When and where: Sunday 18 August, 1.10pm AEST, Marvel Stadium 
Broadcast: Fox Footy, Kayo
Head-to-head: Played 168 (won 86, drawn three, lost 79)
Last time we met: Round 16 2023, WB 11.11 (77) def. North Melbourne 9.6 (60)

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What it means

A slip to the Crows means the Bulldogs will need to win their final two games to remain in control of their own destiny this finals series. A win against both will likely see them finish 6^th, while one loss will see them likely finish 8^th (pending other results). The Roos will be hungry after letting West Coast steal their thunder in the dying minutes last weekend, so the Bulldogs will need to stay alert.

Who to watch

Sam Darcy is set to play as the number one ruck this weekend, with Tim English sidelined with an ankle complaint. It’s a challenge the 21-year-old should relish, having accumulated 24 clearances (1.3 average) and 122 hit-outs (6.8 average) from his 18 games this season, playing a mix of forward-ruck.

Member Thank You Round

The game will mark Member Thank You Round, celebrating the Dogs’ record-breaking 60,000+ members for their commitment to the red, white and blue through a number of initiatives.

This week is also the Club’s Tribute Round, paying respect to those who have left us in the past year after making a profound impact on the Club and the western suburbs. The players will wear black armbands, and a tribute will be held pre-game.

Find out more about all the game-day activities by visiting our match centre. 

Check before you travel

Buses/coaches replace trains on sections of the Belgrave, Lilydale, Sunbury, Bendigo, Geelong and Warrnambool lines, and there will be disruptions to tram routes 30 and 35 (City Circle).

La Trobe Street will be closed between Queen Street and Victoria Street until Friday 30 August.

Visit bigbuild.vic.gov.au/disruptions/special-events to plan your journey ahead of time.

Sam Darcy has kicked a career-best seven goals as the Western Bulldogs all but secured a finals berth with a commanding 96-point win over North Melbourne.

Darcy was under pressure after kicking a wayward 1.5 in the previous round but responded superbly in the 20.18 (138) to 6.6 (42) victory at Marvel Stadium on Sunday.

The 208cm target took advantage of his teammates' midfield dominance and the Kangaroos' undermanned defence, finishing with 7.1 in a win that tightened the Bulldogs' grip on a top-eight spot.

The Dogs (13-9) sit sixth and are guaranteed to play finals if they beat Greater Western Sydney in Ballarat in round 24, but could still qualify regardless of that result.

Darcy took nine marks, including four contested, and had 20 disposals on his way to kicking the second biggest bag of goals by any player this season.

Jamarra Ugle-Hagan (three goals), Aaron Naughton and Cody Weightman (two each) were also among the Bulldogs' six multiple goalkickers.

With No.1 ruckman Tim English (ankle) sidelined, versatile tall Rory Lobb was handed the job against All-Australian candidate Tristan Xerri and helped the Bulldogs midfield generate a landslide 69-34 advantage in inside 50s.

Adam Treloar (33 disposals), Marcus Bontempelli (29), Joel Freijah (29) and Tom Liberatore (23) had plenty of touches in a dominant midfield unit.

The margin ballooned to 41 points by the main break on the back of the Dogs' midfield dominance, which resulted in one-sided counts for inside 50s (35-18) and marks inside 50m (10-4) to that point.

The switched-on Bulldogs even led tackles (27-18) despite controlling the bulk of possession.

It was the Bulldogs' seventh consecutive win over North Melbourne, which completes its season against finals hopeful Hawthorn in Launceston on Saturday.

Match Details

WESTERN BULLDOGS          5.3     9.10     16.15     20.18 (138)
NORTH MELBOURNE            3.4      3.5        4.5          6.6 (42)  

GOALS
Western Bulldogs: Darcy 7, Ugle-Hagan 3, Weightman 2, Richards 2, Naughton 2, Macrae 2, Williams, Vandermeer
North Melbourne: Hansen 2, Xerri, Wardlaw, Scott, Larkey

BEST
Western Bulldogs: Darcy, Liberatore, Bontempelli, Treloar, Freijah, Richards
North Melbourne: Xerri, Davies-Uniacke, Fisher, Simpkin, McKercher

INJURIES
Western Bulldogs: Nil
North Melbourne: Comben (concussion), Bergman (concussion)

SUBSTITUTES
Western Bulldogs: Jack Macrae (replaced Rhylee West in the third quarter)
North Melbourne: Miller Bergman (replaced Charlie Comben in the first quarter)

Crowd: 33,182 at Marvel Stadium