Brisbane have held agency to say a fourth straight AFL win, defeating the Western Bulldogs 12.14 (86) to 12.4 (76) in a troublesome tussle on the Gabba.
The ten-point win – after holding off a late Bulldogs’ surge as Will Ashcroft kicked a purpose on the siren – enhances Brisbane’s prospects of a high 4 end and permits them to have a good time the event of midfielder Hugh McCluggage’s two hundredth AFL match in type.
Hugh McCluggage of the Lions is seen leaving the bottom after his two hundredth recreation.Credit score: AFL Images through Getty Pictures
Defeat for the Bulldogs leaves them in a precarious place within the race for the finals, having now misplaced eight of the 9 matches they’ve performed towards groups above them on the ladder.
Rhylee West kicked a game-high 4 targets for the Bulldogs whereas for the Lions Will Ashcroft had three majors and his brother Levi was considered one of three Lions, together with Kai Lohmann and Jarrod Berry, to kick two targets every.
Aaron Naughton had two for the guests.
Lions midfielder Josh Dunkley was in high kind towards his former membership, laying 14 tackles and recording 28 disposals whereas Bailey Dale’s 33 touches have been probably the most for the Bulldogs.
With the Gabba floor slick after a storm whipped over the stadium earlier than the match began, neither crew might be separated within the first quarter.
The largest speaking level of the time period was Lions veteran Dayne Zorko coming to the sideline after his left foot was stomped on. The 36-year-old returned shortly afterward after getting the sore foot strapped because the hosts held a slim one-point lead on the first break.
Cam Rayner started the second time period in damaging style, laying on an attention grabbing deal with earlier than snapping a purpose to increase the hosts’ lead earlier than Lohmann and Will Ashcroft pushed that margin previous two targets for the primary time within the match.
The house followers have been left incensed when a Levi Ashcroft purpose was dominated out for a throw within the build-up earlier than Riley Garcia was the beneficiary of a free kick within the Bulldogs’ favour to get the margin again into single digits.
However Will Ashcroft’s second after a sensible faucet by Charlie Cameron ensured the Lions have been up by 13 on the foremost break.
Halfway via the third time period the Lions had hit a game-high 22 level lead when Logan Morris transformed however West’s third of the match shortly afterward saved the Canines within the hunt.
Brisbane notched 24 inside 50s for the quarter to the Bulldogs’ eight however each groups kicked three targets to maintain the competition within the steadiness heading into the ultimate time period.
The Canines threatened a boilover with three late targets to get inside 4 factors however the Lions held agency with Will Ashcroft’s third main proper on the siren sealing the win.
AAP
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