbourne.
03:09
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Kade Chandler)
03:16
A second centre bounce goal for the Demons and a second goal from Kade Chandler following a forward 50 crumb. Melbourne leads 3-0 in forward 50 crumbs and has kicked three goals from these possessions.
06:17
Five goals in a row to the Demons who have won contested possessions 21-12 and inside 50 entries 8-2 during this period of ascendancy with all five goals coming from chains starting in the midfield.
08:54
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Marcus Bontempelli)
09:11
Not surprisingly it is Marcus Bontempelli who ends the run of goals to the Demons. The Bulldog star has been prolific today with game-highs for contested possessions (8), tackles (3) and pressure points.
12:18
Melbourne has kicked six of its goals from within 30 metres, while the Bulldogs have kicked only one such goal. The last goal from Ben Brown again came from a stoppage and the Demons have a 33-13 advantage in points scored from this source.
13:08
Demons Interchange - Jake Lever off due to the blood rule.
14:41
Since the start of 2021, Melbourne has averaged 37.5 points per game from stoppages against the Bulldogs which is easily the most by any team against this opponent. The Demons have already scored 33 points from stoppages today.
15:09
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Rushed)
17:00
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Jamarra Ugle-Hagan)
17:27
Max Gawn is having a major impact on this game with eight hitouts to advantage and a game-high six clearances. Gawn has launched four scores from stoppages and also won three intercept possessions.
19:14
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Jack Viney)
19:35
Melbourne is leading the pressure rating (181-170) with this primarily due to a 9-0 count in smothers. Last season the Demons averaged 8.1 smothers per game.
25:56
The Bulldogs scored from only 31 percent of their forward half clearances in 2023 (ranked second-last). Today the Bulldogs have scored just 1.1.7 from seven forward half clearances. Melbourne has scored 2.2.14 from its five forward half clearances.
28:54
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Cody Weightman)
29:27
Cody Weightman has had four shots at goal in the first half with his last shot the only accurate one. He has also been the main forward 50 target for the Bulldogs today.
30:52
Western Bulldogs lead forward 50 marks (8-3) and forward 50 disposals (30-15) but have still only generated two shots at goal from within 30 metres compared to seven for the Demons from an equivalent range.
31:29
Both teams have scored 20 points from turnovers, with the difference in the game being the Demons scoring from stoppages. Max Gawn has been pivotal in this with game-highs for hitouts to advantage (10) and clearances (6) while also contributing an equal game-high five intercept possesions.

Quarter 3

00:00
Q3 is now underway.
00:08
The Demons were out-marked in only 7.8 percent of the one-on-one contests it defended last year, which is the equal fourth-lowest percentage by any team on record. In the first half today, Melbourne defended seven such contests, winning four, losing only one, and halving the other two.
01:34
The early goal for the Demons was the first of the game for either team to come from a defensive 50 chains. Melbourne now leads 21-2 in points scored from defensive half chains.
02:41
Melbourne won the hardball-gets by 4.4 per game in 2023 (ranked second). The Demons have the better of a 12-6 count in this measure today.
03:46
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Tim English)
04:59
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Tim English)
05:10
A pair of inaccurate shots at goal from Tim English who has been moved forward to start the third term. The Bulldogs continue to lead in forward 50 disposals (36-16) and time in forward half (59 percent) but the Demons have been the more efficient with their entries and conversion.
07:40
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Christian Petracca)
09:26
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Jamarra Ugle-Hagan)
09:32
The goal from Jamarra Ugle-Hagan came from a defensive 50 chain. The Bulldogs have generated an inside 50 entry from 47 percent of such chains today. Melbourne conceded an inside 50 from only 16 percent of opposition defensive 50 chains last year (ranked No.1).
13:30
The game is opening this quarter with both teams generating inside 50 entries from defensive 50 chains. Three of the five scores this quarter have come from such chains.
14:25
Bulldogs Interchange - Harvey Gallagher off due to an injury.
15:49
Western Bulldogs lead forward half intercepts 17-8, but this has only been converted into a 19-12 edge in points scored from this source. The Bulldogs scored from 39 percent of their forward half intercepts last season (ranked second).
16:34
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Bayley Fritsch)
17:11
Melbourne has recorded more post-clearance corridor disposals (56-42). In each of the last three seasons, the Bulldogs have recorded the lowest percentage of defensive 50 rebounds through the corridor.
18:46
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Kade Chandler)
19:18
Another goal from a defensive half chain for the Demons who now are ahead 28-10 in points scored from such chains. Jack Billings provided his third score assist on the last goal from Kade Chandler.
22:56
Clayton Oliver has had at least ten disposals in each quarter today in a typically prolific display. Oliver has recorded a game-high 543 metres gained from his 32 disposals while also winning an equal team-high six clearances.
23:46
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Bayley Fritsch)
27:01
Melbourne has recorded a kicking efficiency of 61 percent in its forward half today while the Bulldogs have kicked with just 47 percent efficiency in their forward half.
28:04
The Demons again edged the Bulldogs in the third quarter with both teams squandering scoring opportunities in that period. The Bulldogs won more ground balls (19-10) and forward half intercepts (5-2) but were not able to convert these onto the scoreboard.

