AFL grand final: Western Bulldogs' moments of magic that decided the 2016 premiership

Updated

Grand finals are made of moments, each of which is pored over for months and years in the search for the whys of the day.

No team wins all of them on grand final day, but usually the team that wins the most will go home with the cup. On the biggest stage in 2016, it was the Western Bulldogs who made the little moments matter.

When reflecting on what a classic grand final, there will likely be too much good to choose from, but a handful do stand out from the rest.

These are the moments that won the 2016 grand final for the Western Bulldogs.

Easton Wood wins his 50-50

It was early days and a goal apiece in the first quarter, when a squaring kick hung at half-forward for the Bulldogs. Isaac Heeney was in pole position.

You can bet Easton Wood knew his team-mates were looking at him for leadership in this moment, and so he unflinchingly committed to the cause.

He did not take the mark, but he won the ball. Lachie Hunter profited on Wood's commitment and spotted up Tory Dickson, who made no mistake.

Wood stood up time and again during the game, but the skipper made his biggest mark earliest and the Bulldogs never looked back.

Picken ends a Harlem Globetrotters play

The Bulldogs have combined toughness with exhilarating flair during the 2016 season, and it was important they didn't sacrifice one for the other on the big day.

They proved their toughness early, but had a little bit of trouble turning their attacking play into results. By midway through the second quarter, that had all changed.

The Bulldogs ran the ball the length of the field before it found its way to Picken in the pocket. His exchange with Hunter — which included an audacious over-the-head handball —ended in a perfect snap for goal.

At the time the Dogs looked to be pulling away, and though they did not (not at that point, anyway) they had laid down a marker to the Swans and proved they were not going to be scared into their shells.

McLean beats the buzzer

The Swans had the momentum and a handy lead in the closing stages of the second-quarter.

But their half-time lead was trimmed and their momentum obliterated when Toby McLean bobbed up — not unlike a cork in the ocean — to manufacture a snap and goal.

It would have sent John Longmire mad. The Swans were 11 seconds away from surviving to the break but McLean changed everything.

Morris stops Kennedy in his tracks

Josh Kennedy dominated the first half like few ever have in a grand final. He had 22 disposals and two goals to the long break, and looked a sure bet for the Norm Smith.

His influence waned in the third quarter, but his danger did not. Midway through the third term, with the game completely in the balance, he popped up in the same sort of spot he had been dobbing goals from all day.

But this time Dale Morris, a veteran Bulldog surely still disbelieving of how far this team has come, threw everything he had at the ball and Kennedy.

The smother stopped the attack, and Kennedy never threatened in the same way again.

Boyd caps coming out party with game-breaker

Make no mistake, Tom Boyd was an absolute revelation in his first grand final. Anyone who still has any doubts over this former number one draft pick, or questions if he is worth the money he is paid must surely have been silenced.

He clunked mark after mark in his sticky mitts, competed brilliantly in the ruck, won clearances and crucially kicked three goals, the last of which sealed the flag.

Norm Smith winner Jason Johannisen had just had a goal overturned, and there was a risk the setback would trouble the Dogs. Not today.

Morris again stepped up with a tackle on Lance Franklin that stopped the big Swan in his tracks and caused a spillage, at which point Boyd seized his moment. One step from 60 metres, bang. The flag belonged to the Bulldogs.

Topics: australian-football-league, sport, melbourne-3000, footscray-3011, vic, sydney-2000, nsw, australia

First posted</s>Bulldogs players reacts after winning the AFL Grand Final between the Sydney Swans and the Western Bulldogs at the MCG in Melbourne, Saturday, Oct. 1, 2016. (AAP Image/Julian Smith)

UPDATE: A selfless gesture from premiership-winning coach Luke Beveridge has brought more tears to the eyes of injured Western Bulldogs captain Bob Murphy.

At the end of his acceptance speech, Beveridge invited Murphy onto the stage before handing him his premiership medal.

Described as the spiritual leader of the club, the 32-year-old has been sidelined for much of the season with a knee injury.

Murphy has played 295 AFL Premiership games for the club, which is now celebrating its first grand final win since 1954.

AUSSIE RULES: There was scenes of pure jubilation at the Melbourne Cricket Ground moments ago as the Western Bulldogs claimed the club's first premiership since 1954.

The celebrations started when Liam Picken kicked a goal with less than three minutes left on the clock.

The final score was Bulldogs 13.11 (89) to Sydney 10.7 (67).

Jason Johannisen was awarded the Norm Smith Medal for his man-of-the-match performance.</s>Western Bulldogs are the 2016 premiers. This statement, so unlikely at so many points of an improbable campaign, is the product of the Bulldogs outlasting the Sydney Swans 13.11 (89) to 10.7 (67) in a pulsating AFL grand final.



