Bulldogs beat Pies in AFL pre-season cup

A dominant first-half display from the Western Bulldogs propelled them to a 61-point AFL pre-season cup win on Saturday night against Collingwood.

Young Bulldog onballer Marcus Bontempelli starred with 15 possessions in the first quarter and finished with 29 touches and three goals in the Dogs’ 0.18.7 (115) to 0.8.6 (54) win at Etihad Stadium.

Collingwood took a strong side into the match, but it was the young Dogs who seized the momentum from the outset.

Jack Macrae (31 disposals), Mitch Wallis (21) and Luke Dahlhaus (32) joined Bontempelli in helping to set up the win, with veteran skipper Robert Murphy also playing a pivotal role down back in the impressive performance.

Collingwood stars Scott Pendlebury and Dane Swan weren’t able to exert their usual influence early and Travis Cloke managed just one goal in the first half before finishing with two, but to put the result down to an off night for the Pies would do an injustice to the hard-working Dogs.

Luke Beveridge’s men impressed with their slick ball movement and overlap run, but also pressured their opponents into costly turnovers and ran hard defensively when they didn’t have the ball.

The margin blew out to 48 points in the third quarter before the Pies managed an unanswered three-goal burst, but the Bulldogs finished the match well with six goals to one in the final term.

Will Minson was also a key factor for the Dogs with a dominant 50-hitout display.

Steele Sidebottom (30) and Taylor Adams (31) worked hard throughout for Collingwood, while Pendlebury (28) improved as the game went on.

Both sides leave the match with injury concerns with Levi Greenwood (ankle) and Jason Johannisen (head knock) both subbed out.

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