Source : ABC NEWS
The Western Bulldogs will be sweating on Sam Darcy’s scan results after he suffered a suspected anterior cruciate rupture in the 71-point thrashing of St Kilda at Docklands.
The 21-year-old key forward hyperextended his left leg when he fall awkwardly in a first-quarter marking contest during the Bulldogs’ 18.19 (127) to 8.8 (56) victory on Sunday night.
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He was substituted out of the match within minutes.
“It looks like a possible ACL (injury) but we’re just going to have to wait until tomorrow to get scans to confirm,” Bulldogs football manager Matt Egan told the Seven Network at half-time.
“At this stage we’re fearing the worst, which is unfortunate because he’s an incredible person and we’ll obviously miss him.
“But until we get scans it’s pretty hard to say too much.”
Broadcast vision in the second quarter showed Darcy’s upset family, including his father Luke, in the dressing room.
The 205cm-tall forward had changed out of his playing kit when he returned to the Bulldogs’ bench before half-time.
Darcy (left) was subbed out of the match after sustaining his injury. (Getty Images/AFL Photos: Michael Willson)
Darcy’s injury soured the Bulldogs’ win in skipper Marcus Bontempelli’s first match of the season.
Bontempelli, who missed the opening five rounds with a calf injury, started at half-back but quickly shifted into his customary midfield role as St Kilda got an early jump with four of the first five goals.
The Bulldogs wrested momentum and trailed by two points at quarter-time, having dominated clearances (12-6) and inside-50s (15-7) to that point.
It began to tell after the first break as Bontempelli kicked two of five unanswered Bulldogs goals in a one-sided second term.
The margin blew out in the second half and Tom Liberatore (28 disposals) provided a late highlight with a stunning rundown tackle on Saints speedster Brad Hill.
Ryley Sanders (32 disposals) and Bailey Williams (32) were busy, while Aaron Naughton and Ryley West (three goals each) took chances in attack.
Mitch Owens and Jack Higgins (three each) kicked multiple goals for the Saints.
But St Kilda collectively managed just four majors after its 15-minute burst at the start of the match.
Port Adelaide’s Ollie Wines did not finish the match against Sydney due to a heart issue. (Getty Images/AFL Photos: Mark Metcalfe)
Meanwhile, Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley expects Ollie Wines to play next week after the star midfielder experienced heart palpitations in the Power’s eight-point win over Sydney.
Wines was substituted out of the match at half-time with an irregular heartbeat before the Power posted a 13.7 (85) to 10.17 (77) result at the SCG.
“He’s got a good handle on it. Our medical team have got an incredibly good handle on it,” Hinkley said.
“We feel safe enough around what’s going on, so we’ll protect Ollie and make sure we do all the tests again this week.
AAP/ABC
Look back at how the action unfolded in our blog.
Key Events
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23h ago23 hours agoSun 20 Apr 2025 at 12:01pm
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Yesterday at 11:25amSun 20 Apr 2025 at 11:25am
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Yesterday at 11:16amSun 20 Apr 2025 at 11:16am
AFL Sunday scoreboard
23h agoSun 20 Apr 2025 at 12:22pm
That’s it from us
Thanks for joining us for the Bulldogs absolute demolition job of St Kilda.
Have a great night and we’ll see you again tomorrow for the big Easter Monday blockbuster clash between Geelong and Hawthorn.
Sleep well!
FT: Western Bulldogs 18.19 (127) defeat St Kilda 8.8 (56)
That was some performance from the Western Bulldogs, who dominated the game from the seven minute onwards.
The goals came thick and fast and from a range of Dogs.
Marcus Bontempelli was huge in his first game for the year, finishing with 30 touches, two goals and 12 score involvements.
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The very bittersweet counter being that young star Sam Darcy went down with a suspected ACL. More on that this week.
For St Kilda, not so much of a game to remember. They couldn’t get anything going and struggled to gain, or keep, possession.
Yesterday, 11:53amSun 20 Apr 2025 at 11:53am
Wilson gets one back for the Saints
Remember at the start of this game when St Kilda were up 4 goals to 1? That feels like a lifetime ago.
It will be interesting to see how the Saints react to this beating.
Darcy Wilson has gotten one back for his side.
Bulldogs by 69
Yesterday, 11:51amSun 20 Apr 2025 at 11:51am
Kennedy kicks a beauty
Well, that was a fun goal.
Saints defender Jimmy Webster smothered the ball into the turf near the Bulldogs goal. Matthew Kennedy leap and got boot to ball, kicking it mid air through the big sticks.
Bailey Williams then backed it up with another for the Dogs.
Bulldogs by 75
Yesterday, 11:48amSun 20 Apr 2025 at 11:48am
McNeil adds to the haul
Lachlan McNeil the latest Dog to hit the scoreboard.
The Bulldogs have 10 individual goal scorers tonight, including Aaron Naughton and Rhylee West, who both have three each.
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This will be quite the percentage boost for the Dogs.
Bulldogs by 63
Yesterday, 11:43amSun 20 Apr 2025 at 11:43am
Bulldogs break the 100
There’s something enjoyable in watching a team so far in front they play with confidence and creativity.
The Bulldogs are in flow here – and their fans are loving it.
The last goal through Joel Freijah.
Tom Liberatore got a massive applause as he came off for a breather, with Marcus Bontempelli returning to the field in his place.