No less than 99,981 fans crammed into the MCG to witness the Bulldogs’ first grand final since 1961 and their first premiership since 1954. It caps the most remarkable of seasons for the club and the competition. From seventh on the ladder and handicapped by a succession of cruel injuries, the Bulldogs have dominated this finals series, riding an unstoppable wave of momentum.

Luke Beveridge deserves the highest acclaim. This is his triumph. Beveridge’s ability to channel the energy within his group over the past two seasons and harness the goodwill pouring his club’s way in recent weeks has been a peerless coaching accomplishment. “We’ve ridden on your wings,” he told supporters from the dais, before draping his Jock McHale medal around the neck of a tearful Robert Murphy. The coach then stood aside to allow Murphy and Easton Wood to lift the premiership cup for only the second time in the club’s history.

In keeping with the finals campaign, Beveridge masterminded a team victory. Tom Boyd came of age as a power forward, Liam PIcken showed he’s a jack of all trades and master of most and Jason Johannisen, with a team high 33 disposals, took home the Norm Smith medal. But there were contributors everywhere you looked. Easton Wood and Dale Morris spoiled everything in defence. Clay Smith laid 11 tackles. Tory Dickson kicked three goals in a faultless performance in front of goal. You got the feeling Beveridge could throw a guernsey on a member of the cheer squad and they would deliver decisive contribution.

There were six lead changes throughout the game, and the margin stood at just one point midway through the final quarter. Each side threatened to run away with it at different points. Only in the closing stages did the Dogs do so, decisively.

As magnificent as the contest was, it wasn’t a celebration of precise football. The winning team went inside 50 on 59 occasions for only six marks. Dane Rampe and Heath Grundy snaffled 20 of those between them. But what was lacking in polish was more than made up for in industry. It was a brutal affair for three and a half quarters, but when the late afternoon haze began to shimmer through the MCG it was the Dogs who had the run to kick their way home.

The tone was set from the opening bounce and two minutes of preposterous, stoppage-free demolition derby action, with bodies hurled at pace into contact and neither side able to control possession.

So hot was the footy, the first goal took 12 minutes to arrive. Luke Parker took the honours but its genesis was one of the great grand final marks by Kieren Jack. Running with the flight towards the arc, the Swans co-captain flew like a cannon ball, secured the grab, and then had the stuffing thumped out of him by Wood’s shoulder.

By this point Lance Franklin had already been off the ground for five minutes after rolling his ankle in a marking contest. Best on ground when these sides met earlier in the season, the injury-blunted the spearhead for the remainder of the game.

The Bulldogs took to the first break with a four-point advantage courtesy of goals from Tory Dickson and Zaine Cordy. They should have been further ahead. True to prematch form the balance of play was in Sydney’s defensive territory but the Dogs, so slick by hand, were clumsy by foot. At times they weren’t just missing targets they gave the impression they weren’t even looking for any.

Sydney struggled to capitalise on the rebound. As well as Franklin’s issues, Xavier Richards and George Hewett struggled to get into the game and whenever a marking chain threatened, a blue defender left his man to spoil.

The first quarter reaped only three goals but it was absorbing and intense. The second belched 11 and will rank among the great quarters in grand final history.

Boyd, Picken and Dickson marched the Dogs into a 16-point lead but a sharp snap from the excellent Tom Mitchell jump-started the Swans into action. Gary Rohan kicked the most peculiar goal of the day, the game having stopped for an age with the noise too loud for any player in earshot to hear the umpire screaming that the supposed mark had been touched.

All of which was a prelude to the Josh Kennedy show. The Swan turned on beast mode for a passage, kicking two, Sydney’s third and fourth in succession to drag the game their way. By half-time the finals specialist had amassed 22 possessions, two goals, and was a monty for best on ground.

What should have been a clear half time lead for the Swans was dragged to just two points in the shadow of the siren, and in controversial circumstances. Jack was incorrectly penalised for kicking in danger and fined 50 metres for dissent. The Swan deserved a free-kick of his own for forceful contact below the knees but his cries fell on deaf ears. Toby McLean held his nerve.

The third quarter resembled the first, with clear attacking chances at a premium. Dickson and Kennedy exchanged lead changes early on but neither side could break the shackles, setting up a grandstand finale.

The finale that began with Daniel Hannebery carried off the ground after his left knee buckled in a ferocious Wood tackle, the latest in a long line of incidents that went against the Sydneysiders. The Bulldogs won the free kick count 20-8.

It was an ominous start, and despite Franklin booting the opening goal of the term, the Bulldogs had the ascendancy. Jake Stringer, a peripheral figure all afternoon, snapped accurately to extend the lead back to seven, and almost as soon as Hewett replied, Picken restored belief.

