By Lance Jenkinson
Can the Western Bulldogs do what seemed improbable only weeks ago – make the AFL finals?
All will be revealed on Sunday when the eighth-placed Bulldogs take on 10th-placed Adelaide Crows at Mars Stadium in Ballarat.
A win for the Bulldogs will be enough to get them a piece of the September action.
The Bulldogs will be going into the game full of confidence on the back of a 61-point win over GWS Giants in Sydney on Sunday.
After trailing by three points at half-time, the Bulldogs went on a rampage in the third and fourth quarters as part of a run of 12 unanswered goals.
Young forward Josh Schache kicked three goals, while Tory Dickson, Patrick Lipinski, Sam Lloyd, Aaron Naughton, Bailey Dale and Josh Dunkley kicked two apiece.
The leading ball winners for the Bulldogs were Jack Macrae with 39 disposals, Dunkley (31), Lipinski, Marcus Bontempelli and Jason Johannisen (27 each).
In the VFL, Footscray came back from 30 points down at quarter-time to pinch a six-point win over North Melbourne at Arden Street.
A snap goal from Lukas Webb deep into time on of the last quarter snared an incredible victory for the Bulldogs.
It was the icing on the cake of a 31-possession, five-mark and seven-tackle game for Webb.
Ben Cavarra showed his smarts around goal with three majors to go with 20 disposals, four marks and three tackles.
Jordan Boyd, Rhylee West and Tate Short registered two goals apiece.
If Footscray wins its final round game against Coburg Lions on Saturday, it will secure a home qualifying final.
In women’s VFL, Western Bulldogs had a surprisingly comfortable 43-point win over Richmond.
Elisabeth Georgostathis had a day out for the Bulldogs with 14 disposals, three goals and six tackles.
Bailey Hunt was the top possession-getter for the Dogs with 20.
