Western Bulldogs broke a chain of four losses to snatch a victory on the road against Port Adelaide, validating the club's decision to keep playing wounded star Marcus Bontempelli.
The Bulldogs skipper has had his right knee heavily strapped for the past few matches, and there were calls for the Dogs to rest him, given how important he is to their chances this season. However, the folks at Whitten Oval also realised they needed him to play to arrest the slide and save their season as they sat with a 4-4 record.
It was a Catch-22 scenario as the Dogs needed Bontempelli to play to save their season, but they also needed to rest him to save their season.
Speaking after the thrilling two-point win, Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge said there were signs of improvement in Bontempelli's (one goal, 30 disposals and 10 tackles) fitness.
"I don't think he needs a rest," Beveridge said. "I know I say 'maybe' during the week, but I was insinuating if we get to a point that he is not training through or he is a bit too sore, we just won't play him, that's the maybe.
"We are managing him week to week with what he is doing training-wise, and as you can imagine, he just wants to keep playing.
"He is improving, that heel is improving, and the knee is problematic, but it's not getting any worse. We could sit here all night and talk about it."
The Power came with a surge to finish the match and tie the scores with minutes remaining.
Then, an unlikely hero scored the go-ahead point and made his mark, according to Beveridge.
"Boys are having their moments here and there," he said. "Even Harvey Gallagher (11 disposals, three behinds) kicks the winning point. It had been a tough night for 'Gags', but he managed to hang in there, and it was another classic example of the old age. 'It mightn't be your day or night, but it might be your moment, and it definitely was his.
"He probably epitomised what a handful of our boys were going through, and then others were quite sensational."
Bulldogs ruckman Tim English will miss next week's clash with Carlton at Marvel Stadium after failing concussion tests during the match.