Bulldogs by 55
Yesterday, 11:39amSun 20 Apr 2025 at 11:39am
Higgins sneaks a goal in, Libba responds
Jack Higgins was awarded a free kick on the boundary after a dangerous tackle from Luke Clearly. He had an impressive kick to sneak it home.
Yet, as the Bulldogs have done all night, the response came quickly.
Tom Liberatore answered within minutes.
Meanwhile, Tim English is looking a little worse for wear and come to the bench. One to keep an eye on.
Bulldogs by 47
Yesterday, 11:33amSun 20 Apr 2025 at 11:33am
Liberatore mows down Hill
That cheer from the crowd was almost as loud as Marcus Bontempelli’s first goal tonight.
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Tom Liberatore mowed down Bradley Hill, who looked away before the Bulldogs caught him just before the boundary.
St Kilda can’t get a single break it seems tonight.
Bulldogs by 47
3QT: Western Bulldogs 13.13 (91) leads St Kilda 6.8 (44)
That third quarter was more of the second. Despite a hot start from St Kilda, the majority of this game has been all Dogs.
The Bulldogs have controlled the ball around the ground and dominate the territory – they have had double the amount of inside 50s (50 to 22) and had +68 uncontested possessions.
Marcus Bontempelli leads the disposal count with 26, plus two goals, followed by Ryley Sanders with 25, and a goal.
St Kilda have thrown the magnets around a few times in a desperate attempt to wrestle back some control but to not much luck.
Bulldogs by 47 at 3QT
Wingard on social media racism
ABC Sport expert Chad Wingard has spoken of how he tries to protect himself from social media abuse, which is getting increasingly rife for former and current players.
“All us players have had enough. You can judge us on performance, because that’s what we are paid to do,” he said.
“But when it comes to abuse that is not related to our performance, that is not acceptable – in any workplace.”
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Yesterday, 11:14amSun 20 Apr 2025 at 11:14am
Bulldogs got out to a 50-point lead
Now it’s Bulldog Ed Richards who’s hit the scoreboard.
Marcus Bontempelli went to Tim English, who found Ed Richards on the lead.
Marcus Windhager was Richards’ opponent, who couldn’t keep step with him.
The major extended the Dogs’ lead out to 50 points but Mitch Owens responded down the other end to draw it back.
Bulldogs by 44
Yesterday, 11:09amSun 20 Apr 2025 at 11:09am
West now gets his third
Rhylee West, the smallest player in the Bulldogs forward 50, took the mark as it came inside the arc.
The other Bulldogs ran on leads, their defenders going with them, leaving West all by himself.
The Bulldogs have a stranglehold on this game.
Bulldogs by 44
Yesterday, 11:07amSun 20 Apr 2025 at 11:07am
Wilson kicks odd behind, Naughton gets his third
That was a strange moment.
Jack Higgins ran straight towards an open goal but shanked the ball to the left.
Darcy Wilson grabbed the ball and tried to keep it in play as he ran past the line. He then snapped it through the big sticks.
It was originally called a goal but the review found the ball had crossed the line.
Making things worse for the Saints, the Bulldogs got a goal on the rebound with Aaron Naughton kicking his third of the night.
Bulldogs by 38
Yesterday, 10:58amSun 20 Apr 2025 at 10:58am
JJ gives the Dogs a new game high lead
Ross Lyon rubbed his eyes in frustration as he watched his player infringe on the mark after Marcus Bontempelli took a grab.
But instead of 50m to get that skipper within range, Jason Johannisen took the advantage and streamed towards goal.
He kicked a mammoth long-range goal on the run to give his side a game high lead.
Bulldogs by 33
Yesterday, 10:54amSun 20 Apr 2025 at 10:54am
Higgins gets his second, Sanders replies
Jack Higgins broke the Bulldogs’ run of seven goals with his second of the night.
However, Ryley Sanders had an immediate reply down the other end.
Bulldogs by 28
Fears of an ACL for Darcy
The Western Bulldogs head of football operations Matt Egan said the club hold fears of a ruptured left ACL for Sam Darcy.
He will undergo scans in the next 24 hours, according to Egan on the Channel 7 broadcast.
Yesterday, 10:48amSun 20 Apr 2025 at 10:48am
Second half underway
St Kilda’s Zak Jones has been subbed into the game and gone straight into the centre circle in an attempt to shake things up and get the Saints back into the game.
Let’s see what the second half will bring…
Bulldogs by 28
HT: Western Bulldogs 8.8 (56) lead St Kilda 4.4 (28)
That second quarter was all Bulldogs, who have now kicked the last seven goals of the game.
Marcus Bontempelli hasn’t missed a beat in his first game for 2025. He leads the disposal count with 19 and already has two goals to his name. Aaron Naughton also has two.
The Bulldogs have dominated in clearances – winning them 24 to 11 – and won the territory battle with 35 inside 50 entries to 11.
Bulldogs by 28 at HT
Yesterday, 10:25amSun 20 Apr 2025 at 10:25am
Saints can’t break through
The Bulldogs are suffocating St Kilda around the grounds.
The Saints haven’t kicked a goal this second quarter, nor have they looked close. The Bulldogs are up +30 in disposals and have had 33 inside 50s to 9.
Bulldogs by 28
