AFL Round 9

Gold Coast SUNS v Western Bulldogs
Saturday 10 May | 7:35pm AEST (7:05pm ACST)
TIO Stadium, Darwin • Larrakia
Broadcast: Kayo/Foxtel

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 revealed their team for Friday night’s blockbuster against the Geelong Cats at GMHBA Stadium.

It will be an unchanged starting 22 from the Bulldogs’ win a fortnight ago against Fremantle.

Ruckman Stefan Martin retains his place in the team, after collecting a minor shoulder injury in the win against the Dockers before the bye.

Rhylee West, who replaced Martin as the medical sub during that game, makes way from the squad.

The Bulldogs have opted against recalling experienced defender Easton Wood.

Wood has been named as an emergency after overcoming a hamstring injury, alongside vice-captain Mitch Wallis, Toby McLean and ruckman Jordon Sweet.

The match will mark premiership player Lachie Hunter’s 150^th game at AFL level.

Hunter was a father-son draftee back in 2012, selected with pick 49 by the Bulldogs.

The game will be broadcast live on Channel 7 and Fox Footy.

It will be a VFL-AFL double-header at GMHBA Stadium on Friday night, with the Footscray Bulldogs taking on Geelong at 4.10pm.

ROUND 14 TEAM

Geelong Cats v Western Bulldogs
Friday 18 June, 7.50pm AEST
GMHBA Stadium

B: Ryan Gardner, Alex Keath, Hayden Crozier
HB: Taylor Duryea, Zaine Cordy, Caleb Daniel
C: Bailey Dale, Tom Liberatore, Lachie Hunter
HF: Jason Johannisen, Josh Bruce, Cody Weightman
F: Mitch Hannan, Aaron Naughton, Tim English
R: Stefan Martin, Jack Macrae, Marcus Bontempelli
Int: Bailey Smith, Anthony Scott, Bailey Williams, Roarke Smith
Emer: Mitch Wallis, Easton Wood, Toby McLean, Jordon Sweet

In: -
Out: Rhylee West (medi-sub)

The Western Bulldogs have fallen heartbreakingly short against Geelong on Friday night, going down by five points at GMHBA Stadium.

Leading by just a single point in the dying minutes, there was nothing the Bulldogs could do but hope that Gary Rohan would spray his after-the-siren set shot.

But he kicked truly, leaving the Dogs to lick their wounds in the 11.12 (78) to 12.11 (83) affair.

After a tight tussle to start, which saw scores levelled at the first break, the Bulldogs swung the momentum in their favour early in the second.

The two sides exchanged goals early, before Josh Bruce and Jason Johanissen combined to give their team an 11-point advantage.

The Cats were quick to respond however, kicking the last three goals to regain the lead at half-time.

With the scores deadlocked four times alone in the third, a late conversion from the Cats meant the Bulldogs found themselves trailing again, this time by just two points, at the final break.

Some early dominance in a frantic final term saw the Bulldogs well within reach of the win, but just couldn’t maintain possession when they needed to most.

There was no denying the Bulldogs' efforts - fighting hard both on the ground and in the air throughout the match.

Jack Macrae continued his unbeaten run of 30+ disposals this year with 35 touches, while captain Marcus Bontempelli (30 disposals, 11 inside 50s, eight clearances) and clearance king Tom Liberatore (30 disposals, 11 clearances, eight tackles) were impactful.

Bruce added three majors to his season tally, while reigning Club champion Caleb Daniel (27 disposals, six tackles), Bailey Williams (24 disposals, eight intercepts) and Taylor Duryea (22 disposals, six intercepts) fought hard in defence.

Late inclusion Toby McLean made a successful return from an ACL injury, while medical sub Mitch Wallis replaced key forward Aaron Naughton (ribs) after half-time.

The Bulldogs will now look ahead to next Sunday’s clash against West Coast at Optus Stadium.

GEELONG                                1.4       6.6       9.10     12.11 (83) 
WESTERN BULLDOGS             1.4       5.5       9.8       11.12 (78)

GOALS
Geelong: Cameron 2, Menegola 2, Rohan 2, Close, Hawkins, Dahlhaus, Selwood, Ratugolea, Parfitt
Western Bulldogs: Bruce 3, Scott 2, Liberatore, Weightman, Johannisen, Bontempelli, Daniel, McLean

BEST
Geelong: Stewart, Selwood, Menegola, Smith, Dangerfield, Parfitt
Western Bulldogs: Liberatore, Bontempelli, Macrae, Bruce, Daniel, Williams

INJURIES
Geelong: Duncan (knee), Henderson (hip) replaced in selected side by Narkle 
Western Bulldogs: Naughton (ribs), Martin (shoulder) replaced in selected side by McLean

SUBSTITUTES
Geelong: Higgins (replaced Duncan)
Western Bulldogs: Wallis (replaced Naughton)

Crowd: 6583 at GMHBA Stadium