AFL Round 3

Carlton v Western Bulldogs 
Friday 28 March | 7:40pm AEDT 
Marvel Stadium, Docklands • Wurundjeri Land 
Broadcast: Channel 7, Kayo/Foxtel/Binge 

Tickets: Purchase here

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

The Western Bulldogs have made three changes to face Melbourne in a top-of-the-table clash to kickstart Sir Doug Nicholls Round.

Ruck-forward Tim English will return to the action at Marvel Stadium on Friday night, after spending the past four weeks on the sidelines.

He’s joined in the team by Pat Lipinski – who was ruled out of last week’s game – and 20-year-old midfielder Riley Garcia, who will make his AFL debut.

Garcia, drafted by the Bulldogs with pick 62 in 2019 from Western Australia, gets his opportunity after averaging 23.8 disposals and six tackles per game across the opening five rounds of the VFL season.

Star midfielder Adam Treloar (ankle) and forward Mitch Hannan (calf tightness) will miss through injury, while utility Anthony Scott has been managed.

Treloar will be sidelined for the next 6-8 weeks after having surgery to repair a syndesmosis ligament injury, while Hannan is expected to be available for selection next week.

Last week’s medical sub, Lewis Young, is again one of the four emergencies named, alongside Rhylee West, Louis Butler and Ryan Gardner.

The match will be played in an empty stadium, after the Victorian Government announced a lockdown from Thursday night. The Marvel roof is expected to be open for the game.

Channel 7 and Fox Footy will broadcast the game live.

ROUND 11 TEAM

Western Bulldogs v Melbourne
Friday 28 May, 7.50pm AEST
Marvel Stadium

B: Taylor Duryea, Alex Keath, Hayden Crozier
HB: Bailey Williams, Zaine Cordy, Caleb Daniel
C: Bailey Dale, Tom Liberatore, Jason Johannisen
HF: Lachie Hunter, Josh Bruce, Cody Weightman
F: Tim English, Aaron Naughton, Marcus Bontempelli
R: Jordon Sweet, Jack Macrae, Bailey Smith
Int: Pat Lipinski, Lachie McNeil, Roarke Smith, Riley Garcia
Emer: Lewis Young, Rhylee West, Louis Butler, Ryan Gardner

In: Riley Garcia (debut), Pat Lipinski, Tim English
Out: Adam Treloar (ankle), Mitch Hannan (calf tightness), Anthony Scott (managed), Lewis Young

The Western Bulldogs have suffered their second loss of the season, going down to Melbourne by 28 points on Friday night in Sir Doug Nicholls Round.

Playing in an empty Marvel Stadium due to the state’s fourth lockdown, the Dogs were outworked from the get-go in the 8.11 (59) to 13.9 (87) affair.

As hard as they tried nothing seemed to go right for the Bulldogs, who were slow to start and were forced into playing catch-up after quarter-time.

Despite winning the clearance count 36-27, costly turnovers on the outside left the Bulldogs back-six under siege.

There were glimpses of the Dogs’ potential scattered throughout, but ultimately not enough, as Melbourne had an answer for everything.

The hosts finally managed to find some rhythm late in the fourth quarter, but not enough to impact the result.

In his first game back in from injury after a month out, Tim English (two goals, nine marks) was impactful, while ball-magnet Jack Macrae (36 touches, nine tackles) continued his unbeaten run of 30+ disposals this season.

Josh Bruce edged closer in the Coleman Medal race, finishing with three goals to take his season tally to 33.

The Western Bulldogs are due to fly to Perth next Sunday to take on Fremantle, where they’ll look to bounce back from tonight’s defeat.

WESTERN BULLDOGS            2.2      6.5       6.8      8.11 (59)
MELBOURNE                           6.5      9.6       12.8    13.9 (87)

GOALS
Western Bulldogs: Bruce 3, English 2, Daniel, Naughton, Weightman
Melbourne: Fritsch 3, McDonald 3, Weideman 2, Gawn, Harmes, Jordon, Petracca, Pickett

BEST
Western Bulldogs: Macrae, Dale, Smith, Daniel, Bontempelli
Melbourne: Oliver, Petracca, May, Gawn, McDonald, Lever

INJURIES
Western Bulldogs: Garcia (concussion)
Melbourne: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
Western Bulldogs: Butler (replaced Garcia in second quarter)
Melbourne: Sparrow (replaced Langdon in the fourth quarter)