Gemma Lagioia will return to the Western Bulldogs’ line-up on Friday night against Fremantle in Indigenous Round.

The 21-year-old was last seen at AFLW level in the final round of season six, and comes into the side for the injured Brit Gutknecht.

She is the sole inclusion this week.

Captain Ellie Blackburn will run out in the red, white and blue for the 50^th time – the first Bulldog to notch up the milestone.

AFLW INDIGENOUS ROUND >> BUY TICKETS TO DOGS V DOCKERS NOW

Celine Moody is set to start in the forward-line again, while Alice Edmonds assumes the number one ruck role.

Isabelle Pritchard and Rylie Wilcox will look to continue their impacts on the wings, while Katie Lynch leads from full-back.

The Bulldogs will wear Indigenous guernseys designed by former development coach and proud Noongar woman, Kirby Bentley, for the match.

The design highlights connection and empowerment, and includes four mounds, representing the leadership group; boomerangs, bringing people together; and the Aboriginal art symbols for woman, stars and meeting places repeated throughout.

The guernseys will also be auctioned off post-match, with a limited number available for sale at the Bulldogs Shop.

The first bounce will be at 5.10pm AEST at IKON Park tomorrow evening.

Channel 7 will broadcast the match live via 7mate, with score updates also available via @BulldogsW on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

AFLW Team | Round 3

Western Bulldogs v Fremantle

Friday 9 September, 5.10pm AEST

IKON Park, Wurundjeri Country

B: I Grant, K Lynch
HB: N Ferres, E Brown, S Hartwig
C: I Pritchard, J Fitzgerald, R Wilcox 
HF: D Berry, R Cranston, H Woodley
F: G Newton, C Moody
R: A Edmonds, E Blackburn, K Lamb
Int: B Hunt, D Bateman, E Georgostathis, E Bennetts, G Lagioia
Emer: M Brown, K Coyne, E Snell 

IN: G Lagioia

OUT: B Gutknecht (injured)

A LATE Gabby Newton goal has seen the Western Bulldogs continue their perfect start to the season, while Fremantle has slumped to a 0-3 start in season seven. 

Young Dog Rylie Wilcox starred as the Bulldogs fought out a three-point win, 3.5 (23) to Fremantle's 3.2 (20) at Ikon Park on Friday evening. 

In what was a mirror image of the matchup between the two sides last season, the Bulldogs snatched the win late after an entertaining arm wrestle of a game. 

Fremantle worked exceptionally hard from the opening siren to re-establish their brand after a less-than-ideal start to the season.

Led by Kiara Bowers (17 disposals, eight clearances) and Hayley Miller (16 disposals, seven tackles) in the middle, the Dockers found some real strength at the contest then, crucially, spread hard to create options to transition forward.

Ruck Mim Strom's positioning behind then ball and Aine Tighe's running in attack set them up well right from the start. 

But it was the Dogs' ability to take repeated contested marks down the ground to control the ball in the second half that put them in a winning position. 

With neat handballs through the corridor, the Dogs moved the ball inside 50 consistently, but the work of Emma O'Driscoll in the air, and a lack of pressure applied at ground level meant they didn't quite make the most of the chances they created.

Once they did find that forward pressure, however, the Dogs looked very dangerous in attack, with a strong tackle from third-gamer Heidi Woodley creating a set shot for Gabby Newton which put them in front early in the final quarter. 

Once Newton sparked the Bulldogs, they were able to play out the remainder of the game with the controlled game style that saw them win their opening two games, largely set up by Elle Bennetts on the wing and Katie Lynch out of defence. 

The Dogs have got themselves a good one 
With pick No.21 in the 2022 NAB AFLW Draft, the Western Bulldogs selected small, athletic winger Rylie Wilcox, and three games in to her AFLW career, she already looks like a special player. Playing a disciplined game on the outside, Wilcox's impeccable skills are backed up by an elite footy IQ. In the second quarter as the Dogs were searching for an avenue to goal, it was Wilcox who stood up, getting on the end of a kick inside 50 and gathering the ground ball at full speed before slotting her first goal in AFLW beautifully from deep in the pocket - and celebrated accordingly. 

Fremantle's tall duo is vital 
While discussions of Fremantle are generally centred around their midfield stars Hayley Miller and Kiara Bowers, it is a different pair who stood out against the Bulldogs. Ruck Mim Strom and forward Aine Tighe's impact, particularly in the first half, was key to getting the Dockers off to a strong start. Strom was starting in the ruck, and then pushing into defence to help her backline contain Celine Moody who was parked at full forward, while Tighe's ability to transition from the aerial ball to impacting at ground level created her side's first two goals.  

What's next? 
The Western Bulldogs will head to Box Hill City Oval to take on expansion side Hawthorn, while Fremantle returns to Fremantle Oval to host Carlton. 

WESTERN BULLDOGS             1.0     2.1     2.3     3.5     (23)  
FREMANTLE                            1.1     2.2     3.2     3.2     (20)  

GOALS  
Western Bulldogs: Cranston, Wilcox, Newton 
Fremantle: Tighe, East, Kauffman 

BEST   
Western Bulldogs: Wilcox, Lamb, Blackburn, Fitzgerald, Georgostathis 
Fremantle: Strom, Bowers, Miller, O'Driscoll, Pugh 

INJURIES   

Western Bulldogs: Nil 
Fremantle: Nil 

Reports: Nil  

Crowd: 1,058 at Ikon Park