Player Ratings - Semi Final

The Western Bulldogs progressed through to the Preliminary Final in dramatic fashion last week, overcoming the Brisbane Lions by one point in a thrilling encounter at the Gabba.

Despite trailing by 18 points late in the third term, the Bulldogs rallied with four goals in a row, before a last-gasp behind from Laitham Vandermeer broke the deadlock.

1. Adam Treloar

Desperately quiet; it took him until midway through the second term just to get his first touch. He laid five tackles and 18 pressure acts, both equal-third for the team. Safe to say accusations of him sulking are wide of the mark. His desperation to prevent what should have been an easy intercept mark led directly to the Johannisen goal in the third term, while his courage set up Bailey Smith’s pie-floater in the last. Still, it all amounted to just the 10 disposals - 4

2. Lewis Young

Wasn’t nearly as effective at curtailing his opponent this week compared to last, with Oscar McInerney making light work of him in the first half, giving Brisbane a major advantage in the midfield. His six spoils were a team-high, even more impressive given he played just 53% of the entire match, and his first-half sacrifice allowed English to have more of an impact on the second half - 4

4. Marcus Bontempelli

The man with the most intensely-discussed knee in the Western Suburbs right now. The man was a class act on Saturday night, with 29 disposals and nine score involvements. Had his moments with distribution, going at 65% efficiency and kicking 0.3, but he was as important as anyone else to get the Bulldogs over the line. A doubt for this week with that late knee injury, but it’s hard to see him missing out - 8

5. Josh Dunkley

Found more of the footy this week, recording 21 disposals and laying seven tackles. Even managed to dust off the old smother count, with a crucial one in the final term bringing the tally to 12 for the season now. Also laid a team-high three tackles inside-50, and a team-high six one-percenters. A real team game - 7

6. Bailey Smith

A last quarter for the ages. Nine disposals, two memorable goals from either pocket, and set up a third for Schache. The main detractor from the final term was making the wrong decision to take the advantage after a Bulldogs free kick, but made up for it with that left-foot goal in the dying minutes that’s set to be replayed forever - 9

Bailey Smith took it upon himself to see the Bulldogs home in an all-conquering final term. Source: Getty Images

7. Lachie Hunter

A solid, all-round outside game from Hunter. 20 disposals, seven inside-50s, seven score involvements, one of which included setting up the first goal of the last term that got the Bulldogs rolling - 7

10. Easton Wood

Well beaten by Charlie Cameron in the first term, although it was more to do with Cameron’s raw pace, the likes of which the 32-year-old Wood no longer has. Looked more comfortable defensively when they made the change in the backline, taking a team-high three intercept marks. It wasn’t his best game, but on his birthday, he’ll take a narrow semi-final victory - 6

11. Jackson Macrae

Not the first time he’s picked up 39 disposals in a semi final, but this performance was enormous. On top of that, he had a game-high 11 clearances, laid five tackles and gained a mammoth 813 metres, a clear No.1 ranked on the ground. If all of that wasn’t enough, he topped off his performance with the first goal of the last term, becoming the first Bulldog to record 800+ disposals in a season. Phenomenal - 10

13. Josh Schache

Quiet for three quarters despite taking a pair of intercept marks, but made a massive impact in the last term. He did well to trap a ball that fell short of him being able to mark which led to Macrae’s goal. Moments later, he gathered a Bailey Smith kick from the pocket and snapped truly to regain the lead for the Bulldogs, before returning the favour to shepherd home Smith’s wobbler. It was a crucial 10-minute patch that ultimately determined the result - 8

15. Taylor Duryea

It’s easy to focus on that final one-on-one contest against Charlie Cameron; the pair running towards goal with seconds left, Duryea desperate to maintain the club’s one-point lead. But he was immense from the moment he was placed into Cameron after quarter time. Cameron booted three goals in the first term, but was barely sighted afterwards. It was an awesome showing form Duryea, and had a significant impact on the result - 9

19. Cody Weightman

Was lively again, applying pressure at every opportunity, and showed great anticipation to be alert to the quick handpass to Daniel Rich in the opening term. Kicked a craft goal in the second term before suffering a concussion right on the half time siren. Won’t play next week - 4

