TonyK
CibbuanoDogs end 40-year premiership drought
March 13th 2010 10:32
THE Western Bulldogs have ended a 40-year premiership drought with a 40-point win over St Kilda in the NAB Cup grand final at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night.
The Bulldogs got the early jump and answered every challenge thrown at them by the Saints, eventually prevailing 2.13.8 (104) to 9.10 (64).
It is the Dogs' first premiership since 1970 when they won the night series competition which was only open to teams that failed to make the finals.
Adam Cooney, Ryan Griffen and Matthew Boyd did the damage in the middle.
For St Kilda, skipper Nick Riewoldt played a lone hand up forward with four goals while Jason Gram and Brendon Goddard won plenty of the football.
The Bulldogs dominated the midfield early and Hall benefited, kicking the first two goals of the match. He also set up another as the Dogs booted the first four.
Riewoldt managed his side's first major of the night after being awarded a free-kick.
The Doggies led by 22 points at quarter-time but should have been further in front considering they had seven more scoring shots for the term.
Goals from Riewoldt and Justin Koschitzke saw St Kilda close to within seven points in the second quarter.
But a super goal from Mitch Hahn and a regular goal from Jason Akermanis ensured the Bulldogs maintained their quarter-time advantage going into the main break.
Three goals in the opening seven minutes of the second half got the Saints to within two points but Rodney Eade's men responded in emphatic fashion.
In a stunning three-minute burst they slammed on three goals, including a super goal from classy youngster Shaun Higgins to establish some breathing space.
St Kilda had the last four scoring shots of the third quarter but only managed 1.3 as the Dogs went into the final change with a 15-point buffer.
The Saints got the crucial first goal of the final stanza through Riewoldt but it was all one-way traffic from that moment on as Hall wreaked havoc.
ST KILDA: 0.1.1, 0.3.5, 0.7.10, 0.9.10 (64)
WESTERN BULLDOGS: 0.4.5, 1.5.6, 2.7.7, 2.13.8 (104)
SUPER GOALS: St Kilda:
Bulldogs: Higgins, Hahn
GOALS: St Kilda: Riewoldt 4, Gram, Geary, Goddard, Milne, Koschitzke
Bulldogs: Hall 7, Higgins 2, Murphy, Everitt, Griffen, Akermanis
BEST: St Kilda: Riewoldt, Goddard, Gram, Dal Santo, Montagna, Blake
Bulldogs: Hall, Cooney, Griffen, Boyd, Higgins, Gilbee, Cross
INJURIES: St Kilda: Sam Fisher (ankle)
Bulldogs: Nathan Eagleton (hamstring) Mitch Hahn (eye socket)
UMPIRES: Chamberlain, Rosebury, Stevic, Pannell
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Nil
CROWD: 42,381 at ETIHAD STADIUM
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