Ellie Blackburn’s four-goal haul has fired the Western Bulldogs to a monster 57-point win as Collingwood sweat on captain Ruby Schleicher’s injury.
It was all Bulldogs at Whitten Oval, holding the visitors scoreless in the first quarter on the way to a 10.5 (65)-1.2 (8) victory on Friday night.
Star Magpies midfielder Schleicher went down in the third quarter with a right leg injury after an awkward tackle on Heidi Woodley.
Schleicher, whose knee was already heavily strapped, was substituted out in the fourth term after desperate attempts to prove her fitness.
It’s a sucker punch for coach Sam Wright’s Magpies (2-5), who suffer their second consecutive defeat.
Meanwhile, the Bulldogs (2-5) can rise outside of the bottom four after notching their second win of the season.
Blackburn was pivotal with just 25 touches, the 2018 premiership captain reminding the league of her brilliance after being handed more midfield minutes by coach Tam Hyett.
The 30-year-old had played just three games last season after suffering a foot injury.
Izzy Pritchard was just as crucial and led the game with 33 touches and 11 clearances, while Alice Edmonds (one goal, 36 hitouts) dominated in the ruck.
Sarah Hartwig also kicked two goals for the Dogs.
The home side dominated from the onset and kicked two goals from just a team-wide seven disposals in the opening five minutes to set up a 14-point lead against a scoreless Magpies outfit.
Collingwood struggled to find answers under relentless pressure and looked destined to go into halftime without a point.
But the visitors broke through via Ash Centra after the No.1 pick took a sensational mark in front of goal and converted her set shot.
Trailing by 28 points after the main break, the Pies could only add one more point when Centra sent her kick wide.
A hand injury to Centra looked to compound Collingwood’s woes, but the highly-rated first-year was able to return to the fray.
Bulldogs ruck Edmonds had stepped on the No.1 pick’s right hand, just minutes after Schleicher suffered her injury.
