AFL Round 1

Western Bulldogs v North Melbourne 
Saturday 15 March | 7:35pm AEDT 
Marvel Stadium, Docklands • Wurundjeri 
Broadcast: Kayo / Foxtel 

Tickets: Purchase here

Upgrade to Level 1 seats behind the goals for just $30! - Purchase here and use the code BULLDOGS2025 to unlock this offer

The Western Bulldogs kick off their 2025 season with a Saturday night home game against North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium.

Before the game, visit the Fan Zone outside Gate 7 for giveaways, inflatables, badge making, and more!

Love the Game, Not the Odds is the official match day partner for Round 1. It's Australia's longest-running initiative against sports gambling, and has partnered with the Bulldogs since 2016.

NEED HELP ON MATCH DAY? 

The Bulldogs’ membership team will be at the match-day pavilion near Gate 1 (Barkly Street end). 

To contact us before match day:

• 📆 Monday – Friday, 10 AM – 4 PM
• 📧 membership@westernbulldogs.com.au
• 📞 1300 46 36 47

LIVESTREAM THE FINALS COUNTDOWN FROM 3PM SATURDAY | PRE-MATCH SHOW WITH PREMIERSHIP HERO DALE MORRIS & MEDIA PERSONALITY SAM EDMUND.


1. Brucey’s big week

It’s been a big week for Josh Bruce – and he hasn’t even played yet!

The first-year Bulldog and his wife Pip have welcomed son August into the world, a younger brother for daughter Poppy.

It meant he had to train away from the group for a couple of days, but he returned to main training on Wednesday and is raring to go.

For Bruce, it’s a first taste of AFL finals footy. And it’s against his old side.

And they got the chocolates earlier this year.

The stage is set for Bruce and the Bulldogs to turn the tables now, when it matters most.

2. Another tall order for Tim

Tim English has come on in leaps and bounds again this season.

And he’ll be looking to showcase all he has learned, when he comes up against Saints duo Rowan Marshall and Paddy Ryder on Saturday afternoon.

The Saints’ ruck tag-team has been a successful feature of their game all season.

Marshall and Ryder have not only had an impact in the middle of the ground, but also pushing forward.

The Bulldogs will need to support English at times – as Luke Beveridge has acknowledged this week.

But English also brings his own strengths to the contest and could stretch the Saints’ duo with his ability to cover the ground and make an impact close to goal.

3. To tag, or not to tag

Employing a lockdown player, or two, is part of St Kilda’s style.

It has worked to great effect for the Saints this year and had an impact in round two when these sides last met.

Skipper Jarryn Geary is often the man the Saints turn to for a defensive forward role.

Will he go to Jason Johannisen again? Or potentially All Australian defender Caleb Daniel?

In the middle of the ground, will Seb Ross have a tagging role? And could it be Marcus Bontempelli he goes to? Or Jack Macrae? Or even Bailey Smith?

And will the Bulldogs employ a midfield tag of their own – a role that Toby McLean had performed admirably, prior to his season-ending knee injury.

How the sides line-up at the opening bounce will be fascinating.

4. Class of ‘16

There’s no doubt that when push comes to shove, big game experience counts.

The Bulldogs will certainly hope that gives them an advantage – however minimal – in the heat of battle this week.

St Kilda will be hungry for success, having not tasted finals footy since 2011. Geary is the only member of the Saints’ team who played in that game.

The Bulldogs have undergone plenty of change since 2016.

But nine players from that one day in October remain – including premiership skipper Easton Wood and current skipper Marcus Bontempelli – who will know all about delivering when the pressure is at its most intense.

The Western Bulldogs’ 2020 season is over after a heartbreaking three-point loss to St Kilda in the Elimination Final at the Gabba.

A stunning last quarter surge from the Bulldogs was almost enough to get them over the line - a possibility which seemed highly unlikely at three quarter time.

The Dogs completely dominated the last term, kicking four of the last five goals to nearly overcome the 24-point deficit they faced at the final change.

MATCH CENTRE | All the teams and player stats from the elimination final

Caleb Daniel drew the Bulldogs to within a single kick with only a couple of minutes on the clock, after goals from Tom Liberatore and Lachie Hunter. 

But in the end, they ran out of time.

Earlier in the game, St Kilda’s dominance in the air was a cut above the Bulldogs, at both ends of the ground. 

A leg injury to Dogs’ defender Zaine Cordy in the second quarter didn’t help their cause, with the Saints finishing the game with a season-high 21 contested marks for the match.

A stretch of three-straight goals from the Saints late in the third quarter split the game open, which was an arm-wrestle to that point.

Daniel finished his outstanding season with 26 disposals (including a game-high 12 contested possessions), despite spending large periods of the game being minded by St Kilda captain Jarryn Geary.

Bailey Smith toiled hard for his 24 possessions, while skipper Marcus Bontempelli finished with 20 disposals, four clearances and six inside 50s.

The Bulldogs finished the game with 16 more inside 50s than the Saints (including 13 more in the final term), and also narrowly won the clearance battle.

MACCA'S MVP | Who was the Bulldog' best on ground in the elimination final ? Cast your vote for a chance to WIN a $20 McCafe Gift Card.

MATCH DETAILS

ST KILDA                              2.2          5.4          9.6          10.7 (67)

WESTERN BULLDOGS     3.1          4.3          5.6          9.10 (64)

GOALS
St Kilda: King 2, Membrey 2, Ryder 2, Geary 2, Lonie, Butler
Western Bulldogs: Bruce, Johannisen, Crozier, Wallis, Dunkley, Naughton, Hunter, Liberatore, Daniel 

BEST
St Kilda: Geary, Hannebery, Ryder, Clark, Howard, Membrey, Carlisle
Western Bulldogs: Smith, Daniel, Bontempelli, Williams, Crozier

MACCA'S MVP | Who was the Bulldog' best on ground in the elimination final ? Cast your vote for a chance to WIN a $20 McCafe Gift Card.

INJURIES
St Kilda: Ryder (hamstring)
Western Bulldogs: Cordy (ankle)