AFL 2021 LIVE updates Sensational Bulldogs obliterate Power to book grand final berth against Melbourne
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Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge spoke to Channel Seven after the game...
Before the game you talked about how unusual the season has been. But to get the team there five years later, congratulations.
Thanks, I think everyone is pretty emotional because it’s a big journey for everyone. Across the 18 clubs. And lots being thrown at everyone and just to look at another Grand Final is incredible. Obviously I can’t speak highly enough of what the players went through and our staff and they stick fat. It was an incredible performance.
You’ve all been away from your family, you’ve been travelling and going to these different places. You did it tough in 2016 but this is another level of adversity, I think?
Yeah, probably this time around because we’ve been up in the first or second spot for a little while. The realisation that we are right in the mix and are one of the better teams. Historically as much as won 15 games before the final and I was tired. We hadn’t even gone anywhere near the heights. So this time around, you know, and when you think about the impact that the whole squad have had, even the boys here who didn’t play, just full credit to them. They’ve been so good, and they’re so close, the boys, and that matters. They really support each other. There’s a real selflessness off the field and you think back to when you were playing whether or not you could be that selfless and be so happy for guys who were getting the opportunities that you’re not. They were unbelievable. Yeah, we’ve got two weeks to really look forward to it. It’s obviously an amazing side in Melbourne.
Can I ask you as you walk back towards there, what do you love about the football club around what do you love about this particular group?
The football club’s been extremely well run for a fair period of time. Peter Gordon was the president but Kylie (Watson-Wheeler) has done an amazing job as our new chairlady. She’s been so good. Extremely supportive. We’ve had continuity in our footy operations area. There’s a lot of turnover in footy clubs and a I’ve been fortunate to get the support and the work ethic around me to help me do what I do. And so you know footy is such an emotional game and I think we’re pretty open and honest, we let our emotions out a lot at our footy club. That is OK. We had some boys who were not in a great head space and that is hard on everything. The pressure on the game externally and internally doesn’t get any lighter. I was so happy tonight for some of the ridiculous commentary and insinuations around Adam Treloar was just so distasteful from people - if you’re going to fail at something, don’t fail at trying to pull people down. I just don’t know how people can sleep next to people like that when they’re so vindictive. That was nasty. I was happy to see him well tonight. We have a lot to look forward to.
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Former Bulldogs captain Easton Wood spoke to Channel Seven after the game...
Q: You’ve been a huge part of the history of this football club, getting to play in another Grand Final is remarkable.
I agree - remarkable. I can’t believe it, it’s surreal. The way we finished this year and to be in this position, it didn’t go to plan, we lost our last three. We have been in about five different states in the last three weeks away from family, away from friends. And we’re in a Grand Final. How incredible is that.
Q: That turning point after those three losses to finish the season. What was it? What happened to get this great final series going?
We knew we had to be stronger around the ball. We were dominant throughout the year because we had a dominant midfield. They took it upon themselves after those three games to go and work and know that we needed to be unbelievably strong in there and we’ve just built and built. How impressive were they tonight? The last time we played Port, the mids got the better of us, especially to the end of the game. But all of our boys in there, the skipper, how is Bailey Smith’s running power. He has gone to another level at the moment. Very glad he is on our side and guys are just raising the bar and here we are.
Three-goal hero Mitch Hannan spoke to Channel Seven after the game...
Mitch Hannan, congratulations, just a nice three goals into a Grand Final. What an amazing situation.
Yeah, it’s amazing, it’s been a great year for us. We had few bumps at the backend of the year but I think we started playing some really good footy at the right time.
Q: Your journey is a great one, from the VFL to the Demons and now here. You must be pinching yourself?
I am. I got drafted at 22 If you had said I will be playing in a Grand Final in 10 years’ time I would have said no way.
The man of the moment Bailey Smith spoke to Channel Seven after the game...
Q: Bailey Smith congratulations, mate. The three goals last week, we were marvelling how good it was. Just one better tonight and what a game to do it.
It was a great game by all the boys. We knew it would be an adversarial game so we are rapt with how it went tonight.
Q: Looking at their defence and changing for you up forward, they all worked well with Stefan Martin as well.
Yeah, 100 per cent. That was great. We know how much of a dangerous player Aliir Aliir is so we tried to minimise that throughout the night and compete on the ground level.
Q: You’ve been everywhere, something like five states in 13, 14 days. You are into the Grand Final. Is it relief?
It hasn’t sunk in, it’s so surreal to be 20 years of age and now in granny. It’s a credit to the coaching staff and the players, Marcus Bontempelli has been a great skipper all year through lots of adversity and travel.
Port Adelaide 1.1, 3.4, 5.8, 6.9 (45)
W.Bulldogs 7.2, 12.8, 14.12, 17.14 (116)
GOALS
Port Adelaide: Dixon 2, Wines, Houston, Bonner, Marshall
W.Bulldogs: B.Smith 4, Hannan 3, Naughton 2, Bontempelli 2, Vandermeer, Johannisen, R.Smith, Schache, Treloar, Scott
DISPOSALS
Port Adelaide: Wines 38, Bonner 32, Boak 24
W.Bulldogs: Macrae 36, Dale 24, B.Smith 23, Treloar 23
INTERCEPTS
Port Adelaide: Aliir 11, Houston 10, Bonner 8
W.Bulldogs: Williams 10, Daniel 8, Macrae 8
The Bulldogs finished up dominating the contested possessions 164-135, inside 50s 60-47, scoring shots 31-15 and the clearances 42-34.
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