Match

Western Bulldogs vs Collingwood

Commentary / 21 Mar 2025

Pre Game

00:00
Collingwood scored 99 points from intercept possessions last round – their most in a game since 2012.

Quarter 1

00:00
Q1 is now underway.
00:56
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Sam Darcy)
01:12
Sam Darcy kicks the first of the night. He was exceptional the last time these sides faced off kicking a team-high three goals and having five contested marks.
05:02
Magpies Interchange - Reef McInnes off due to an injury.
06:39
Collinwood have controlled the outside game early tonight already being plus 7 in uncontested possessions and plus 7 in handball recieves.
08:14
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Matthew Kennedy)
10:45
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Joel Freijah)
10:48
Despite only having three inside 50s, Footscray has been incredibly efficient having three scoring shots, with both their behinds hitting the post.
11:35
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Lachlan McNeil)
13:46
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Laitham Vandermeer)
15:03
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Ed Richards)
16:16
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Rushed)
18:34
Unlike Footscray, the Magpies have struggled inside 50, being unable to score from their eight entries and only having one effective disposal in their forward 50.
19:53
SCORE BEHIND - Magpies (Jordan De Goey)
21:03
SCORE GOAL - Magpies (Daniel McStay)
22:45
Dan McStay kicks the Magpies first from turnover today. Collingwood led the AFL for forward half intercepts last round with 35 – scoring 54 points from that source – ranked second.
23:39
SCORE BEHIND - Magpies (Jamie Elliott)
24:18
Collingwood has dominated outside in the last 5 minutes being plus seven in uncontested possessions and scoring from all three of their inside 50s.
25:58
SCORE BEHIND - Magpies (Nick Daicos)
27:27
SCORE GOAL - Magpies (Lachie Schultz)
27:49
Collingwood has scored the last 15 points, with 14 being from turnover, matching the Bulldogs after they got out to an early 14-point advantage from the source.
28:32
SCORE BEHIND - Magpies (Rushed)
30:24
The Bulldogs were exceptional in their forward 50, scoring from 77% of their inside 50s, their best in a quarter since Round 23, 2023 against the Eagles.

Quarter 2

00:00
Q2 is now underway.
00:44
SCORE GOAL - Magpies (Jamie Elliott)
03:22
SCORE GOAL - Magpies (Bobby Hill)
03:28
Bobby Hill kicks the Magpies second from forward-half turnovers. They averaged 28 points from this source last season - ranked fourth.
05:16
After conceding the last four goals, Darcy steadies the ship for Footscray kicking his second and the Bulldog's second from centre bounce. They ranked second last season in scores from centre bounce averaging 13.8 points per game.
07:29
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Ed Richards)
08:48
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Sam Darcy)
09:18
Sam Darcy kicks his third goal after taking a contested mark. He has already taken four contested marks, matching his best in any half of football.
12:34
Collingwood have struggled to move the ball into their half in the last five minutes only having 7% time in forward half.
13:18
SCORE GOAL - Magpies (Dan Houston)
13:58
Dan Houston kicks his first goal for the Magpies. He was incredible in his debut for the Magpies last week having 27 disposals, 17 uncontested possessions and 10 intercepts.
15:34
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Rushed)
16:13
Footscray has played with urgency this quarter, being plus 11 in handball receives and playing on from 33% of the marks compared to Collingwood's 20%.
18:08
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (James Harmes)
19:00
The Bulldogs have stifled Collingwood having seven of the last eight inside 50s after conceding the previous nine in a row, outscoring Collingwood by 13 points in that time.
19:40
SCORE BEHIND - Magpies (Jamie Elliott)
20:44
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Lachlan McNeil)
22:53
SCORE BEHIND - Magpies (Mason Cox)
23:06
After allowing 11 disposals in the first quarter, the Bulldogs have shut down Nick Daicos, holding him to only three disposals for the quarter, although all three have been score involvements.
24:40
Tom Liberatore has been crucial to Footscray's fight back having eight disposals in the quarter, along with three clearances and three score involvements.
26:12
SCORE BEHIND - Magpies (Patrick Lipinski)
28:46
SCORE BEHIND - Magpies (Daniel McStay)
30:57
After only scoring from 50% of the inside 50s in the first quarter, Collingwood became far more efficient in the second scoring from 63% of their entries and kicking a goal from 27% of their entries.

