Bulldogs qualify for finals campaign

The Bulldogs qualified for their third successive finals campaign in what was a heart-racing weekend of AFL.

A heart-racing Round 23

Round 23 came with much anticipation. The Western Bulldogs needed a win to guarantee them a top-four finish and secure the double chance at this year’s Finals. Port Adelaide were playing for the opportunity of a home final in front of fans.

In a much-improved performance from the previous fortnight, the Bulldogs started the game full of fire. They kicked the first four goals of the night and led for all but five minutes of the game.

Port came out strong in the final term, kicking the last three goals of the game. A long shot at goal from Bailey Smith with only a few seconds left was touched on the line, ending hopes of a late fightback and the win.

Bulldogs anticipate Finals news

The narrow two-point loss to Port Adelaide meant the Bulldogs had to wait for the results of other games in the round to determine their place on the ladder and their eventual Finals run. The game of concern was Brisbane Lions vs  West Coast Eagles and it was closer than anyone anticipated. The Lions win meant the same points on the ladder for both the Lions and the Bulldogs.

The Lions needed to win by a certain margin to ensure they beat the Bulldogs by percentage. The final quarter created more anxiety for all Bulldogs supporters than the night before. It was neck and neck for the Lions and Bulldogs up until the last 30 seconds of the game when a point created devastation for the Bulldogs. To seal the pain a final goal after the siren left the Bulldogs fifth on the ladder and into an Elimination Final.

Elimination Final this Sunday

Sunday’s games were being closely watched to see who the Western Bulldogs will play in the first week of Finals. The outcome: an Elimination Final against Essendon on Sunday 29 August to be played at UTAS Stadium in Launceston.

The last time these sides met in a final was all the way back in 1953, with the Bulldogs getting past the Bombers by eight points in a semi-final. In their most recent meeting – just three weeks ago – it was the Bombers edging out the Bulldogs by 13 points at an empty Marvel Stadium.

Lachie Hunter said “the group knows their capabilities, and will be ready for the next challenge.”

And all of us at Victoria University will be cheering them on!

You can watch the game live on Channel 7 and Fox Footy from 3.20pm.

Victoria University is proud to be supporting the Bulldogs both on and off the field. Read more about our unique partnership.

We wish them the best of luck with this week’s Elimination Final.