When and where: Saturday 15 June, 1.45pm AEST, Marvel Stadium (Wurundjeri)
Broadcast: Fox Footy/Kayo
Head-to-head: Played 39 (won 20, lost 19) 
Last time we met: Round 7 2024, WB 10.11 (71) def. by Fremantle 14.11 (95)

Secure your tickets today: BUY NOW

For the third consecutive year, we’ve broken our all-time membership record. Unleash more with a Bulldogs membership and help us get to 60k: SIGN UP TODAY 

What it means

Saturday afternoon will present a prime opportunity for the Bulldogs to respond at home, after a disappointing outing to Brisbane last weekend. Boosted by the returns of Cody Weightman and Ed Richards along with Anthony Scott, the Dogs will be licking their lips to host Fremantle, seven games after last meeting them in Perth. Contributing to that loss was a last-quarter lapse which allowed the Dockers’ midfield to dominate – so the Dogs will have a point to prove come Saturday.

Who to watch

The Bulldogs will be buoyed by the early return of Cody Weightman this weekend, flying through his rehab to become available earlier than first anticipated. Ironically, the clever small forward will return to the action against the same team he last faced – back in Round 7. His energy and creativity inside-50 will be fun to watch as he looks to pick up where he left off.

Triple-header treat

Both of the Bulldogs’ state-league teams will be looking to get back on the winners list this Saturday, hosting the VFL Swans and VFLW Demons at Mission Whitten Oval. It might not be a perfect curtain-raiser to the AFL clash given timings, but will no doubt allow any die-hard Dogs’ fans the opportunity to consume as much footy as possible. With the ‘Scray on from 11.05am at Whitten, the AFL on from 1.45pm at Marvel and the VFLW on from 3.30pm back at Whitten, hopefully the red, white and blue can go 3/3 this weekend.

50 up for West

Bulldogs’ father-son Rhylee West will notch up his half-century this weekend – due reward for the 23year-old utility. Having found his spot in the team over the past two years, West has played all but one match this season (missing Round 8 through suspension) to average 12.5 disposals, 2.7 tackles and 3.5 marks. A fan favourite known for his pressure and repeat-efforts, hopefully the Dogs can celebrate the son of a gun with a win on Saturday.

Check before you travel

Avoid public transport and road disruptions this Saturday afternoon by checking before you travel.

Buses replace trains on sections of the Frankston, Lilydale, Bairnsdale and Geelong/Warrnambool lines, while Footscray Road will be closed in both directions between CityLink and Waterfront Way.

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

The pressure and pace of the Western Bulldogs proved far too much for Fremantle in a 67-point triumph at Marvel Stadium on Saturday. 

The Dogs – keeping their own finals hopes well and truly alive with a hard-working, scintillating performance – kicked five goals to one in the second term to set up the 23.11 (149) to 12.10 (82) victory.

Fremantle was coming off the bye, and it showed. The Dockers – like they did against Melbourne – struggled to get going while the Western Bulldogs were sharp.

The Dogs kicked 2.2 from their first five inside 50s, Cody Weightman celebrating his return from a serious elbow injury with the opening goal and finishing with three for the match.

While Fremantle's midfield has been a cut above the competition this year, the combination of Tom Liberatore, Marcus Bontempelli, Ed Richards and Adam Treloar held firm against Nat Fyfe, Caleb Serong, Andy Brayshaw and Hayden Young, overwhelming the Dockers' normally resolute defence as they started to build out the match-winning lead.

The momentum continued into the second half – half-back Lachie Bramble (in arguably a career-best game) drifted forward and was duly rewarded, Tim English plucked the ball from a sea of opponents and Jamarra Ugle-Hagan booted two in a minute and suddenly the Dogs had kicked another five in the first 12 minutes of the term.

It was the type of fast, high-pressure footy of which Dogs fans know their side are more than capable, but don't always produce. The result saw the margin balloon out to 58 points, before Young began to assert himself in the centre bounces, dragging the Dockers back into the game.

Fremantle didn't lie down, kicking six of seven goals either side of three-quarter time, just to make things a little bit interesting, but Weightman's third put paid to any idle musings of a comeback.

Rhylee West finished with four in his 50th game, while Bontempelli's goal of the year contender saw him finish with three goals from 30 touches. 

Without Alex Keath (hamstring), the Bulldogs defence looked slightly outsized by the Docker talls, but the Dogs solved that issue by simply limiting the supply into Fremantle's forward line, while young key back James O'Donnell also impressed in his 21st game.

Match Details

WESTERN BULLDOGS 4.5    9.8    15.11    23.11 (149)
FREMANTLE                 4.1     5.4       9.5       12.10 (82)

GOALS

Western Bulldogs: West 4, Weightman 3, Ugle-Hagan 3, Lobb 3, Bontempelli 3, Gallagher 2, English 2, Treloar, Richards, Bramble
Fremantle: Sturt 3, Banfield 3, Treacy 2, Jackson 2, Frederick, Amiss

BEST

Western Bulldogs: Liberatore, Bontempelli, Treloar, Bramble, Dale, West
Fremantle: Young, Serong, Banfield, Jackson, Clark

INJURIES

Western Bulldogs: Nil
Fremantle: Walters (hamstring)

LATE CHANGES

Western Bulldogs: Nil
Fremantle: Heath Chapman (hamstring awareness) replaced by Karl Worner

SUBSTITUTES

Western Bulldogs: Caleb Daniel (replaced Anthony Scott at three-quarter time)
Fremantle: Matthew Johnson (replaced Michael Walters in the second quarter)

Crowd: 21,796 at Marvel Stadium