The Western Bulldogs have taken a big step towards locking in a finals berth this season, smoking a lowly North Melbourne by 96 points, winning 20.18 (138) to the Kangaroos’ 6.6 (42)

Alastair Clarkson’s North were able to keep up with the Dogs in the first quarter for their three goals, but only managed one goal in the final three quarters to hand them a demoralising loss.

Sam Darcy kicked a career-high seven goals up forward for the Bulldogs; who were still inaccurate in front of goal despite the shellacking

The Bulldogs will now finish the round in sixth place, with a home elimination final locked in if they can beat GWS in Ballarat next Saturday.

THE 3-2-1…

3 – DOGS DEMORALISE ROOS AS STARS, FORWARDS RUN RIOT

Their matchup seven weeks ago was far closer, but today Luke Beveridge’s Bulldogs were able to turn themselves back into form with an enormous 96-point win.

And while a comprehensive win over North is hardly the metric for success, the Dogs’ forward line was firing on all cylinders to help deliver their biggest win of 2024.

“They’ve made a meal of it going inside forward 50, but the young star key forwards have stood up,” three-time Richmond premiership player Jack Riewoldt said at half time on Fox Footy’s coverage.

The victory eclipses their 91-point win over Richmond in Round 9, and takes their percentage up five and a half per cent – almost ensuring no one with the same number of points on the ladder can overtake them next week.

Luke Beveridge’s side have struggled with accuracy in front of goal of late, and among the monumental victory, it was still a cause for slight concern.

“If they get that opportunity to play in September, then it’s on them to nail them (accurately) because that’s the difference.” Western Bulldogs great Brad Johnson noted to Fox Footy at half time.

“In all honesty, this is the seriousness of what we’re talking about, because finals is contest – and if you get opportunities off contest, then you’ve got to nail them.”

Adam Treloar and Marcus Bontempelli combined for 62 disposals and nine clearances in the midfield, while Jamarra Ugle-Hagan (three goals), Cody Weightman, Ed Richards, Aaron Naughton and Jack Macrae all kicked multiple majors.

Tristan Xerri, Luke Davies-Uniacke and Bailey Scott were among the best for Alastair Clarkson’s side, but simply didn’t have the support from teammates to provide the Bulldogs a genuine challenge after quarter time.

2 – ‘ABSOLUTE WEAPON’ STEALS SHOW WITH CAREER BEST

On the back of Tim English’s ankle injury that ruled him out of this weekend’s clash, Sam Darcy was the man that needed to step up – faced with the daunting task of keeping North ruck Tristan Xerri in check.

And that Darcy did.

The 21-year-old kicked six of his seven goals in the first two and a half quarters, with his duel role up forward and in the midfield making North Melbourne look silly.

Darcy’s previous career-best of four goals came earlier in the year against Richmond in what at the time looked somewhat like a coming of age.

“He is an emerging star Sam Darcy … Darcy is showing that the height and skill he’s got, that he is a phenomenal player,” Riewoldt said of the young forward at half time on Fox Footy’s live coverage.

“There haven’t been that many ground balls when this man gets his hands on it … he’s only had nine disposals (by half time), but of them he’s had seven score involvements.

“You’d think one of them (Darcy or Jamarra Ugle-Hagan) is going to have a really big game really soon, like a six, seven, eight (goal) game.”

And that ‘really big game’ came far quicker than Riewoldt may have initially expected, as the Dog kicked three quick goals in the third term to bring up his half a dozen.

“This is an absolute weapon for the Bulldogs going into finals; this young man has the ability to tear a game apart,” Riewoldt added after Darcy’s fourth goal.

Darcy ended the match with 20 disposals, 11 contested possessions, nine marks (four contested), 15 score involvements and his bag of seven.

Joel Amartey’s nine-goal haul in Round 14 against the Crows is the only other bag of more than six goals across the league in 2024.