Brad Johnson fires Western Bulldogs opener two weeks
The Western Bulldogs have been ragdolled twice to start the AFL season.
A team that many predicted would fight for a top-eight spot would look more like a wooden-spoon contender after two games.
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On Saturday night, it was St Kilda who brutalized them under the roof of Marvel Stadium after Melbourne had given them a number the previous week.
With a new coach, albeit a big comeback, and with an injury list as long as they can see… the Saints weren’t expected to be slow starters in 2023.
Ross Lyon proved them all wrong with his team absolutely flying after winning back-to-back victories.
After a defensive war against Fremantle, the Saints flexed their muscles against the Dogs as they ran away to claim the 51-point victory.
The Saints’ forward line, playing without Max King and Tim Membery, performed well behind an impressive young line.
Mattaes Phillipou and Mitch Owens scored three each while Anthony Caminiti threw two of his own.
But in typical fashion under Lyon-coached teams, the Saints applied the pincers defensively for two games, conceding an absurdly low 93 points.
On the flip side, the Bulldogs have now suffered back-to-back 50-point losses.
Bulldogs great Brad Johnson said the club needed serious change and needed to look in the mirror to see what they were offering.
“It’s a passionate and courageous discussion when you add another layer to it,” Johnson said of Dogs on Fox Footy.
“There are good players who get enough ball, but is there enough? No.
“It’s part of the movement of the ball and that’s what St Kilda gave them tonight, but the Dogs didn’t try to be creative in breaking through that.
“Every time they had the ball it ended up going slow and wide. They gained enough back, but it was just slow and wide.
“From a system perspective, the Bulldogs have failed to break through at all.
“That must change immediately. Collingwood would kick them 20 goals in the blink of an eye the way they play right now.
“Change must be made.”
Saints footy is officially back.
Ross Lyon’s St Kilda could be the toughest side to face this season after stifling their opponents for a second straight week.
The promises of fast, ballistic footy are there in moments for the Saints, but make no mistake, this is a St Kilda side built on a foundation of defensive frugality.
The Bulldogs scored four of their five goals in a 12-minute window in the second quarter as St Kilda’s tight defense showed unusual holes.
But outside of that period, the Dogs looked helpless as St Kilda won in the 50s by 20s.
The slow and outdated Bulldogs once again had little to cheer about with their obvious lack of momentum and daring.
– with James Mottershead, NCA Newswire
Brad Johnson fires Western Bulldogs opener two weeks
