Ashcroft brothers get Lions over the line at the Gabba, as Bulldogs fall just short again

That will not have been one for the purists, however the end result was within the stability till the ultimate minute, and you’ll’t ask greater than that.

Tomorrow we’ll be again on the weblog from lunchtime, because the Hawks and the Energy go at it in Launceston, with Hawthorn determined to not hand their top-eight rivals extra benefit on this tense run-in to September.

The twilight recreation can be Sydney and North Melbourne on the SCG, then tomorrow evening, Carlton will face Melbourne on the MCG and Richmond will journey to the west to play West Coast in Perth.

You’ll be able to be part of us once more then, however for now I am Andrew McGarry saying good evening!

Brisbane Lions have held agency to say a fourth straight AFL win, defeating the Western Bulldogs 12.14 (86) to 12.4 (76) in a troublesome tussle on the Gabba.

The ten-point win — after holding off a late Bulldogs’ surge as Will Ashcroft kicked a purpose on the siren — enhances Brisbane’s prospects of a prime 4 end and permits them to rejoice the event of midfielder Hugh McCluggage’s two hundredth AFL match in type.

Defeat for the Bulldogs leaves them in a precarious place within the race for the finals, having now misplaced eight of the 9 matches they’ve performed towards groups above them on the ladder.

Rhylee West kicked a game-high 4 objectives for the Bulldogs whereas for the Lions Will Ashcroft had three majors and his brother Levi was one in every of three Lions, together with Kai Lohmann and Jarrod Berry, to kick two objectives every.

Aaron Naughton had two for the guests.

Lions midfielder Josh Dunkley was in prime type towards his former membership, laying 14 tackles and recording 28 disposals whereas Bailey Dale’s 33 touches had been essentially the most for the Bulldogs.

With the Gabba floor slick after a storm whipped over the stadium earlier than the match began, neither crew could possibly be separated within the first quarter.

The most important speaking level of the time period was Lions veteran Dayne Zorko coming to the sideline after his left foot was stomped on. The 36-year-old returned shortly afterward after getting the sore foot strapped because the hosts held a slim one-point lead on the first break.

Cam Rayner started the second time period in damaging style, laying on an attention grabbing deal with earlier than snapping a purpose to increase the hosts’ lead earlier than Lohmann and Will Ashcroft pushed that margin previous two objectives for the primary time within the match.

The house followers had been left incensed when a Levi Ashcroft purpose was dominated out for a throw within the build-up earlier than Riley Garcia was the beneficiary of a free kick within the Bulldogs’ favour to get the margin again into single digits.

However Will Ashcroft’s second after a wise faucet by Charlie Cameron ensured the Lions had been up by 13 on the primary break.

Halfway by means of the third time period the Lions had hit a game-high 22 level lead when Logan Morris transformed however West’s third of the match shortly afterward saved the Canine within the hunt.

Brisbane notched 24 inside 50s for the quarter to the Bulldogs’ eight however each groups kicked three objectives to maintain the competition within the stability heading into the ultimate time period.

The Canine threatened a boilover with three late objectives to get inside 4 factors however the Lions held agency with Will Ashcroft’s third main proper on the siren sealing the win.

AAP

Chris Fagan has spoken to Fox Footy after the sport, and he was a relieved man after the win.

“We have had 10 extra pictures and we have received by 10 factors,” Fagan stated.

“I assumed typically we performed effectively, however they (the Bulldogs) kicked nearly the whole lot and we butchered just a few”.

Fagan praised his facet’s defensive effort for preserving the league’s top-scoring facet to only 76 factors. However he was significantly pleased with Levi and Will Ashcroft – though he admitted the ultimate purpose from Will did not ring the reduction.

“It did not matter, we knew we had it (as soon as he took the mark), however the Ashcrofts had 5 between them, did not they? They received us over the road.”

Regardless of the win, Fagan stated stated there was “nonetheless a bit to do” for his crew.

“We want a pair extra wins to be snug we have made the finals.”

If somebody stated earlier than the sport that the Bulldogs would have a ahead kick 4, the possibilities are you’ll have picked Aaron Naughton or Sam Darcy to be the one.

They’d three objectives between them (which can have been a part of the issue), however Rhylee West’s 4 purpose efficiency was an enormous evening.

He practically helped get the Bulldogs residence – his crew is likely to be hoping he places in just a few repeat performances within the subsequent few weeks.