AFL Round 8

Western Bulldogs v Port Adelaide
Saturday 3 May | 1:20pm AEST
Mars Stadium, Ballarat • Wadawurrung
Broadcast: Kayo/Foxtel

Ticketing Information

Tickets for the 2025 AFL Round 8 Match between Western Bulldogs v Port Adelaide on Saturday, May 3 at Mars Stadium are now exhausted.

This match is a fully ticketed event and should further tickets become available, they will be released via Ticketmaster on a date to be announced.

Ballarat Reserved Seat Members can still use their season barcode to redeem a ticket.

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

Match Details

Round 9 v West Coast
When: Saturday 28 October
Where: Mineral Resources Park, WA
First bounce: 5.05pm AEDT (2.05pm AWST)
Admission: $10 for adults, U18 free. Purchase/redeem here
Membership: Sign up here
Broadcast: Fox Footy, AFL & AFLW official apps.

2022 (S7) Summary

Western Bulldogs 7^th 7-3 109.8%
West Coast 16^th 2-8 53.2% 

Last Meeting

Round 9, 2022 (S7)
West Coast 3.5 (23) def. by Western Bulldogs 8.7 (55)

The Bulldogs recorded a much-needed win over the Eagles late in season seven, prevailing by 32 points away from home. The visitors controlled the match from the outset, mostly due to their straight kicking as the Eagles fumbled the ball and their opportunities in front of goal. They were also committed to bringing a strong pressure game, out-tackling the Eagles 24-9 in the opening quarter to set the tone, and 61-37 for the match. Kirsty Lamb led the midfield with 21 disposals and five clearances, joined by Isabelle Pritchard (18 and three). De Berry and Sarah Hartwig both added two majors each.

Talking Points

Best of the West

Saturday’s outing will mark the fourth between the two sides, and while each one has been played in WA, the Bulldogs hold a positive ledger.

The Dogs have won two of those three games by a collective 92 points – after losing their inaugural encounter by just four points - and are desperate to record their maiden win before the season’s end.

The Eagles on the other hand are coming off an upset win over the Bombers, carrying a lot of momentum into their second-last home match of the season.

Which team will be best of the West?

Opportunities for others

With the Bulldogs’ injury list sitting at eight unavailable players and three tests, there’s a chance we could see more train-on players make their red, white and blue debuts this weekend.

As coach Nathan Burke mentioned in his post-match press conference, it’s important to find some positive stories – particularly when the on-field results aren’t going their way.

Reigning VFLW joint best and fairest winner, Jorja Borg, was just one of those feel-good stories against the Swans.

Whether there are more stories this weekend remains to be seen. 

Gutknecht cleared

In more positive news, Brit Gutknecht is free to play against West Coast after overcoming a rough conduct charge at the tribunal last night.

Gutknecht was referred directly to the tribunal following an incident in the third quarter of the Bulldogs’ clash with Sydney, with her tackle on Paige Sheppard initially graded as careless, severe impact and high contact.

Gutknecht was facing a ban of three-plus matches, but the Bulldogs successfully had the case thrown out on the basis that the tribunal did not assess the act as careless.

The Western Bulldogs have broken through for their first win of the 2023 AFLW season, defeating West Coast on the road by eight points on Saturday afternoon.

In a season riddled with injuries and disappointing results, the Bulldogs finally got their reward for effort in the penultimate round of the campaign.

The Dogs led from start to finish at Mineral Resources Park, surviving a second half comeback from the Eagles to win 6.8.44 to 5.6.36.

The Bulldogs led by 26 points at the five-minute mark of the third quarter, before West Coast booted the final three goals of the contest.

A Charlotte Thomas set shot with 6.21 on the clock in the final stanza got the home side to within eight points, but the Dogs halted the momentum and saw out the game impressively.

Skipper Ellie Blackburn was again the lynchpin for the Bulldogs in the victory, putting in a superb performance which included 32 disposals (a career-high), nine marks, five tackles and a game-high 665 metres gained.

In the final quarter alone, she amassed 12 possessions and took three marks, in the face of the opposition’s fierce pressure.

The Bulldogs’ defence stood up admirably.  Gabby Newton led the charge, registering an equal career-high 19 disposals and taking five marks.

Issy Grant took six marks, while Liz Georgostathis continued her fine season with 16 possessions.

Alice Edmonds made a triumphant return from injury, winning 27 hitouts, kicking a goal and finishing with 15 touches.

Daisy Bateman and Rylie Wilcox were impressive on the wings, while Jess Fitzgerald registered a game-high eight tackles.

Kirsty Lamb became just the second Bulldogs player (behind Blackburn) to register 1000 AFLW disposals, to go with a goal and seven score involvements.

WEST COAST                            1.1   2.2   4.4   5.6 (36)
WESTERN BULLDOGS             2.1   4.3   6.7   6.8 (44)

GOALS
West Coast: Gibson 2, Bartlett, Lewis, Thomas
Western Bulldogs: Edmonds, Hartwig, Hunt, Lamb, Pritchard, Woodley

BEST
West Coast: Swanson, Thomas, Roberts, Smith, Lewis, Gooch
Western Bulldogs: Blackburn, Edmonds, Newton, Bateman, Carruthers

INJURIES
West Coast: Nil
Western Bulldogs: Pritchard (knee), Woodley (ankle)

Crowd: 1,147 at Mineral Resources Park