Live: Dogs stay in finals hunt after nail-biting finish against Dees, Eagles battle Crows

Aaron Naughton came up clutch today, kicking a game-high five goals and making 17 disposals for the Bulldogs.

Ed Richards and Sam Darcy also kicked two goals apiece for the Dogs, while Harrison Petty, Jake Melksham and Bayley Fritsch all nabbed doubles for the Dees.

In terms of disposals, three Bulldogs players led the way:

• Marcus Bontempelli made 33
• Ed Richards 31
• Bailey Dale 30

And in nearly every other statistic, a Dog leads the way:

• Bontempelli in metres gained (684)
• Richards in clearances (14)
• Tom Liberatore in tackles (12)
• Bailey Williams in marks (9)

It just goes to show how stirring a team performance that was by the coach-less Demons.

Perth Stadium stands up and gives their side a round of applause at the half-time siren!

What a quarter for West Coast, one of the Eagles’ best for the season I reckon.

Crows skipper Jordan Dawson speaking to Fox Footy before heading into the rooms says his side needs to match the hosts’ energy.

Andrew McQualter would be absolutely over the moon at that half of football.

West Coast kicked 3.3 to 0.2 in that quarter, and have kicked the last four goals of the match.

Much-maligned Eagles midfielder Tim Kelly is the leading ball-winner on the ground with 14 disposals and also has four clearances.

Rory Laird and Isaac Cumming lead the way for the Crows with 13 touches apiece.

West Coast has gotten itself back into the contest by completely reversing Adelaide’s clearance and territorial dominance.

Here’s vision of that clutch Sam Darcy mark in the dying moments of the Bulldogs’ nail-biting win over the Demons.

I’ll tell you what, we’ve got all the ingredients for a massive boilover here.

The Eagles have absolutely brought the heat in this quarter and they’ve rocked the Crows a bit.

Ten consecutive inside 50 entries puts Adelaide’s defence under immense pressure and Jamie Cripps wins a free kick for a throw.

Cripps kicks the goal from the set shot to put West Coast in front.

The Eagles lead the inside 50s 15-5 for the quarter and have also out-tackled Adelaide.

There’s a huge cheer around Perth Stadium as Jobe Shanahan kicks another behind to knot up the scores at 34 apiece.

Jobe’s having himself some afternoon here.

He’s kicked 2.2 from four touches and has taken two marks, and has given West Coast a real forward 50 focal point.

GAME ON!

Liam Ryan is the latest player to win a free kick inside his attacking 50.

Ryan has the ball in congestion and drops to his knees as big Reilly O’Brien tries to tackle him.

Poor old ROB has absolutely no chance dealing with this kind of trickery and almost decapitates Ryan, who goes back and drills the set shot.

Three goals in a row for the Eagles, this crowd is up and about!

Riley Thilthorpe wins a free kick inside 50, Adelaide’s third for the match, but misses the set shot from directly in front.

That miss comes after Fogarty missed an absolute soda in the first quarter as well.

Eagles very lucky, you don’t usually get away with that.

And breathe.

That was exhilarating, exhausting stuff at the MCG.

Score changes galore, some clutch kicking and a whole bunch of grit from both teams.

Aaron Naughton kicked five goals to keep his Bulldogs alive.

What a performance.

He’s talking to Fox post-game.

“We knew they were going to come out firing, they’ve got nothing to lose now,” Naughton says.

“And credit to them, it was a tough contest. They hit the front a couple times and we had to fight back.

“I think it was a really good win.”

It’s a really hard-fought win for the Bulldogs, who may have been a bit taken aback by a really resilient Demons side.

They’re still a longshot for September football, but today’s performance ensures they’re still a shot.

This isn’t over that!

The Demons are pushing late and their pressure tells.

Daniel Turner kicks one after a couple of spills in the contest.

About a minute left here.

Dogs by six.

Jobe Shanahan has his second goal of the afternoon!

He gets away with a bit of a cheeky push after pushing Josh Worrell in the back in a marking contest, Worrell cannot believe he’s gotten away with it.

Shows oodles of composure by going back and drilling the really tough set shot from a tight angle. He looks a player this Shanahan.

There’re three minutes to play at the MCG.

The Western Bulldogs are just about hanging on to keep their season alive.

However, all the Demons need are two good kicks.

Dogs by 11.

And straight from centre bounce, the Bulldogs re-establish their 10-goal cushion!

Aaron Naughton parries a Bulldogs kick just in-front of goal.

The ball remains in play; he turns and smashes his fifth of the afternoon.

It’s a wonderful kick from Rhylee West.

He takes a mark, holds his nerve and curves one with the outside of his right foot.

It’s from an unlikely angle, but it soars straight between the big sticks.

Dogs by four.

What a massive moment – what a massive kick!

Blake Howes takes a good low mark, lets himself and smashes one from 49m!

Melbourne back in front!

A fascinating first quarter in the books sees the Crows take a 13-point lead into the first change.

The Eagles are within striking distance, but the weight of numbers are the Crows’ way, which suggests the floodgates might just be ready to open.

Adelaide leads the inside 50 count 14-5 and the clearances 13-9, including an 8-1 edge at centre bounces.

The Eagles haven’t really been able to get their hands on the footy too much, with the Crows holding a 91-67 lead in disposals.

Rory Laird leads the way for Adelaide with nine disposals and also has two clearances.

Tim Kelly is West Coast’s leading ball-winner with seven first-quarter disposals.

Luke Pedlar with two goals in the first term for the Crows. He is the only multiple goalkicker so far.

Liam Baker kicks a very important goal for the Eagles!

He gets on the end of a hacked kick out of a defensive 50 stoppage from Rory Laird, and then converts the set shot.

West Coast has three goals from just five inside 50s for the quarter. Efficiency.

The Bulldogs 10-point lead has been narrowed to four thanks to a Harvey Langford major.

Langford took a wonderful, hanging mark and finished the move expertly to keep Melbourne in touching distance.

He’s some talent, Harvey Langford.

It’s wonderful, desperate stuff from the Bulldogs, who are pressuring well enough to regain possession on the edge of the 50.

The ball squirts out to Riley Garcia, just on as a sub, who kicks a goal to make it a 10-pont game with about 15 minutes left to play.

Things are getting a little dangerous now for West Coast!

The Crows are starting to hum all around the ground now.

This time Jake Soligo’s the one who delivers the kick inside 50 and finds Pedlar completely unmarked.

Pedlar goes back and drills his second of the game.

The Crows have a 6-1 edge in centre clearances.