Listen Live
THE WESTERN Bulldogs have one foot in the door as they push for their second ever finals berth after an assured 32-point win against West Coast at Mineral Resources Park on Saturday.
EAGLES v BULLDOGS Full match coverage and stats
The 8.7 (55) to 3.5 (23) win was soured, however, by a potentially serious ankle injury to forward Kirsten McLeod just four minutes into her long-awaited return after more than a year out of the game with concussion issues.
The Bulldogs were desperate to win on Saturday, needing to maintain a buffer between them and ninth-placed Gold Coast, who had drawn level on five wins before Saturday's game but now needs a lot to go its way to steal eighth place.
A win against Carlton next Friday night will seal the Bulldogs' finals place, but a decent percentage gap should prove handy if the Blues orchestrate a final-round upset.
The Bulldogs were in control from the outset on Saturday, mostly due to their straight kicking as the Eagles fumbled the ball and their opportunities in front of goal.
They were also committed to bringing a strong pressure game, out-tackling the Eagles 24-9 in the opening quarter to set the tone, and 61-37 for the match.
They made their move early in an entertaining third quarter, kicking three goals on the run as Sarah Hartwig continued as a weapon in attack and Kirsty Lamb controlled the midfield with nine touches for the term.
Through Lamb (21 disposals and five clearances) and Isabelle Pritchard (18 and three), they got the better of the midfield battles and were able to chain clean possession chains together, playing on at every opportunity.
West Coast captain Emma Swanson was outstanding again in a losing cause, finishing with 28 disposals, eight clearances and four inside 50s to do everything she could to drag her team into the game.
The Eagles got their first goal 13 minutes into the third quarter, thanks to a 100m penalty against ruck Celine Moody for dissent, with Bella Lewis gifted an opportunity from the top of the goalsquare.
Debutant Ashleigh Gomes then converted her set shot to ignite her teammates and the crowd, giving the Eagles momentum as they faced a four-goal margin to chase down at the final break.
The highlight of the game came in the opening minutes of the final quarter when Eleanor Hartill tapped the ball to herself and then kicked her first AFLW goal with a brilliant effort along the ground from the pocket.
The Bulldogs' four-goal margin was restored shortly after by Eleanor Brown, who converted on her left to all but seal the important four points and a finals place for her team.
McLeod horror run continues
After waiting more than 570 days between games, Kirsten McLeod's return was over in just four minutes. The Bulldogs' forward was tackled by Jessica Sedunary and rolled her left ankle, requiring the help of two trainers to leave the ground, unable to put any weight on her injured ankle. The 28-year-old, who has played 30 games since making her debut during the inaugural AFLW season, was placed on the inactive list last season because of concussion issues and was finally cleared to return this week. She understandably appeared shattered after her anticipated return ended so suddenly.
Roberts' aerial highlight
Young West Coast star Ella Roberts was five-deep when she flew for a mark on the wing deep in the second quarter, but her ability to elevate, use her height and get first hands on the ball saw her emerge with the footy. Roberts is one of the Eagles' shining lights in what will be a fourth consecutive season without finals footy, and a good reason to head to the footy in the west while her team builds. The young forward finished with 11 disposals, three tackles and four marks.
Up next
The Bulldogs kick off round 10 at Ikon Park on Friday night against Carlton as they push to secure a top eight finish. The Eagles are well out of contention and will be long shots against Melbourne when the teams clash at Casey Fields.
WEST COAST 0.3 0.3 2.4 3.5 (23)
WESTERN BULLDOGS 3.0 3.2 6.4 8.7 (55)
GOALS
West Coast: Gomes, Hartill, Lewis
Western Bulldogs: Berry 2, Hartwig 2, Bateman, Brown, Cranston, Newton
BEST
West Coast: Swanson, Lewis, Lakay, Smith
Western Bulldogs: Lamb, Hartwig, Berry, Pritchard, Moody
INJURIES
West Coast: Nil
Western Bulldogs: McLeod (ankle)
Reports: Nil
