Lions prevail over Bulldogs to revive AFLW season
Joanna Guelas |
Brisbane have overcome slippery conditions to defeat the Western Bulldogs by 25 points and give their AFLW finals hopes a boost.
Taylor Smith and Neasa Dooley kicked two goals apiece as the Lions flaunted their experience to claim a hard-earned 6.11 (47) to 3.4 (22) victory at Whitten Oval on Sunday.
The two-time premiership side square the ledger at 3-3 at the halfway mark of the AFLW season and move from 11th to seventh at the end of the round.
But the Lions will be without Charlotte Mullins for at least one week after the young forward was concussed in a tackle from Dominique Carruthers in the first quarter.
The Bulldogs (1-5) have now suffered four consecutive losses.
Both inaugural AFLW teams, the Bulldogs last beat Brisbane in the 2018 grand final.
Ally Anderson (26 disposals, three clearances) stood tall as the contest turned into a slog amid rain, helped by Sophie Conway (one goal, 19 touches).
Brisbane outclassed the Western Bulldogs to take 35 to 23 forward entries, but lost the clearance count 24 to 19.
Louise Stephenson kicked two goals for the Western Bulldogs, while Riley Wilcox (19 disposals, three clearances) saw plenty of the ball.
Brisbane forward Dooley kicked the only goal in a tight opening term, but her side should have gained more scoreboard reward from territory dominance.
The Lions could only take a six-point lead into the first break despite seven forward entries to three.
Ellie Gavalas sensationally dribbled the ball home from outside the 50-metre arc to score the first Bulldogs goal in the second quarter.
But the Lions built their buffer to 16 points through an after-the-siren goal from Smith, before the rain began to pour in the second half.
AAP
