Luke Beveridge has granted himself some reprieve from mounting criticism as the Western Bulldogs triumphed over a depleted Richmond side with a commanding score of 19.19 (133) to 6.6 (42).
This victory marked the most significant winning margin for any club in 2024, surpassing the previous record by 76 points.
Richmond’s woes were compounded by injuries to key players such as Jack Graham (hamstring), Sam Banks (concussion/neck), and Maurice Rioli Jnr (leg), further exacerbating their already substantial injury list.
No late alterations were made to the lineup, with Noah Cumberland (Richmond) and Luke Keary (Western Bulldogs) designated as the starting substitutes.
The Bulldogs’ captain, Marcus Bontempelli, propelled his team to a nearly flawless start by swiftly scoring a goal from congested play within the 50-meter arc.
Aaron Naughton and Riley Garcia added three quick goals for the Dogs, mirroring their performance from the previous close loss against the Hawks.
Garcia, in particular, demonstrated a hot streak, contributing to four scoring plays within the first ten minutes of the match.
Despite Jamarra Ugle-Hagan’s attempt at a long-range set shot nearing the halfway mark of the quarter, it veered slightly left of the goals
A behind by Jack Macrae extended the Bulldogs’ lead to 23-0.
The flow of scoring was curbed by a combination of inaccurate kicking and an increasingly resilient Richmond defense, resulting in a quarter-time score of Western Bulldogs 3.6 (24) to Richmond 0.1 (1).
During the quarter-time analysis on Fox Footy, Western Bulldogs legend Brad Johnson anticipated that the Tigers would adjust their game plan to counter the Bulldogs’ momentum.
Rhyan Mansell swiftly capitalized on a clearance at the start of the second quarter, reducing the margin to 17 points.
