MATCH DETAILS

When: Sunday 3 November
Where: Fremantle Oval, WA (Whadjuk)
First bounce: 7.05pm AEDT (4.05pm AWST)
Admission: Buy tickets now
Broadcast: Fox Footy, Kayo Sports

LAST MEETING

Round 3, 2022 (S7)
Western Bulldogs 3.5 (23) def. by Walyalup 3.2 (20)

Rylie Wilcox starred in the Bulldogs’ last meeting with the Dockers, fighting out a three-point win in Ellie Blackburn’s 50^th match. The Dogs snatched the win late thanks to a Gabby Newton goal, holding onto keep their perfect start to the season intact. Wilcox earned a Rising Star nomination for her efforts, which included 11 disposals and a goal, while Jess Fitzgerald (21 disposals, five clearances) and Blackburn (19 disposals, eight tackles) were among the Bulldogs’ best.

THE LINE-UP

‘SPIRIT STRONG, GAME ON’: 2024 INDIGENOUS ROUND

The people. The strength. The tradition.​ No matter where our game is played across this country—the red dirt desert, the small country town, or the epic tropical north—it transcends barriers by connecting people and communities—it always has.​

Football echoes in us all through time and down the generations, making us the caretakers of the code and the storytellers of the game so that we can pass it on just as it was passed onto us.​

It is the anthem of our existence and in its calling;​ We declare, "Spirit Strong, Game On."

For more on AFLW Indigenous Round and the Bulldogs’ First Nations history, please click here.

The Western Bulldogs have gone down to Walyalup by 14 points in the final game of the 2024 NAB AFLW home-and-away season.

Trailing by just five points at the final change, the hosts managed the only goal of the quarter to hand the Dogs a 4.11 (35) to 3.3 (21) defeat at Fremantle Oval. 

The Bulldogs started strong, pouncing for quick stoppage goals through Isabelle Pritchard and Heidi Woodley to snatch a 10-point lead at the first break despite having far fewer opportunities to go forward.

Walyalup dominated large periods of the game in the second term and finally got some reward for their effort, going inside-50 15 times to two for the quarter as Ebony Antonio and Tunisha Kikoak capitalised.

Building a six-point lead at half-time, the Bulldogs remained within striking distance due to the Dockers' inability to capitalise, and were near enough if good enough at the final change.

But the Dockers proved they mean business and ensured they can take a winning edge into finals.

Pritchard registered 20 disposals to go with eight tackles and seven clearances, while Jess Fitzgerald (20 disposals, seven tackles) impacted around the ground. 

Issy Grant (19 disposals, six marks), Maggie Gorham (18 disposals, six tackles) and Elisabeth Georgostathis (17 disposals, 11 tackles) held up well in defence.

The Bulldogs finish their 2024 campaign under first-year coach Tam Hyett 12th on the ladder, with four wins from 11 games. 

WALYALUP    0.3   2.7   3.8   4.11 (35)
WESTERN BULLDOGS    2.1   2.1   3.3   3.3 (21)

GOALS
Walyalup: Antonio, Kauffman, Kikoak, Mulholland
Western Bulldogs: Hartwig, Pritchard, Woodley

BEST
Walyalup: Strom, McCarthy, East, Newton, Pugh, O'Driscoll
Western Bulldogs: Pritchard, Edmonds, Fitzgerald, Grant, Gorham, Kimber

INJURIES
Walyalup: Nil 
Western Bulldogs: Nil

Crowd: 2,520 at Fremantle Oval