Western Bulldogs were counting the cost of another bruising AFL encounter on Saturday as tough defender Brett Goodes suffered a suspected broken arm.
The Bulldogs (4-12 win-loss) showed plenty of spirit at Launceston in their round-17 clash as they went down to competition leaders Hawthorn by just 19 points – 13.17 (95) to 11.10 (76).
However six days after Clay Smith’s season-ending knee injury against Essendon, the Bulldogs gave another strong performance against one of the premiership contenders but lost another important player.
“We’ve made some terrific steps in the last two weeks,” Bulldogs coach Brendan McCartney told a media conference.
“In the last month we’ve hung in and hung in and hung in and we’ll get a win soon if we keep doing that.
“It seems like it’s a broken arm (for Brett Goodes), just caught in between a contest and a teammate.
“We’re running games out pretty strongly but we keep breaking bones.”
Bulldogs skipper Matthew Boyd has missed three games with a fractured cheekbone.
Experienced onballers Ryan Griffen and Adam Cooney gathered 70 disposals and nine clearances between them to spark the Bulldogs.
“The Bulldogs are a dogged side,” Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson said.
“They’re made of the right stuff and they’re heading in the right direction.”
Hawthorn had moved 44 points clear late in the game but four goals in the closing stages from the Bulldogs made the margin look better for the visitors and also led to some frustration for Clarkson.
“We got back into the game because some outstanding players willed themselves back into the game, in particular our older players got some centre-square clearances,” McCartney said.
McCartney described Griffin, 26, as the club’s most dynamic player and most consistent contributor.
“He has emerged into a fantastic leader,” McCartney said.
Liam Picken did a tremendous job to hold Hawthorn small forward Cyril Rioli to seven touches while Hawthorn’s Jarryd Roughead kicked three goals but didn’t have things all his own way against his cousin, with the pair clashing heavily in the third quarter.
“I must have forgotten to buy him an Easter egg,” Jordan Roughead said.
The Bulldogs will host West Coast at Etihad Stadium next Sunday.