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

When: Saturday 6 April
Where: Norwood Oval, Adelaide • Kaurna 
First bounce: 4:15pm AEST (3:45pm ACST)
Broadcast: Fox Footy, Kayo Sports
What’s on: Click here to find out what’s on for Bulldogs fans in South Australia during Gather Round...A Festival of Footy!

Tickets for our Gather Round clash with the Brisbane Lions are now SOLD OUT. This match is a fully ticketed event with no further tickets to be released.

Don’t just witness history. Be part of it: Sign up as a Bulldogs member TODAY.  

Already a member? After the game, look out for two member-exclusive pieces of content from the coaches. Stay across your email and the Club website to access.

Dogs fans are always welcome at Pirate Life’s venue in South Melbourne. Members receive 2-for-1 South Coast schooners every Bulldogs’ game day, as well as 10% off everything all day, every day. Just present your Bulldogs’ membership card to take advantage of this offer!

LAST MEETING

Round 13, 2024, Marvel Stadium
Western Bulldogs 10.11 (71) def. by Brisbane Lions 17.12 (114)

After a relatively even first quarter, the Bulldogs struggled to stem Brisbane's momentum, conceding 10 goals to five in the first half. This buffer ultimately proved too much in the end, with Lions forward Eric Hipwood leading the charge for the visitors with six majors and 13 marks.

Skipper Marcus Bontempelli broke-through a heavy tag for 19 disposals and three goals, while Adam Treloar collected 30, eight marks and a goal. The loss to the eventual 2024 premiers saw the Lions take a 23-22 lead in the overall head-to-head record with the Bulldogs.

THE LINE-UP

Ins: Hynes, Johannisen, Cleary
Outs: Baker, Vandermeer, Gallagher
New: Hynes

WHO TO WATCH

After a dominant, five-goal performance in last week’s loss to Fremantle, star forward Sam Darcy will be looking to carry that momentum into Gather Round, where he will face the Brisbane Lions for the first time in his 33-game career.

Darcy, who currently sits equal-fourth in the Coleman Medal race, is no stranger to a day out during the AFL’s annual Festival of Footy. His three-goal outing in 2024 against Geelong at Adelaide Oval earned him the Telstra AFL Rising Star nomination for round 4.

WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY

• Martin Pegan, afl.com.au

The Western Bulldogs (2-2) could be excused for not being too disappointed by an even win-loss record as they battle an early-season injury crisis but would have been left frustrated by their defeat to Fremantle. The Dogs pushed the Dockers to the line, just as they did in their earlier loss to the Pies but now need to stay in touch with the pacesetters even as they wait for the cavalry to arrive.

Brisbane (4-0) has subtly sent a warning across the competition as it makes an undefeated start to the season even while rarely hitting the heights that propelled it to the premiership last year. The Lions learned last year when slumping to a 0-3 record that early-season form does not necessarily define a season but won't mind chasing a 5-0 start to a campaign for the first time in club history.

The Western Bulldogs have been defeated by Brisbane in a tale of two halves at Norwood Oval.

The Dogs were clinical in the first half – booting seven goals to one in a second-quarter blitz – before Brisbane took control to claim the 18.10 (118) to 14.13 (97) win in Gather Round.

After an evenly-matched first term, the Bulldogs dominated the second, with goals to Sam Darcy, Sam Davidson and Aaron Naughton to name a few all contributing to a 33-point lead at halftime.

The Dogs stretched the lead out to 39 points early in the third, but once Brisbane found its groove, it was were almost unstoppable.

While two quick goals - including a sensational snap from Bailey Williams - brought the Dogs within arm’s reach late, unfortunately that was as close as they would get.

Liam Jones, Rory Lobb and Buku Khamis did their best to halt the Lions’ momentum late, while Tom Liberatore (24 disposals, five tackles), Matt Kennedy (27 disposals, six clearances, one goal) and Ed Richards (29 disposals, eight clearances) battled hard in the middle.

Naughton finished with three goals, while Sam Darcy was prominent with two goals from 16 disposals and eight marks.

> VOTE FOR YOUR COINSPOT ROUND 5 MVP

Josh Dolan slotted his maiden career goal in a moment to remember, while Jason Johannisen made a successful return from injury.

The Dogs will next host St Kilda on Easter Sunday at Marvel Stadium.

WESTERN BULLDOGS   2.4    9.8    11.12    14.13 (97)
BRISBANE                     3.3    4.5    11.6     18.10 (118)

GOALS
Western Bulldogs: Naughton 3, Darcy 2, Sanders, Freijah, Dolan, Davidson, Bramble, West, Williams, Kennedy, McNeil
Brisbane: Hipwood 5, Morris 4, Bailey 3, Rayner 2, Ah Chee 2, Wilmot, L.Ashcroft

BEST
Western Bulldogs: English, Lobb, Richards, Darcy, Sanders, Bramble
Brisbane: McCluggage, Dunkley, Fletcher, Hipwood, L.Ashcroft, Bailey

INJURIES
Western Bulldogs: Harmes (foot)
Brisbane: TBC

SUBSTITUTES
Western Bulldogs: Josh Dolan, replaced James Harmes in the first quarter
Brisbane: Will McLachlan, replaced Bruce Reville in the fourth quarter

Crowd: TBC at Norwood Oval