The Western Bulldogs have made four changes to their side ahead of Friday night’s sell-out Pride Round opener against Carlton at VU Whitten Oval.

Kirsten McLeod, Kim Rennie, Ellyse Gamble and Naomi Ferres come into the team, looking to add some experience and height coming off the back of last week’s narrow round one loss.

It will be McLeod’s first competitive hit-out of season 2021, having missed both the season-opener and practice match last month.

Making way are Lauren Spark, Dani Marshall, Gemma Lagioia and Brit Gutknecht (emergency).

Issy Grant has been named as the other emergency, for the second consecutive week.

The annual Pride game between the Dogs and Blues was invented to celebrate and support the LGBTIQA+ community, and to create a safe space for people to express themselves and be accepted for who they are. 

This season will see the first dedicated Pride Round, with all teams included in the celebrations.

The Bulldogs will run out in a specially-designed Pride guernsey and wear rainbow-coloured socks to mark the occasion.

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

You can also visit our AFLW match-day hub for more information.

ROUND 2 TEAM

Western Bulldogs v Carlton
Friday 5 February, 7.45pm AEDT
VU Whitten Oval

B: Angelica Gogos, Ellyse Gamble
HB: Sarah Hartwig, Katie Lynch, Eleanor Brown
C:  Kirsten McLeod, Ellie Blackburn, Bailey Hunt
HF: Jess Fitzgerald, Izzy Huntington, Brooke Lochland
F:            Bonnie Toogood, Deanna Berry
Foll: Celine Moody, Liz Georgostathis, Kirsty Lamb
Int: Nell Morris-Dalton, Kim Rennie, Naomi Ferres, Ash Guest, Gabby Newton
Emer: Issy Grant, Brit Gutknecht

Italicised players indicate inclusions.

A sensational final quarter from skipper Ellie Blackburn has helped the Western Bulldogs come from behind to sink Carlton at VU Whitten Oval and record their first win of the 2021 AFL Women’s season.

In front of a pro-Bulldogs crowd of more than 3,400 people, Blackburn led the Bulldogs to a famous win to start Pride Round.

The captain kicked two final quarter goals – and Kirsten McLeod followed suit with her second of the contest – to overturn a 10-point deficit at the last change.

A brave Bulldogs’ outfit repelled repeated attacks from the Blues, who peppered the ball inside-50 for the second half of the term.

It was the Bulldogs by one straight kick at the final siren.

Blackburn finished with 22 disposals in a best on ground performance.

Kirsty Lamb (16 disposals) again found plenty of the ball, while young guns Gabby Newton and Jess Fitzgerald had 14 disposals a piece.

In the first quarter, the Bulldogs controlled the play but couldn’t cash in on the scoreboard.

They had 13 inside-50s to the Blues’ three. However, the Blues kicked the only major of the term, with the Bulldogs collecting four behinds for their efforts.

It was the Blues who then kicked away after the break, with the first two majors to further open their lead.

With the game threatening to get away from them, the Bulldogs’ stood tall to reduce the deficit to just five points at half time.

Izzy Huntington kicked her first from a tight angle, before impressive second-gamer Jess Fitzgerald finished coolly on the run for her first AFLW major.

It was Kirsten McLeod who opened the scoring after half time, making amends for an early miss and giving the Bulldogs the lead. But the Blues found a reply in a tense term, going into the final term with a 10-point advantage.

But from there – the Bulldogs persevered and came away with the win.

WESTERN BULLDOGS                     0.4          2.4          3.6          6.6          (42)
CARLTON                                         1.0          3.3          5.4          5.6          (36)

Goals
Western Bulldogs: Blackburn 2, McLeod 2, Fitzgerald, Huntington
Carlton: Harris 2, Gee, Loynes, O’Dea

Best
Western Bulldogs: Blackburn, Fitzgerald, Lamb, Newton, McLeod
Carlton: Prespakis, Gee, Hill, Harris, Hosking

Crowd: 3,479 at VU Whitten Oval