Quarter 3

00:00
Q3 is now underway.
01:43
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Sam Darcy)
03:23
SCORE GOAL - Magpies (Lachie Schultz)
04:44
SCORE GOAL - Magpies (Beau McCreery)
05:15
McCreery kicks the Magpies second of the quarter and they have now had five of the last six scores in the match.
06:31
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Sam Darcy)
07:00
The Magpies pressure has been exceptional early in the term reaching a rating of 219 whilst Footscray's has been poor early having a rating of only 157.
08:18
Tom Liberatore has continued his incredible game already having five disposals in the quarter along with two clearances, three first possessions and three contested possessions.
10:20
Collingwood has continued their controlled approach in the third quarter, being yet to play on from any of their marks and having only 11 handball receives, a far cry from their first quarter total of 40.
10:25
SCORE BEHIND - Magpies (Lachie Schultz)
13:36
Collingwood has moved the ball well from their defensive 50 early in the third, having two inside 50s from their four rebound 50s. Footscray conceded an inside 50 from 23.3% of their opponent's rebound 50 chains last season - ranked second.
15:03
SCORE BEHIND - Magpies (Ned Long)
17:31
SCORE BEHIND - Magpies (Rushed)
18:00
Collingwood has had the last five inside 50s and has had 91% time in forward half since the 11-minute mark of the third term, although they have been unable to take advantage kicking only 0.2 (2) in that time.
20:59
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Rhylee West)
21:51
Rylee West kicks the Bulldog's fourth goal from stoppage on the night, making them plus five in scores from the source. They ranked first last season in stoppage scoring differential, winning by an average margin of nine points per game.
24:24
SCORE GOAL - Magpies (Steele Sidebottom)
25:16
The Magpies score another goal from defensive midfield, their fourth on the night. They have outscored Footscray by 12 points from the source.
28:55
Collingwood's pressure improved in the third quarter, having a rating of 202, their best in a third-quarter since round 14 last year.

Quarter 4

00:00
Q4 is now underway.
02:27
SCORE GOAL - Magpies (Bobby Hill)
02:44
Despite only having 8% time in forward half for the quarter, Bobby Hill kicks the first goal of the quarter for Collingwood.
05:04
Collingwood are having some early dominance in the contest, having the last four clearances and being plus five in contested possessions.
06:06
SCORE BEHIND - Magpies (Daniel McStay)
08:18
Darcy Cameron has controlled the ruck early in the fourth quarter having five hitouts to English's two as well as having two hitouts to advantage.
09:35
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Sam Darcy)
10:04
Sam Darcy kicks his fourth of the night, an equal second most in his career, whilst also having an incredible six contested marks, a career-high.
10:56
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Tom Liberatore)
12:18
Footscray kicks their second goal in a row through Tom Liberatore, their first streak of more than one goal in a row since the midway point of the second quarter.
13:42
Magpies Interchange - Mason Cox and is possibly out for the game.
14:24
SCORE BEHIND - Magpies (Jamie Elliott)
16:50
SCORE BEHIND - Magpies (Jordan De Goey)
18:07
SCORE BEHIND - Magpies (Daniel McStay)
18:36
Collingwood have struggled to take advantage of their opportunities in the final term, kicking only one goal from their eight inside 50s, whilst kicking four behinds.
19:41
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Joel Freijah)
20:05
Joel Freijah has had an incredible final quarter having nine disposals, six contested possessions and kicking an incredible goal.
23:19
SCORE BEHIND - Magpies (Jordan De Goey)
25:15
Bailey Dale has been crucial for Footscray's ball movement out of the back half, having 31 disposals, 15 uncontested possessions and 554 metres gained.
25:54
SCORE GOAL - Magpies (Steele Sidebottom)
26:25
Steele Sidebottom kicks his second for the game. After being held to only 10 disposals in the first three quarters, he has burst to life in the final term having nine disposals.
28:13
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Rory Lobb)
32:14
The game was close at every major break today with the largest difference between the teams at a quarter-break being only eight points.