MATCH INFO

Round 18 v Sydney Swans
Thursday 13 July
SCG
7.20pm AEST
Broadcast: Channel 7, Fox Footy, Kayo Sports
Admission: Tickets on sale here.

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2022 SUMMARY

Western Bulldogs 8th 12-10 108.9%
Sydney 3^rd 16-6 127.9%

FUN FACTS

• Since 2020, the Bulldogs have recorded a WLWL pattern against the Swans,
• The Dogs’ last win at the SCG was a 28-point triumph in round four, 2020
• The Bulldogs tasted premiership success over the Swans in 2016, breaking a 62-year flag drought with a 22-point victory
• James O’Donnell is set to play his first game at the SCG – the same venue his father, Simon played 17 ODIs at (registering 515 runs and 16 wickets)
• Marcus Bontempelli and Jack Macrae will bring up 200 games as teammates on Thursday – of those outings, they’ve played five together at the SCG - while Luke Beveridge will become the second-longest serving coach in Club history when he celebrates his 200^th match at the helm

LAST TIME THEY MET

Sydney 17.18 (120) def. Western Bulldogs 9.13 (67)

The Swans jumped the Bulldogs in the opening quarter of round 17 last season at the SCG, booting 7.8 (50) to the visitors’ 2.1 (13). To the Dogs’ credit, the second quarter was much-improved – levelling up around the contest to offer some better looks at goal and peg the margin back to 29 points – but Sydney responded again in the third. Adam Treloar (32 disposals, five marks) and Jack Macrae (26 disposals, four tackles) found plenty of the footy, while Tim English (13 disposals, 27 hit-outs, one goal) was impactful. Aaron Naughton and Cody Weightman both added two goals each.

TALKING POINTS

1.Bont and Jacko to reach double ton

Another week, another milestone.

This time it comes in the form of duo Marcus Bontempelli and Jack Macrae, who are set to notch up their 200^th match as teammates.

The pair have served as captain/vice-captain since last season, and have led by example in their careers to date.

Both are enjoying in-form 2023 campaigns too – Bontempelli is averaging 27 disposals, four marks, eight tackles and eight clearances, while Macrae is averaging 27 disposals, four marks, five tackles and four clearances.

2.Double century for the coach

Luke Beveridge will also celebrate a milestone of his own this week, when he reaches 200 games coached.

He is the second-longest serving coach in Bulldogs history – closing in on Ted Whitten’s 228 games coached – and has coached the most wins of all-time (113).

Beveridge’s winning percentage of 56.78% is also the highest winning ratio (minimum 30 games) among Bulldogs’ coaches.

A win against the Swans could also see the premiership coach claim a record eight victories against John Longmire too (Beveridge’s current record against other coaches is seven wins, which he has achieved against Longmire, Adam Simpson and Chris Fagan).

3.Up, up and away

Thursday’s clash will mark the Bulldogs’ fifth interstate match of the season, following trips to Adelaide (R5), Perth (R6), Canberra (R8) and Darwin (R11).

From those trips away, the Dogs currently sit with two wins and two losses – meaning they could improve their ledger with a victory over the Swans.

As mentioned, the Bulldogs’ last win at the SCG came in round four of 2020, and have claimed 11 triumphs over the Swans on their home deck in 30 outings.

If patterns are anything to go by too, their last four battles against Sydney have resulted in WLWL – with a much-needed W up for grabs.

The Western Bulldogs have gone down to the Sydney Swans in heartbreaking fashion on Thursday night at the SCG.

The Dogs recorded their eighth loss of the season, falling two points short in a spirited contest that ebbed and flowed over the four quarters.

A goal by Jamarra Ugle-Hagan at the 20-minute mark of the final term put the Bulldogs in front, but a quick response by Tom Papley – who booted four majors for the night – saw the Swans narrowly get over the line.

The result leaves the Bulldogs at risk of falling outside the top eight by the end of Round 18, with a crucial clash against Essendon looming next Friday night.

Despite the loss, which was a flip of the coin in the dying stages, the Dogs won all the key match indicators, including clearances (+18), contested possessions (+21) and inside 50s (+7).

The Bulldogs had the top three possession winners on the ground with Adam Treloar (33 touches), Marcus Bontempelli (31 disposals, eight tackles and two goals) and Tom Liberatore (31 possessions, including a game-high 20 contested) all prolific in a losing side.

Tim English amassed 60 hitouts – the highest tally of his career so far, eclipsing his next best of 40 which he achieved in Round 8 last year.

Aaron Naughton booted three goals, maintaining his streak of kicking at least one major in each of his games so far in the 2023 season.

The Dogs lost two key position players by half time, with James O’Donnell subbed out with concussion and Sam Darcy removed from the game with a corked thigh.

The Bulldogs skipped out to an early advantage with a strong first term, leading by 19 points at the first change, but the Swans kicked six of the next seven goals to threaten to take the game away from the visitors.

The Dogs steadied with the final three goals of the third term to wrestle back the momentum, but Sydney kicked three goals to two in the last quarter and hung on in the frenetic final exchanges.

SYDNEY                         2.3     6.7     8.9     11.12 (78)
WESTERN BULLDOGS    5.4     6.4     9.6     11.10 (76)

GOALS   
Sydney: Papley 4, Franklin 2, Florent 2, Rowbottom, Amartey, Heeney,  
Western Bulldogs: Naughton 3, Bontempelli 2, Liberatore, Vandermeer, Poulter, Weightman, Scott, Ugle-Hagan 

BEST   
Sydney: Gulden, Rowbottom, Parker, Florent, Papley 
Western Bulldogs: English, Liberatore, Bontempelli, Naughton, Richards, Treloar 

INJURIES   
Sydney: Melican (hamstring) 
Western Bulldogs: O'Donnell (concussion), Darcy (corked quad) 

SUBSTITUTES 
Sydney: Ryan Clarke (replaced Lewis Melican in the third quarter)
Western Bulldogs: Riley Garcia (replaced James O'Donnell in the second quarter)