MATCH DETAILS

When: Thursday 17 October
Where: IKON Park
First bounce: 7.15pm AEDT
Admission: Buy tickets now
Membership: Sign up today
Broadcast: Fox Footy and Kayo Sports

LAST MEETING

Round 6, 2023
Western Bulldogs 4.10 (34) def. by Carlton 8.5 (53)

A slow start from the Bulldogs proved costly in their last outing against Carlton, unable to reel in a three-goal deficit for the remainder of the game. The Blues kicked the only two goals of the third stanza and led by 30 points at three-quarter time, but the Bulldogs fought hard in the final stages, registering seven scoring shots to one and winning the last term on the scoreboard. Lizzy Georgostathis was the Dogs’ leading ball-winner on the ground with 29 disposals and five clearances in an outstanding performance, while Ellie Blackburn was the team’s barometer again, collecting 27 touches and taking a game-high eight marks.

THE LINE-UP

Ins: Naomi Ferres, Analea McKee
Outs: Zimmie Farquharson, Brooke Barwick

WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY

– Gemma Bastiani, womens.afl

The Bulldogs were placed under a microscope after last week's highly defensive game style, so now questions will be asked if that changes this week after such intense scrutiny. Should they stick to it, another slog will be on the cards, with these two teams the lowest scoring sides of the season, but if the Dogs throw off the shackles and make use of their speed in attack, there is potential for a tense, attacking game from both sides. Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, they are simply struggling to get their hands on the footy, particularly at the contest. Averaging just 97 contested possessions per game – the only club to average fewer than 100 in the last two seasons – they hand the opposition control from the outset.

Carlton will have identified this and, amidst their own worries, a focus on the contested ball all season will have them in good stead, particularly in Abbie McKay's 50th AFLW match. The Blues have struggled with their connection going inside 50, and have found their most dangerous footy when opting to run the ball forward rather than pick off a marking target in attack. When their midfielders are kicking goals, they look most likely to challenge on the scoreboard.

The Western Bulldogs have responded to their critics with an emphatic 33-point win over Carlton at Ikon Park on Thursday night.

The Dogs came out with ferocious intensity, showing the crowd, their opponents and the AFLW community that they can play an attacking, entertaining brand of football.

After finishing the past two games goalless, the Dogs had eight individual goalkickers to walk away with a 9.7 (61) to 4.4 (28) win in front of a crowd of 1,320.

The loss almost certainly puts the Blues out of finals contention, as Mathew Buck's side drops to 13th on the ladder.

After a tough week where their defensive match tactics were questioned, the Bulldogs came out firing, kicking the first of the game through forward Heidi Woodley.

It then went goal for goal, with new Blue Celine Moody kicking her side's first against her old side, followed shortly after via Naomi Ferres who put one through on the goal line.

Carlton's young rising star Keeley Sherar, who kicked the matchwinner against Fremantle in week seven, scored her second goal in consecutive games when she snapped on her non-preferred from a stoppage inside 50.

But it was slim pickings for the Blues after the Sherar goal with the Bulldogs adding on the next three through No.1 draft pick Kristie-Lee Weston-Turner, captain Deanna Berry and Analea McKee.

Defenders Mimi Hill and Harriet Cordner tried to stop the Dogs' ascendency, and eventually the Blues got on the board when young forward Keeley Skepper scored Carlton's first goal since the nine-minute mark of the second term just before three-quarter time, reducing the margin to 14 points.

The Dogs didn't take their foot off the pedal though, adding to the Blues' pain when they kicked a further four goals in the final term, making it the Dogs' third win for the season.

Dogs brush aside goalscoring woes
Bulldogs senior coach Tam Hyett would have breathed a sigh of relief when forward Heidi Woodley kicked the first goal of the match. Hyett has come under immense criticism in the past week following her side's defensive tactics against Essendon in last week's marquee Pride game. But against the Blues they had eight goalkickers, putting the talk of defensive footy to bed.

Pritchard is prime time
Isabelle Pritchard's game has gone from strength to strength this season. The tall midfielder with a belting left foot has been compared to the Bulldogs' men's captain Marcus Bontempelli and she put on a show with 25 disposals, 15 contested possessions and a goal. Pritchard's improvement will be a silver lining to captain Ellie Blackburn's season-ending injury.

Up next
Carlton and the Western Bulldogs now have a 10-day break, with their week nine matches taking place next Sunday afternoon. The Bulldogs will play St Kilda at Mars Stadium in Ballarat at 1.05pm AEDT, while Carlton will be looking to reset when it takes on rival Collingwood at Victoria Park at 3.05pm AEDT.

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MATCH DETAILS

CARLTON                              1.4     2.4     3.4     4.4 (28)
WESTERN BULLDOGS          2.0     4.5     5.6     9.7 (61)

GOALS
Carlton: Skepper, Sherar, C.Moody, Brown
Western Bulldogs: Hartwig 2, Woodley, Weston-Turner, McKee, Ferres, Berry, Pritchard, Grigg

BEST 
Carlton: B.Moody, Hill, McKay, Cordner, Guerin, Good
Western Bulldogs: Pritchard, Fitzgerald, Berry, Wilcox, Woodley

INJURIES
Carlton: Nil
Western Bulldogs: Edmonds (ankle)

LATE CHANGES
Carlton: Darcy Vescio (delayed concussion) replaced in selected side by Amelia Velardo
Western Bulldogs: Nil