Stunning Strike: Ed Richards of the Western Bulldogs Nails a Spectacular Goal in Ballarat

The setting may not have been thrilling, but the goal certainly was.

In front of a rather unattractive area of Ballarat’s Mars Stadium that’s currently under construction, Western Bulldogs midfielder Ed Richards executed a brilliant goal against Port Adelaide on Saturday afternoon.

Bulldogs ruckman Tim English collected the ball from the ruck and fed it to Richards with a handball.

Charging into the left-forward pocket, just inside the boundary line and approximately 30 metres out in the second quarter, Richards took aim at goal.

Opting for a banana kick, he astoundingly sent it sailing through the goalposts.

“What a finish from Ed Richards,” commented Bulldogs goal-kicking icon Brad Johnson during the Fox Footy broadcast.

“The execution was phenomenal. A left-foot banana … That’s an elite finish.”

The goal was booted in view of a few tractors, some dirt, and what seemed to be just one construction worker.

The stadium is currently being upgraded, with plans to expand its capacity from 5,000 to 10,000.

“In the end, it was impressive how he celebrated with virtually no one around,” Johnson chuckled, observing Richards as he celebrated with his arms raised.

“He turned back to his teammates, and there was hardly anyone on that side of the ground—perhaps a solitary construction worker.”

In a contrasting match on Friday night, St Kilda’s Cooper Sharman scored an exquisite goal from the right-forward pocket during the Saints’ 61-point demolition of Fremantle.

The 24-year-old concluded the match with four goals from 16 disposals as St Kilda triumphed 14.10 (94) to 5.3 (33).