AFL 2024 round three LIVE updates: Dogs start to kick away against Eagles after slow start at Marvel

Cody Weightman flagged the trainers straight away after looking to hurt his wrist or elbow following a contest and ending on the boundary.

We know he’s a tough unit, and seemed to try and dismiss the doctor to run back on, but is off now and being looked at by the medical staff.

Meanwhile, the Dogs have started to really take control of the game. They have kicked the last four and lead by 20-points.

Tom Liberatore leads the disposal count with 14.

Aaron Naughton has kicked the Bulldogs third goal of the day, five minutes into the second term. It’s the first back-to-back goals for the Dogs this afternoon (following Bontempelli’s on the cusp of quarter-time).

Harvey Gallagher then made it back-to-back-to-back with his second goal in AFL footy.

The Eagles are starting to show some cracks in their defence, and the Dogs are taking advantage. Could this be the start of an onslaught?

Bulldogs lead by 15.

Well, neither cheer squad had much work cut out for them that opening quarter.

Last weekend, the Dogs had kicked nine goals and one behind by quarter-time against the Suns. This week, they’ve racked up just 16 points (2.4) by the same time.

The Eagles are nipping at their heels, too, with 2.2 on the board. While the Dogs lead in possessions, 101 to 78, the Eagles are winning the clearances 10 to 5.

Bulldogs lead by 2 at QT.

Right on the cusp of quarter-time, the Bulldogs have kicked their second goal of the afternoon.

It was skipper Marcus Bontempelli with a grab and steady set shot from deep inside 50. Adam Treloar with the set up.

Dogs lead by 2.

The Eagles get another! This time through Jake Waterman (their first was Jake Williams).

The opening 16 minutes of the game has seen just the three goals – the Dogs through Cody Weightman. However, while low scoring, there’s been some good footy on show early here at Marvel.

The Dogs have been struggling to get it cleanly into their inside 50, or use it efficiently when it’s there. They have kicked one goal to four behinds.

Eagles lead by 3.

Cody Weightman – who kicked six last weekend – has booted his first of the day, and the first for the Dogs.

It was a great linking passage of play between the forwards with Aaron Naughton taking a great grab then kicking it into the hands of Cody Weightman, who popped up deep inside 50.

A trust kick, he slotted it through.

Dogs lead by 1.

It’s West Coast with first blood, off the boot of Jack Williams from a set shot.

The opening five minutes saw just two behinds for the Dogs and one for the Eagles.

It’s been an early arm wrestle with the Bulldogs having had a few looks inside 50 – four – but the Eagles’ defence has stood up.

Meanwhile, West Coast have been direct in moving the ball and are the first on the board.

West Coast lead by 5.

We’re away at Marvel Stadium for the first instalment of this year’s Easter Sunday football.

What are we hoping for today, footy fam?

Cody Weightman to break his six-goal record? Riley Sanders to get on the board? Harley Reid to spark the Eagles alive?

There’s a lot that could play out today…

Players are out on the park at Marvel Stadium and warming up.

Not long now. First bounce at 1:00pm.

And good news if you don’t like last-minute changes, there aren’t any for either the Dogs or Eagles.

This one from sports columnist Greg Baum:

The principle underscoring the AFL illicit drugs policy is sound enough. It’s the practice that looks dodgy. It might sometimes oblige good people to fudge in their work.

That means there has to be change, right? Greater transparency, more exacting punishments, for every gram of cocaine a pound of flesh.

Maybe, maybe not. It’s a welfare program, agreed to by the players nearly 20 years ago on that basis. Some people rort welfare programs. Some players have rorted this program, though on the available evidence very few.

In welfare, most people tolerate the deceit of the few so that the good of the many is served.

As has already been widely noted, drugs are a community problem, not just an AFL indulgence.

The nub of the shock this story has engendered Is that the illicit drugs policy is being used for players to avoid possible career-ending convictions under the anti-doping policy. This conflation is unhelpful.

It arises because the AFL is one of few sports that operates under overlapping drug policies. The players’ body was always wary of the overlap, but consented for the good of all.

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