21. Tom Liberatore

Stood tall in yet another final. Kicked the Bulldogs first two goals of the game to get things going, and was a strong contributor for the rest of the game, finishing with 21 disposals, eight score involvements, seven tackles and six clearances. Was also the man that stayed the chain for Bailey Smith’s dramatic late goal - 8

23. Laitham Vandermeer

Entrenched himself forever into Bulldog folklore after kicking the winning point with 50 seconds remaining. It was an ugly, scrappy, unconvincing point, but that was all it needed to be. He was fairly quiet other, booting 0.2 from 10 disposals and four tackles, but that forward line needs him right now, particularly with no Weightman - 6

Laitham Vandermeer (L) and Aaron Naughton both made the most of their opportunities at crucial moments. Source: Getty Images

29. Mitch Hannan

Had a couple of big moments over the course of the night, including a towering contested mark that led to his only goal of the game, as well as setting up the Smith goal with a strong gather and give. They were just two of eight disposals, but when he did get involve, he normally made things count - 6

31. Bailey Dale

Was slightly down on his usual lofty standards, picking up just the 20 disposals and gaining only 447 metres, but there was a major drop off in quality, going at just 50% efficiency and playing a hand in just two scores. One of them, however, was a brilliant shrugged tackle off half back that ultimately led to Schache’s lead-stealing snap in the last term - 5

33. Aaron Naughton

Won the fans over with his endeavour more so than his output this week, even though he did kick a lovely goal in the second term to keep the trailing Dogs in the hunt. Took a team-high three contested marks and laid six tackles for the game. Also crashed several contests, most notably knocking over Mitch Robinson in the final minutes to prevent the intercept mark - 7

34. Bailey Williams

With the emergence of his namesake in Dale, Williams has taken more of a backseat with respect to his offensive role and has focused more on the defensive side of his game; perhaps we should mark him accordingly. After all, he only gathered 13 disposals, but eight of those were intercepts. He also collected two intercept marks and seven rebounds, so it was a solid display from him all things considered - 7

35. Caleb Daniel

If there was a leg injury, there were no signs of it. Crafted two of the most glorious kicks you could imagine in the second term. High risk, for sure, but there isn’t any other you’d rather see pulling them off, and considering they led to goals for both Naughton and Weightman, I’d say they were both worthwhile. Also virtually killed off the contest with his dink pass to Roarke Smith from the last line of defence. Good thing he got up - 9

37. Roarke Smith

Wasn’t quite as effective at subduing his opponents in the manner that he did last week. But he still had his moments like he normally does. Made a great play in the first term that was unlucky not to be rewarded with a goal, but it was the only real moment of note from him, aside from what was the game-saving mark he received from Daniel in the dying seconds. From running down the clock to kicking it long, he did everything right in those last moments - 6

39. Jason Johannisen

Subbed in at half time to enormous amounts of pressure, having to replacing the promising a Weightman in a role that Johannisen himself has struggled with all year. But to his credit, JJ had an impact. Snuck home a desperately-needed goal just before three quarter time, before playing a hand in both of Bailey Smith’s last quarter goals. He replaced the spark that Weightman would’ve provided, and it played a major role in getting the Bulldogs home - 8

42. Alex Keath

Joe Daniher was brought in by the Lions for these exact finals, but Keath was brought in by the Bulldogs for these exact finals - to keep under wraps those dominant key forwards who have too often broken Bulldogs’ fans hearts. Daniher kicked 1.0 from six disposals all night, and spent large portions of the match assuming the role of spectator. Chief Keath did it again - 9

43. Ryan Gardner

Gave away a couple of free kicks and had some nervous moments, but he continues to come a long way from the start of the 2020 season. Only Lewis Young recorded more spoils than Gardner’s four, while the majority of the Lions taller options up forward were well subdued for most of the evening - 7

44. Tim English

There was a clear plan with English. Play him forward in the first half, use Young to work McInerney over, and then deploy English in the ruck after half time against the tiring Brisbane behemoth. From the first half to the second half, there was a +8 swing in hitouts to advantage, a +16 swing in first possessions, a +18 swing in clearances, and a Brisbane went from scoring 26 points from clearances in the first half to 3 after half time. Given English rucked for 88% of the second half, it’s clear he had an influence on the result - 8