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- #326
Game #166 – Qualifying Final, 1997 vs Sydney at MCG (6/9/1997)
One of our best, kicking 3.0 from 15k, 5hb in 35-point win over the Swans.
This was a memorable game in so many ways, including even before the ball was bounced. As the crowd stood for a minute's silence for Princess Diana, witty remarks directed towards Pluga and Libba echoed throughout the G. Then, in a sign of blatant cheating, umpire Darren Goldspink pulled Swan's captain Paul Kelly aside for a pep-talk before the opening bounce.
It mattered little. The Bulldogs kicked 9.2 to 0.5 in a devastating first quarter and the Swans were done.
James Cook kicked 4 and was concussed from being punched in the head by Andrew Dunkley, and yet the umpire awarded a free kick against Cook. Cook spent the remainder of the game believing he was playing at Waverley. Jose Romero dislocated his shoulder in an incident that would come back to haunt the Bulldogs in their next game.
And there in the middle of it all, was Chris Grant. Turtle had a series of Swans players rotated on and off him, but he was impervious to them all. As Bruce called it, "Grant... too good... far too good for Mooney."
Some low-definition highlights of the first half are available here:
One of our best, kicking 3.0 from 15k, 5hb in 35-point win over the Swans.
This was a memorable game in so many ways, including even before the ball was bounced. As the crowd stood for a minute's silence for Princess Diana, witty remarks directed towards Pluga and Libba echoed throughout the G. Then, in a sign of blatant cheating, umpire Darren Goldspink pulled Swan's captain Paul Kelly aside for a pep-talk before the opening bounce.
It mattered little. The Bulldogs kicked 9.2 to 0.5 in a devastating first quarter and the Swans were done.
James Cook kicked 4 and was concussed from being punched in the head by Andrew Dunkley, and yet the umpire awarded a free kick against Cook. Cook spent the remainder of the game believing he was playing at Waverley. Jose Romero dislocated his shoulder in an incident that would come back to haunt the Bulldogs in their next game.
And there in the middle of it all, was Chris Grant. Turtle had a series of Swans players rotated on and off him, but he was impervious to them all. As Bruce called it, "Grant... too good... far too good for Mooney."
Some low-definition highlights of the first half are available here: