The Sydney Swans have extended their record to 10 wins and one loss after defeating the Western Bulldogs.
The ladder leaders ran out 14-point winners, 16.6 (102) to 12.16 (88), against a Bulldogs team who finished the match with two fit plays on the bench.
Star Bulldog Aaron Naughton was carried off the field with a knee injury in the second term, with the club optimistic it is not a ruptured ACL.
Anthony Scott and Ed Richards were both ruled out of Thursday night's match with concussions after separate head clashes with Swans players.
Scott's clash with Harry Cunningham came in the opening minutes of the opening term, starting the Bulldogs' injury woes early.
With just two fit players on the bench, the Swans were able to wear down the Bulldogs who took a four-point lead into half-time.
Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge said he took plenty of heart from the loss, after clawing a 30-point deficit down to eight late in the final term before the Swans kicked the last goal.
"In the long run, I just think our players showed enormous character," Beveridge says.
"Our backline stayed on for the whole last half and Tim English did as well … all in all, there was great integrity in what the boys did.
"In my books, our players are winners tonight."
Chad Warner was a star for the Swans, kicking four goals and taking a terrific flying mark.
Warner also had the equal-most disposals for the Swans with 25, along with Errol Gulden.
Brownlow Medal fancy Isaac Heeney had 23 disposals and a fourth-quarter goal which proved crucial come full-time.
Despite being injury-ravaged, the Bulldogs had more inside-50s (60-46), more clearances (38-33) and more contested possessions (140-106).
Swans coach John Longmire said his team, despite being 10-1 through 11 rounds, have plenty to work on after the bye next week.
"We didn't play as well as we'd like to have played," Longmire said.
"In the end, they had a number of scoring shots and we were well beaten in the contest.
"There are still some things we can work on, and I think that's probably a positive for us."
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This is where we leave the blog
We have enjoyed a truly facinating night of AFL footy.
The Swans beat the Bulldogs by 14 points, but there was so much more to it than that.
Sydney was not at their clinical best, the Dogs were brave in the face of injury, and both teams can feel like they have the potential for big things in September.
We will be back tomorrow for more action from round 11.
For Alex Darling, I'm Michael Doyle wishing you a good night.
John Longmire says winning is positive, but there is plenty of work to do
Tonight was not the best performance from the Swans.
Considering the injuries the Bulldogs had during the contest, and the 30-point lead the Swans built, the fourth-quarter was a little tighter than it should have been.
Swans coach John Longmire says during his press conference the team will address areas of improvement after their bye next week.
"We didn't play as well as we'd like to have played," Longmire said.
"In the end, they had a number of scoring shots and we were well beaten in the contest.
"There are still some things we can work on, and I think that's probably a positive for us."
Grundy weighs in on concussion
The Swans ruckman has left an interesting take on the concussion debate currently playing out across sport, following the head-clash injuries to opponents Ed Richards and Anthony Scott tonight.
He's told ABC Sport's Tim Hodges: "Just the way we narrate the games in those sorts of contests, I'd like to see it less celebrated as courageous. Do you know what I mean? That sort of silly 'back with the flight' sort of stuff.
"As a spectator, even when I'm watching, I cringe a bit. It's hard to watch, isn't it? Whether's coaching, doing those J-shape short of marks... gone are the days, I'd like to think, where it's just this reckless, bull-at-a-gate type of action."
Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge says he is pleased with his side's resolve
The Bulldogs made a terrific fightback despite three game-ending injuries.
Beveridge says he has taken plenty of heart out of the Bulldogs' performance.
"In the long run, I just think our players showed enormous character," Beveridge says.
"Our backline stayed on for the whole last half and Tim English did as well … all in all, there was great integrity in what the boys did.
"In my books, our players are winners tonight.
Brodie Grundy says the coach was 'cool, calm and collected'
The dressing room interviews were delayed as John Longmire called a team meeting straight after the singing of the song.
Plenty of speculation that the coach was not impressed with the Swans' final quarter.
But ruck Brodie Grundy said the meeting was all about staying humble, after winning their 10th win in 11 matches.
"It was pretty cool, calm and collected to be honest," Grundy tells ABC Sport.
"On the ladder is really pleasing, where we are sitting."
"Full credit to the Dogs. They brought a really solid … pressure game of footy."
Horse not happy?
Sydney coach John Longmire has dragged the Swans players into a separate room after that win.
Tim Hodges reports Errol Gulden was pulled off a live interview by the media manager to get into the meeting.
"I think (Longmire) was in a rage. I think that's why they sang the song so subdued, because they knew the coach was filthy. Everyone's down here to celebrate but the players have been dragged into a room with John Longmire... I think it's getting rammed home that that last quarter was just not acceptable."
Cameron Ling: "I always thought (Geelong premiership coach Mark)Bomber Thompson was at his most dangerous after we'd won a game...that wasn't quite where it needed to be."
Some observations from our ABC Sport team
Marc Murphy: "The Bulldogs have got enough talent in their team to trouble good sides. Their best is certainly good enough."
Cameron Ling: "Occasionally we got to see Sydney's ball movement. At times when a team goes coast to coast and has brilliant ball use, it's not just necessarily the beautiful skills, it's the running patterns of players receiving the balls that make the kick more dangerous, their understanding where they have to all run means the ball use flows so well."
Looking ahead
It's going to be a tough month for the Bulldogs even without the injuries in this game.
They face Collingwood, Brisbane and Fremantle before North Melbourne.
The Swans are up against Geelong, Adelaide and then the Giants again. It's hard to see them losing... but then, they lost to Richmond. This is why I stopped tipping a few seasons ago.
FT: Sydney Swans 16.6 (102) defeat Western Bulldogs 12.16 (88)
The Sydney Swans have improved to 10 wins and one loss through 11 rounds, defeating the Bulldogs at Docklands.
Chad Warner's four goals proved crucial for the Swans, who survived a late fightback from the Bulldogs.
The Bulldogs finished the match with two fit players on the bench, with injuries to Scott, Naughton and Richards.
A reprieve for Sydney
Hayden McLean kicks his second goal after a 50-metre penalty that will break Bulldogs hearts.
After a turnover on centre-wing, McInenery kicks it to McLean on the 50 who marks and Vandemeer knocks it out of his hand.
Here's how Cameron Ling saw it: "Oh no. I thought that was almost simultaneous… that's just a slightly late spoil isn't it?"
Swans lead back out to 14.
Shades of Hawthorn last week?
The Swans don't look interested in scoring right now, more focused on defending.
Cameron Ling: "Four minutes is just too long to purely keep possession. If you're going to kick mark that's fine but keep moving it down the ground."
Taylor Adams is off the field for the Swans
To make matters worse for the Sydney Swans as they desperately hold on, Taylor Adams has gone down the tunnel.
Tim Hodges reported it for ABC Sport. No word on what the issue is.
Ugle-Hagen with another one!
The dogs are dominating, but it's excruciating for fans: Ugle-Hagen misses a snap around the body, Daniel misses a shot after a great lunging mark.
They've halved the margin since Sydney got it to 30 points at the 10-minute mark, but they might regret these missed opportunities. but there's still time
As the clock ticks under five minutes to play Ugle-Hagen takes control, spinning away from some tackles and snapping his third goal.
Eight-point margin!
Don't tune out yet, the Dogs are playing this out
A transition from defence starting with Jones sees Harvey Gallagher gather in the forward 50, straighten up and kick another one.
The margin is back to 17 points, as Gallagher heads to the bench as a reward.
As Cameron Ling says on ABC Sport: "They're not dying wondering the Bulldogs. They're really digging in."
Aaron Francis is subbed out for the Swans and Matt Roberts comes in for the final nine minutes of game time.
Another classy finish from Riley Garcia
The Bulldogs keep the ball movinng in their forward pocket through West and Daniel, the latter tapping the ball into Garcia's path.
From about the same area where he kicked his first he snaps through his second. Nice little highlight from the out-of-contract Dog.
As an aside, the Bulldogs are dominating disposals tonight, and they have the highest average disposals per game of any team this season.
The Swans are seventh for disposals per game. But they're first for goals. This match is lining up neatly with the season stats.
Heeney with a beauty
From a throw in, the ball spills to Isaac Heeney, and he hooks a right foot ball from the pocket right through the middle.
The Swans are motoring now, up by five goals.
Another score assist for Warner
A kick into Sydney's forward 50 goes off-hands into the corridor, into the hands of Warner.
We were all waiting to see him kick his fifth, but he unselfishly hands it off to Taylor Adams who runs into an open goal and converts.
A few observations from ABC Sport's Marc Murphy: 'You remove Ed Richards, who was having a good game, and there's an inevitability the Swans are going to run them off the ground.'
And Cameron Ling: 'Warner is amazing, 71 games and he's dominating the midfield.'
James Harmes gets one back for the Bulldogs
"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog" said Mark Twain once.
We're going to see that theory tested now.
Harmes kicks a goal, but they're down to two men on the bench as they try and rein in the remaining 19 points of Sydney's lead.
Chad Warner you ripper
Little bit of indirect personal pride from me here.
I used to work near the town of Nhill, western Victoria, where Chad Warner's dad Travis played football for local side the Tigers.
Warner just had 10 disposals, two goals, two goal assists and three inside 50s in a quarter where the Swans took control.
He's just kicked his fourth goal to start the last quarter.
They breed them well in the Wimmera region.
Incidentally, the last major footballer from Nhill was Jason McCartney, 182 games for the Pies, Crows and of course North Melbourne.
3QT: Swans head into the final break with a 23-point lead
The Swans have opened up a gap which you feel may be enough.
The Bulldogs have been brave, but now have three players ruled out: Scott, Naughton and Richards.
Chad Warner was sensational in that third term.
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