The game was unravelling as a structured contest. Bodies strewn all over the turf, the Sherrin bobbling of its own accord. Through the chaos, Boyd strode like a man with his own forcefield to wallop the sealer.

Win or lose there would be Bulldog tears. They’re that kind of a group; it’s been that kind of a year. But when Beveridge and Murphy moved boundaryside two minutes before the final siren, the emotion was already overwhelming. It was as pure a scene as you could design in the heat of battle, capped moments later by the coach’s generosity – a fairytale ending to a magical story.</s>Sydney Swans player Lance Franklin takes part in a open training session and fan day, at the Sydney Cricket Ground, in Sydney, Monday, Sept. 26, 2016. The Sydney Swans will play the Western Bulldogs in the AFL Grand Final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday. (AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts) NO ARCHIVING

AUSSIE RULES: This afternoon's AFL grand final has the makings of a classic, with the Western Bulldogs set to take on the Sydney Swans at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

It can often be hard to keep up with everything you need to know about the big game.

HOW DID THEY GET THERE?

WHAT ARE THE ODDS?

Rugby league finals, the start of the cricket season, spring racing and the Ryder Cup have all fought for their share of screen time this weekend.

So if you need to catch up before this afternoon's big game, here's some key things to consider about the 2016 AFL grand final.

The Sydney Swans - once the South Melbourne Football Club - will take on the Western Bulldogs - formerly Footscray - in the game which will decide the 2016 AFL Premiership.

The game starts at 2.30pm at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) and will be broadcast live on Channel 7.

The Swans finished first on the premiership ladder this season and will be led by Kieren Jack, the son of former Australian rugby league great, Gary Jack.

Western Bulldogs finished 7th in the regular season and will be led by stand-in skipper Easton Wood. The club's regular skipper Bob Murphy is sidelined with a knee injury.

HOW DID THEY GET HERE?

The Bulldogs played an elimination final against the West Coast Eagles in finals week one, winning comfortably (99-52).

The following week they caused the upset of the season when downing triple defending premiers Hawthorn at the MCG (107-84).

Last weekend they were locked in a thriller with Greater Western Sydney, but prevailed (89-83) to book their spot today.

Sydney also played three matches en-route to the finals, going down to GWS (91-55) in week one of the finals, before bouncing back against Adelaide (118-82) the following week.

Last weekend they beat Geelong 97-60 and booked their second grand final ticket in three years.

This will be just the sixth time the sides have met since 2012 and the Bulldogs hold the upper-hand in recent matches.

The last two encounters between the sides were decided by only four points. The most recent encounter was in Round 15 this year, with the Bulldogs coming away 83-79 victors at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

That time, Dogs defender Jason Johannisen kicked the winning goal in the final moments of the game, with Matthew Boyd, Lachie Hunter and Marcus Bontempelli also starring.

The Swans' forward line was also outstanding, with former Hawks premiership winner Lance 'Buddy' Frankling kicking five goals.

If the grand final was purely a numbers game, Sydney would have the Western Bulldogs' measure.

The Swans lead this year's competition not only on the ladder but also with inside 50s.

They also finished second in clearances and disposals.

The Bulldogs were the fifth-ranked side for inside 50s, third for clearances but first for disposals.

Lance Franklin has kicked 80 goals this season at 60.2% and finished second for most goals kicked in 2016 behind West Coast's Joshua Kennedy (82 goals).

You have to go all the way to number 22 on the goal kickers list to find the Western Bulldogs' leading goal kicker, with Jake Stringer booting 41 goals at 65.1%.

Although Western Bulldogs led the competition for disposals, it was Sydney's Josh Kennedy and Daniel Hannenbery who take the best average into today's big game.

WHO ARE THEY BACKING?

Sydney are the warm favourites to take out today's big game, with online bookmaker Ladbrokes keeping them safe at $1.60. The Western Bulldogs are $2.65 to win.

Hannenbery (Sydney) is the joint-favourite with Kennedy (Sydney) to take out the Norm Smith Medal for man-of-the-match. Goal-kicker Lance 'Buddy' Franklin is on the second line of betting at $9 with Luke Parker (Sydney).

The most favoured Bulldogs player to claim the prize is Marcus Bontempelli, who is also at $9.

As the old saying goes: anything can happen on the last Saturday in September (or the first Saturday in October).

But all roads lead to Sydney marching onwards to victory in the big clash.</s>Josh Kennedy of the Swans (right) reacts after kicking a goal, helping turn a 16-point deficit into a eight point lead. He was imperious in the first half: 22 possessions (nine of them contested), five inside-50s, two clearances and two goals. But there were only two points in it at half-time: Sydney 7.3 (45) vs Bulldogs 7.1 (43)
In Australian Rules football, the Western Bulldogs defeat the Sydney Swans to win their first premiership since 1954.