Lions Edge Bulldogs in Thriller, But Finals Questions Remain
Brisbane has managed to escape with a thrilling 10-point win over the Western Bulldogs at the Gabba, but boy—did they make it hard for themselves. In a game that had everything from milestone magic to late-game drama, the Lions did just enough to celebrate Hugh McCluggage’s 200th game in style.
Let’s be real: Brisbane was the better team for most of the night. They controlled the midfield, dominated inside 50s, and had more of the ball—but their inaccuracy in front of goal nearly came back to bite them. The final score—12.14 (86) to 12.4 (76)—really tells the story. Brisbane had 20 scoring shots to the Bulldogs’ 16, yet it took a siren-time goal from Will Ashcroft to truly put the game to bed.
Midway through the final quarter, it looked like Brisbane had things wrapped up, leading by 21 points. But the Dogs refused to lie down. Goals from Joel Freijah, Marcus Bontempelli, and a fourth from Rhylee West brought the margin back to just four points with a minute to play. Suddenly, the Gabba crowd was on edge. But Ashcroft’s third goal ensured the Lions walked away with all four points—and farewelled outgoing CEO Greg Swann on a winning note.
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Hugh McCluggage was everywhere on his milestone night. He finished with 27 disposals, including a game-high 18 contested, and seven clearances. Josh Dunkley was equally impressive against his former team with 28 touches and a monster 14 tackles. Add in Jaspa Fletcher and Ryan Lester, and Brisbane’s engine room looked fierce.
The Ashcroft brothers—Will and Levi—combined for five goals and electrified the Gabba crowd, while Dayne Zorko shook off multiple injury concerns to contribute 25 disposals and nearly 650 metres gained.
But if you're a Bulldogs fan, this one stings. It’s another close loss to a top-eight side, and now they’re 1-8 against teams above them in the ladder. It’s a brutal stat, especially with finals hopes hanging by a thread. They’ll likely need to win four of their last five—and that includes beating at least one contender, with games against GWS, Fremantle, and Melbourne still to come.
Bailey Dale was a standout with 33 disposals, and Bontempelli had his usual impact with 24 touches and 10 tackles. Rhylee West showed his pedigree with four goals. But once again, the Bulldogs just didn’t have enough polish when it mattered.
As for Brisbane, they stay firmly in the hunt for a top-two finish. But with games coming up against Gold Coast, Collingwood, Sydney, Fremantle, and Hawthorn—they’re going to have to keep winning the hard way.
In the end, it was a deserved win for the Lions. But it also served as a wake-up call. Inaccuracy could haunt them in September if they don't clean it up. For the Bulldogs, it’s now or never.
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