5 Things We Learned - Round 6

It was a tough encounter for three quarters and more a battle of attrition than anything of a spectacle that seemed reserved and worthy of the rivalry that both sides have built up over the years but it is still four important premiership points that will be added to our tally as the Western Bulldogs overcame a combative GWS Giants to the tune of 39 points.

It wasn't a spectacle for sure but the Bulldogs took home all four Premiership points on a rather cold night in Canberra. Source: Getty Images.

1) Where The Game Was Won

Control the midfield and you control the flow of the game.

Coming into the round six clash the Western Bulldogs were ranked first for clearances, contested and uncontested possessions and had the best contested possession (24.2) and clearance differential (7.8) in the competition.

In comparison the GWS Giants were ranked 10th for clearances, equal 4th in contested possession, 12th for uncontested possession, and had the seventh best-contested possession (+1) and third-worst clearance differential (-3.8) in the competition.

Against the Giants, the Dogs won the clearances 46-32; a differential of 14, resulting in 8.7 55 to 1.7 13 from that source, the contested possession count by 44 (168-124) which was our second-best differential this season and the uncontested possession by 40.

With the margin at three points heading into the fourth quarter and us not exactly at our best throughout the game we simply monstered them even when it mattered registering +17 uncontested possession (59-42), +11 contested possession (44-33) and seven centre clearances to four.

Not one Giant had more than a single centre clearance throughout the game while the Dogs had six players who gathered one having more than two to total a 17-7 advantage.

The numbers might not have told the full story in the first three terms with us not at our best, but to turn it around so much in one quarter speaks volumes of how much pressure the Dogs absorbed before burying its rival into the ground.

For years we've been building a powerhouse midfield but to see it torch an opposition not only with toughness but class as well and flick the switch with the match on the line was definitely pleasing and character building.

2) Will We See A Key Position All Australian Bulldog?

We are almost a third of the way through the 2021 AFL season and there would be several mock All Australian teams being formed at the moment. The question is would these sides include a particular key defender at the Western Bulldogs.

The last key position players at the Bulldogs to make an All Australian Team were Brian Lake and Barry Hall at full back and full-forward respectively in 2010 where we made the preliminary final but perhaps that drought might come to an end.

Alex Keath has fitted in perfectly to our backline, playing every game to date for the Dogs since being recruited for a future 2020 second-rounder and 2019 third round (#45) in the 2019 Trade Period.

In his final season at the Crows, Keath was deemed to be in All Australian form throughout large portions of the year but ultimately through injury fell short of making the 40 man squad in the end.

We now return to 2021 where Keath is putting together a quality season, having played a key role in leading the leagues statistically best defence which has conceded the least amount of points (360, average of 60) and allowed just the 51 marks inside 50; the second-lowest total in the AFL.

Although Keath is ranked 25th in the competition for marks (40 at 6.7 per game); which by no means is a poor amount, he still finds himself fifth for intercept possessions averaging the 8.2 per game (rated above average), which is double last seasons 4.1 per game and is equal sixth for average intercept marks per game with 3.3 (also above average).

The talk might still be about Darcy Moore, Jake Lever and Steven May but Keath certainly should be in the reckoning as he has put together a fantastic opening six rounds and he will no doubt also feature rather prominently in the Charles Sutton Medal Count for his efforts.

Alex Keath would certainly have to be one of the best recruits the Bulldogs have had in the 21st century. Source: Getty Images.

3) Aaron Naughton's goal kicking will cost us a final if it isn't sorted.

Two years ago before the round one clash against Sydney in 2019 I was massively confused as to why a key defender would be stationed at full forward.

Now of course I have very much fallen in love with the idea of Naughton as a forward.

Naughton is almost the complete package as a key forward, possessing many of the desired traits that make an elite one. Almost.

Naughton is naturally aggressive and confident, an incredible contested mark, has terrific closing speed, is extremely fast off the mark and has a quite a large tank to venture high up the ground when required.

He just needs to finish off his good work after doing the hard yards more often.

In season 2021 Naughton is generating 5.3 shots at goal per game which is rated above average for key forwards, but is going at just the 40.6% in terms of goal accuracy this season. For a player whose presence demands that much of the ball in his direction; evident by taking 23 of our 97 marks inside 50 this year, it is a skill that he has to get on top of.

It is still Naughton's third year as a developing key forward and just his fourth in the AFL but as good a forward as he is becoming, he arguably should already have two or three bags of five this year.

Since being used as a forward at the start of 2019, Naughton has had 93 set shots from the 115 attempts which has resulted in an accuracy of 56% and when it comes to shots in general play this drops to 36%.

To be fair to Naughton he is only one of four Bulldogs to have a figure north of 50% when it comes to goalkicking (Josh Bruce 56, Bailey Dale 56 and Mitch Wallis 54), with his remaining teammates across the same timeframe averaging 52% accuracy, but I firmly believe he should already be on 20 goals which would put him in the hunt for the Coleman Medal.

Provided Naughton gets his accuracy rectified, he would be a strong chance to become the best all-round forward in the years to come. It is the one flaw in his game that is holding him back from potential superstar status.

Statistics accurate prior to the GWS game. Statistics courtesy of StatsInsider

4) Getting the job done.

Good sides get the job done, great sides do it when not at their best and Friday night showed that we are on track to becoming one.

It wasn't a typical exciting, freewheeling display we've come to see this year from the Bulldogs but we still looked the better side on the night despite being dragged down to the Giants level through a number of tactics.

The Giants aren't what they used to be and had a few players absent on the night but they still possess enough quality to take down the best sides in the competition and certainly brought the heat for three quarters, but for majority of the game even when they put themselves within striking distance, they didn't really look like stealing a win.

We might have been challenged and perhaps last years side might have rolled over in such circumstances but with nine goals in the last quarter we were finally able to break free from the Giants, opening them up on the inside and the outside to put an exclamation mark on the difference between the two sides in season 2021.

Securing victory in such games ultimately can be the difference between finishing top four or playing in a sudden death elimination final and for us to put the foot down in such fashion shows we have evolved as a team. We get to see just how far we have come in what promises to be our biggest Home and Away game since we played Hawthorn early on in 2016 when we take on Richmond at the MCG under Friday night lights.

5) Lin Jong Deserves So Much Better

Very much a fan favourite, Lin Jong returned to the Western Bulldogs line up for his first game in the red, white and blue since round five last year and started quite well, collecting four early disposals and had a shot on goal. Unfortunately, another untimely injury, this time to his hamstring put an end to his night and will see him out for lengthy period of time.

There is still plenty of football left in the season of course and generally when fit Jong has found himself in the best 22 and the optimist in me still sees him very much capable of reaching 100 games for the Dogs.

In an alternate reality Jong would be well past 150 games by now and with a premiership medal but you'd have to question his place beyond 2021 if he isn't able to string consistent AFL game time at the age of 27 come seasons end as he is out of contract. It isn't a knock on his ability but his durability as it wouldn't be wise to keep having a player on the list who spends substantial time on the sidelines.

The best form of ability is availability and after twice suffering a broken collarbone, hamstring injuries, a torn ACL, mental health issues and a syndesmosis injury throughout his career, hopefully for Jong he is back soon rather than later as he is a much-loved figure.

Football can be such a cruel game and it just isn't fair to see such rotten luck fall upon one of the most popular players at the Western Bulldogs.