Darcy Dominates on Return as Bulldogs Demolish Saints
Just when it seemed like Sam Darcy’s season might be over, he returned in spectacular fashion—turning Marvel Stadium into his own stage and helping the Western Bulldogs roar back into finals contention. Coming off a serious knee injury that had many fans fearing the worst, the 21-year-old forward reminded everyone exactly why he’s considered one of the most exciting young talents in the AFL.
Against St Kilda, Darcy was nothing short of sensational. He finished the night with three goals from 19 disposals and added a major aerial presence with nine marks, including four contested. It was a clear sign that not only is he back, but he’s hungry. Coach Luke Beveridge was full of praise for his young gun, describing the performance as “pretty good,” although he did raise eyebrows by hinting at some questionable treatment Darcy may have received from the opposition—and possibly overlooked by the umpires.
Beveridge didn’t want to dive too deep into the officiating, simply stating, “It is what it is.” But there was a clear undercurrent of frustration. Darcy, who also took some ruck duties during the game, showed resilience under heavy physical pressure, responding with the kind of maturity that will only elevate his stature in the competition.
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The final scoreboard read 20.12 (132) to 8.12 (60)—a 72-point thrashing that marked the Bulldogs' highest total of the season. What’s more impressive is how widespread the contribution was, with 13 different goalkickers including Aaron Naughton, Ryley Sanders, Buku Khamis, and Matthew Kennedy all making an impact.
While the Dogs celebrated a dominant win, St Kilda were left licking their wounds. Their inability to generate clean chains of possession and their continued issues with aerial contests were painfully exposed. Coach Ross Lyon didn’t sugarcoat it either. “Their big guys just dominated,” he admitted, referencing how players like Darcy and Bailey Williams (who had 17 marks) crushed St Kilda’s structure.
Missing key talls like Max King and Dougal Howard, the Saints were clearly undersized and overwhelmed. Lyon pointed out that the Bulldogs were more polished, deeper, and had better decision-making. “There’s no magic bullet in the AFL,” he said. “You’ve got to do the work, add talent, and keep building.”
Captain Marcus Bontempelli had a quieter game, limited to 14 disposals by Marcus Windhager, who has quietly built a reputation as a disciplined tagger. But Beveridge was quick to credit Bontempelli for playing a selfless role, noting that even without big numbers, his skipper created opportunities and space for others to thrive.
In all, it was a statement performance from the Bulldogs. Not only did they jump back into the top eight with a powerful win, but they also reignited belief in what this team can achieve when firing on all cylinders. And with Sam Darcy back in full flight, the rest of the competition has officially been put on notice.
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