King of Mars
What is it about Jack Macrae and Ballarat? Each time the Dogs’ #11 takes the Midland Highway exit off the Western Freeway toward the goldfields he seems to be good for at least 40 touches.*
In round 7, the 23-year-old (that’s right, he’s still just 23), picked up a casual 40 to go with his five marks, eight tackles and a goal. In round 22 last year against the Power? 41, seven tackles, eight clearances and six marks.
It’s like some kind of video game power up. He’s set the bar high for himself here, but no one will be surprised if he does it again.
Full match information: Dogs v Power
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The full Bonti
Doesn’t time fly when you’re having fun? It seems like yesterday that a fresh faced Marcus Bontempelli kicked this goal against Melbourne. You know the one.
If you weren’t sure if we had something special in the young kid from Eltham by then, the way Anthony Hudson screamed through our teles that night dared us to dream.
So here we are – has there been a finer first 100 than what ‘The Bont’ has delivered since debuting in round 5, 2014 against the Blues? And then he goes and says this.
Also, in a quirk of circumstance he’ll also skipper the Club on his big day. It’s been a big couple of weeks.
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Triple time
Just on that quirk, it’s the first time it’s ever happened as far as we can see; three players captaining the club in three successive weeks AND while playing their 100th game.
It’s not a good news story in the traditional sense because it’s only happening as a by-product of the longest injury list in the history of the game.**
But it can only be a good thing for each player, all 25 and under, to experience the glare of the captaincy for a week and all being students of the game, they will all surely be better for the run.
So well done fellas, on the gig and on the milestones.
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Clay’s lap of honour
If you need any more convincing to take the trip down to Ballarat to watch the boys go around this weekend, this will probably do it for you.
The tributes for the newly retired Clay Smith have come in thick and fast since he announced his retirement earlier this month, but if you want the opportunity to say thank you/farewell personally to a genuine Bulldog hero, you’ll get your chance on Sunday when he’ll do a lap of honour before the game.
Podcast: Freedom in a Cage | Clay Smith
At about 2:50 one of the toughest to ever pull on the boots will be perched in the back of a Mercedes Benz X-Class ute waving goodbye, so why not gather your pack and give one of the greats of the Club the send-off he deserves.
*He had 27 in the Bulldogs ‘other’ game there, during the 2018 JLT Community Series but we don’t count pre-season games do we?
**This is not an accurate stat.
