Player Ratings - Elimination Final

The Western Bulldogs season ended on Saturday, falling to St Kilda be three points at the Gabba.

Despite trailing by as much as 26-points late in the term quarter, the Bulldogs rallied later, but were unable to bridge the gap, and were eliminated in the first week of the finals for the second successive year.

3. Mitch Wallis Was pretty quiet if he wasn’t getting looks at goal, managing just 1.2 from six disposals. His goal was a beauty - a dart almost from the grandstand - but the two misses were from a distance he’s not proved comfortable from - 3

4. Marcus Bontempelli

It was an ok game. He had 20 disposals, six tackles, six i50s, and four clearances, but it wasn’t the dominant final we were hoping he’d produce - 6

5. Josh Dunkley Kicked a clever goal to keep the Dogs in things during the third term when they were really struggling, but managed just 13 disposals in a game where he was mostly deployed forward. I think he deserves credit for the improvement in his kicking this year - 5

6. Bailey Smith One of the Bulldogs best, but it was blighted with a glaring miss in the third term. It marred a great 24-disposal match where he was full of energy, but the miss proved very costly by full time - 8

7. Lachie Hunter See above. A minute left in the third term and he hits the post from 20m out. For a player with a reputation for being a skillful player, he truly is a poor kick for goal at times. Also marred a great showing, with 20 disposals and a last-term goal - 8

9. Hayden Crozier Again played forward, and I can’t understand why, especially given how crucial he has been in defence this year. Had some good moments, including a first-quarter goal and a brilliant tackle in the second, but he carries far more worth in the back half of the ground for us - 5

In a strange move, two key Bulldogs defenders Hayden Crozier (L) and Jason Johannisen played most of the game up forward. Source: Getty Images

10. Easton Wood St Kilda’s small forwards were kept relatively in check, so he deserves credit for that, but had no impact in the air. Some of the i50 marks that St Kilda forwards took at times were deeply concerning and ultimately costly - 5

11. Jackson Macrae Copped a high hit from Ben Long early in the piece, and although he played out the match, it clearly had an effect on Macrae. 20 disposals but no impact - 5

12. Zaine Cordy Didn’t really impact the contest defensively, managing just two spoils in the first half before suffering an ankle injury just before half time, ending his night. A disappointing end to a career-best season - 2

15. Taylor Duryea Had 16 disposals, but like many teammates, didn’t have a massive influence on proceedings - 4

17. Josh Bruce Kicked the first goal of the match, gave away the free kick that sealed our fate in the dying seconds, and did nothing in-between. I want to give him a free pass given it must’ve been an exhausting week, but in reality, his output was exactly the same as it has been in all bar one other match this year. 14.8 from 17 games (including six in one outing) is a frankly embarrassing return for a big-name signing on good coin, and grabbing the jumper against the very side that is the reason your career even exists wasn’t a great look either, if I’m being honest - 1

20. Ed Richards Has somehow managed to play every game since the restart, but it was another very quiet showing from him, with just seven disposals and a miss from a gettable chance early in the last quarter. He’s now played nearly 60 games for the club, and when it’s supposed to be time for the player to take their game to the next level, he’s taken several steps backward this year - 1

21. Tom Liberatore We’ve sung his praises all season - and rightly so - but didn’t have the impact that we’ve come to expect from him. His goal late on was clever and important, but it was one of just 16 disposals. Add just two tackles and four clearances to that tally - 5

27. Patrick Lipinski Dear, oh dear. Quality player, don’t get me wrong, but some of the decisions he made going forward we’re baffling, including but not limited to ballooning up a handpass inside 50, to a teammate with his back to goal, and with an opponent right up against him. It happened at least twice, potentially costing two goals. Also needs to improve on his tackling technique; his attempts are broken far too often for a midfielder - 3

33. Aaron Naughton Quiet for three quarters, but came to life in the last, kicking a goal and setting up another with his only two kicks for the match. Finishes the year with 15.6 from 12 games, but a set shot accuracy of 73.3%, which is a very encouraging improvement - 4

34. Bailey Williams Had a good game. 19 disposals and gained 385m, the third most of any Bulldog. Also had the second-most intercepts of any Bulldog with five. Given he started the year out of most people’s Best 22, he deserves massive credit for the way he has conducted himself, playing every game, consolidating a Best 22 position, and even had some flirting with the idea of a potential All-Australian squad of 40 spot. - 7

35. Caleb Daniel Not his fault, but was isolated twice of Jarryn Geary in the opening term, and given how coach Luke Beveridge spent the week talking up a big game about how the Bulldogs were ready for anything, it was extraordinary that they allowed this to happen. But Daniel responded from that with a team-high 26 disposals and the last goal of the season. His disposal wasn’t always clean (especially early), but head probably the Bulldogs best player - 8

Caleb Daniel capped off his best season yet with a great game that placed him among the Bulldogs best. Source: Getty Images

37. Roarke Smith Was one of the Bulldogs busiest in the first half, with 12 disposals, although managed just three after half time. Like most weeks, he didn’t do much wrong, but he’s played 23 games in six seasons, managed more than six games in a season once, and he is out of contract. It’s not impossible to believe that we’ve seen him play for the last time - 7

39. Jason Johannisen Kicked an early goal, but after that only occasionally popped into view to show the world how easy it is to break one of his tackles. Not sure whether his technique is worse than Lipinski’s, but it let the Saints off the hook on countless, critical occasions - 4

42. Alex Keath Saved his worst performance of the season in his biggest game of the season, which is a shame given how important he has been for us all year. Did take two intercept marks, but looked at a lossto contain any Saints talls that floated forward - 4

43. Ryan Gardner He’s never been the greatest kick, and it was hard to watch him being delegated with the responsibility of pulling off the difficult kicks out of defence, so it’s seems harsh to mark him when being forced to play a role that absolutely doesn’t suit him. Was again of the better defensive players, with eight spoils and eight one-percenters (both team-highs), but like Keath, struggled - 6

44. Tim English Fed to the wolves like Daniel. We were told how ready we were all week for whatever the Saints had prepared. If that was the case, how did we approach the ruck contest looking so underprepared? Again? On countless occasions, we allowed at least two Saints midfielders free at the centre bounce, and naturally either Marshall of Ryder were able to palm the ball straight to them for the easy clearance. It’s not a criticism of English because we know he’s still developing and he works hard, but this was poor planning on the part of the coaching staff. The Saints towelled us up in the ruck earlier this year, it’s their strength, and it’s a weakness in English’s game. It’s baffling how we allow him to be treated like this, without being offered any support. Aside from Dunkley, of course - 6