Quarter 4

00:00
Q4 is now underway.
00:10
Melbourne was the No.1 ranked team in final quarters during 2023 and was not outscored during this period in the opening nine games of the season.
00:49
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Jamarra Ugle-Hagan)
01:34
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Aaron Naughton)
01:46
Two early behinds for the Bulldogs to start the final quarter who have again generated scores in the opening minutes of a quarter. The Bulldogs have now scored 1.4 from shots 15-30 metres from the goal while the Demons have scored 6.1 from their equivalent shots at goal.
03:21
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Max Gawn)
04:20
Jamarra Ugle-Hagan has been the forward 50 target nine times today which is the most of any player. He has also recorded game-highs for forward 50 marks (4), forward 50 disposals (8), and shots at goal (5).
07:15
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Christian Petracca)
07:29
An excellent finish from Christian Petracca capped a chain started with a defensive half clearance. Melbourne now has advantages in both points scored from stoppages (40-21) and points scored from defensive half chains (36-11).
09:55
Lachlan Bramble has had some good moments in his first game as a Bulldog including kicking the last goal. Bramble had more disposals in the third quarter (12) than any other player and has contributed four intercept possessions and four score involvements.
12:20
Last season the Demons averaged a competition-high 28 forward half intercepts per game. Today the Bulldogs lead this count 19-9 and also have an advantage in points scored from this source (26-12).
12:53
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Rushed)
14:09
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Jacob van Rooyen)
14:34
A pair of fumbles from the Bulldogs provided the turnover opportunity for Christian Petracca which launched the last goal for Melbourne. Petracca has been involved in a game-high 11 scores including three assists and three score launches.
17:01
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Kysaiah Pickett)
17:24
A classy piece of play from Kysaiah Pickett has given the Demons a game-high 30-point lead. Melbourne has now scored 2.2.14 from five forward 50 clearances and averaged eight points per game from this source in 2023.
20:41
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Rhylee West)
21:20
The most marks that Melbourne has taken in a game under coach Simon Goodwin is 133 (in his second game as coach in 2017). The Demons have taken 131 marks today with clear intent to maintain possession.
23:24
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Bayley Fritsch)
24:50
Jacob van Rooyen kicked 92.1 percent of his goals from set shots last year, which was the highest percentage of the top-50 goalkickers in the AFL. Two of his three goals today have come from set shots.
27:41
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Jack Billings)
29:53
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Kade Chandler)
30:18
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Christian Salem)
30:40
Jack Billings has only once had more than the 20 kicks he has today. The last time he had more than ten score involvements was in Round 4, 2021 with the former Saint having a big impact today for Melbourne.
31:47
Despite trailing 12-24 in forward half intercepts, Melbourne has scored more points from this source 30-26.
32:30
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Ben Brown)
32:34
A powerful final quarter again from the Demons who generated 11 scores from 13 inside 50 entries in that period. Melbourne was more efficient today with 27-18 effective clearances converted into 47-21 points scored from stoppages.