When: Saturday 3 May
Where: Mars Stadium, Wadawurrung
First bounce: 1:20pm AEST

Exhausted Tickets – Western Bulldogs v Port Adelaide

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 no further tickets will be made available.

Ballarat Reserved Seat Members can still use their season barcode to redeem a ticket.

Broadcast: Fox Footy, Kayo Sports
What’s on: See what’s on around the ground in our game-day guide.

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.

Not at the game? Head to Pirate Life South Melbourne for ice-cold beer, epic eats, and Bulldogs v Port live on the screens. Specials include $15 pots & chops, and 2-for-1 South Coasts for Bulldogs members.  

LAST MEETING

Round 17, 2024
Western Bulldogs 8.6 (54) def. by Port Adelaide 15.12 (102)

The Western Bulldogs fought valiantly in a 48-point defeat to Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval, showcasing strong resilience in a challenging encounter. A spirited final quarter, where they outscored the Power four goals to three, kept their determination evident.

Adam Treloar led brilliantly with a game-high 38 disposals, while Marcus Bontempelli (two goals, 21 disposals) and Tim English (two goals, 24 hit-outs, eight marks) made significant impacts.

Rhylee West also contributed with two majors, while Tom Liberatore’s nine clearances underscored the Bulldogs’ midfield grit against a dominant Port outfit.

THE LINE-UP

Ins: Adam Treloar, Lachie McNeil
Outs: Cooper Hynes, Josh Dolan
New: -

WHO TO WATCH

Running out for his 200th AFL match this Saturday afternoon, Jason Johannisen will bring up a major milestone when the Bulldogs take on Port Adelaide. The 32-year-old made his debut in 2012 and has since played 13 seasons in the red, white and blue.

A premiership player and Norm Smith Medallist, Johannisen has tallied 3635 disposals, 830 marks and 77 goals across his career. Known for his blistering pace and game-changing impact, the dynamic defender will look to add another momentous chapter to his already decorated journey.

WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY

• Martin Pegan, afl.com.au

The Western Bulldogs (4-3) are humming after brushing aside old foes Greater Western Sydney to make it back-to-back victories while showing few signs of their forward group being blunted by injuries. The Bulldogs have laid the foundations for a fortress in Ballarat having won nine of their 13 matches at the venue though two of their defeats have come against this week's opponents. 

Port Adelaide (4-3) hung on to beat an inspired North Melbourne to make it three wins on the bounce but will need to find another level when facing the in-form Western Bulldogs. The Power have tightened up their defence to restrict the opposition to fewer than 100 points for six weeks in a row but will need to be at the top of their game against the red-hot Dogs attack.

The Western Bulldogs have thrashed Port Adelaide by 90 points in windy and cold conditions at Ballarat's Mars Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The Bulldogs mastered the swirly breeze far better than their interstate opponents, with the Dogs' seven-goal-to-two third quarter into the wind highlighting their dominance of the game.

The Power never really threatened at any stage with the Bulldogs winning 20.11 (131) to 5.11 (41) in front of an intimate crowd of 4,814.

Key forward Aaron Naughton stood tall with an equal game-high three goals and seven marks. Naughton was joined by Tim English, who pushed forward from the ruck to hit the scoreboard with three of his own and Bulldogs skipper Marcus Bontempelli (three goals, 23 disposals).

The Dogs had 11 individual goalkickers and notched their highest score of the season in the comprehensive victory.

Zak Butters (24 disposals, six clearances) and Connor Rozee (29 disposals, 577m gained) toiled hard for the Power on a day where highlights were few and far between for Port.

Dogs veteran Adam Treloar made a successful return from a calf injury, playing his first game of the year and finishing with 27 disposals and a goal to his name.

A sensational goal from the boundary to star Ed Richards started the scoring for the second term and put the Dogs in front for the first time.

The midfielder's goal sparked a run of five unanswered majors for the Dogs, which included one to defender Luke Cleary who kicked the first of his career.

The Power's attempts to get the ball forward were quickly thwarted by Bulldogs defenders James O'Donnell and Rory Lobb (both eight intercept possessions), who owned the ball when it got to the centre of the ground.

Their intercepts, with the assistance of excellent ball users Jason Johannisen (five inside 50s, seven score involvements) and Bailey Dale (31 disposals), continually sent the ball back into the Dogs' forward line.

An end-to-end goal to Naughton made it six goals for the quarter and the Dogs went into the main break with a 26-point lead.

Port finally got on the board when spearhead Mitch Georgiades goaled, and milestone man Sam Powell-Pepper, playing his 150th game, also scored to give Power fans a glimmer of hope. 

But as soon as the Power lifted, the Dogs went up a gear led by their heroic skipper Bontempelli.

Bontempelli kicked two goals in quick succession, including a lovely left foot snap from near the 50m arc, making it look effortless despite the testing conditions.

The bite had well and truly come out of the game in the final term when the Dogs continued to add to their tally.

Bontempelli kicked his third, as did English among a five-goal-to-none final term for the winners.

WESTERN BULLDOGS    2.1    8.3    15.6   20.11 (131)
PORT ADELAIDE            2.4    3.7    5.8     5.11 (41)

GOALS
Western Bulldogs: Naughton 3, English 3, Bontempelli 3, Khamis 2, Richards 2, West 2, Sanders, Cleary, Freijah, McNeil, Treloar
Port Adelaide: Rioli 2, Sweet, Georgiades, Powell-Pepper

BEST
Western Bulldogs: Richards, Dale, English, Naughton, O’Donnell, Bontempelli
Port Adelaide: Rozee, Butters, Horne-Francis, Sweet

INJURIES
Western Bulldogs: Nil
Port Adelaide: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
Western Bulldogs: Jedd Busslinger (replaced Sam Davidson in the fourth quarter)
Port Adelaide: Jeremy Finlayson (replaced Joe Berry at half-time)

Crowd: 4,814 at Mars Stadium