AFL Round 13

Western Bulldogs v Hawthorn
Thursday 5 June | 7:30pm AEST
Marvel Stadium, Docklands • Wurundjeri
Broadcast: Channel 7, Kayo/Foxtel

> GAME-DAY GUIDE

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LAST MEETING

Elimination Final, 2024
Western Bulldogs 9.8 (62) def. by Hawthorn 14.15 (99)

The Western Bulldogs showed flashes of class but ultimately seized early control in a 37-point elimination final defeat to Hawthorn. Despite rallying late in front of nearly 98,000 fans, the Dogs couldn’t catch the Hawks, ending their 2024 campaign.  

Adam Treloar was a driving force with a team-high 28 disposals and 447 metres gained, while Caleb Daniel (23 disposals) and Tom Liberatore (25 disposals, four tackles) were relentless at the contest. 

Captain Marcus Bontempelli ignited a final-quarter push with a composed goal from 18 touches, Aaron Naughton was dangerous with three majors, and Sam Darcy stood tall.

THE LINE-UP

WHO TO WATCH

Fan favourite Adam Treloar is set to ignite excitement for the red, white and blue as he makes his return on Thursday night. The 32-year-old midfielder-forward, who debuted in 2012, has crafted an impressive 13-season career across three clubs, now proudly representing the Western Bulldogs.  

Treloar’s elite disposal, kicking and handball skills have made him a consistent game-changer, accumulating more than 250 games and 155 goals to date. Last season, he delivered a standout performance against the Hawks with 28 disposals, 15 kicks and an impressive 447 metres gained showcasing his strong influence across the ground. Fans will be eager to see him build on this form while helping his team get on top in the middle. 

WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY

• Martin Pegan, AFL.com.au

The Western Bulldogs (6-5) dropped out of the top eight for the first time since round five while they had a bye but now have an opportunity to leapfrog Hawthorn and jump straight back in. The Dogs can turn to their hot streak at Marvel Stadium where they have won their past nine matches though the Hawks had the better of them when they met at the venue last year and again in an elimination final. 

Hawthorn (7-5) has fallen back into the chasing pack after three consecutive defeats to top-four contenders and now needs to beat another finals hopeful just to be sure to hold onto its place in the eight. The Hawks have averaged only 37 tackles in their past two matches as their pressure has dried up as much as their scoring in a couple of key areas they must turn around on the main stage.

The Western Bulldogs have fallen to a fired-up Hawthorn by 22 points in a highly anticipated clash at Marvel Stadium.

An important game for the Dogs coming off the bye, the team was outclassed by the Hawks and unable to find a consistent rhythm throughout the match.

While it was a close contest at times, the Dogs were unable to claw back the deficit after conceding a 24-point lead heading into the first break.

Midfielders Matthew Kennedy and Ed Richards continued their impressive run of form in 2025, finishing with 29 and 25 disposals respectively, while also hitting the scoreboard with one goal each.

A versatile Rory Lobb was crucial for the Dogs, able to make an impact in defence before moving forward to register eight marks and kick an important goal in the third quarter.

With Lobb shifting into attack, James O'Donnell stood tall in the backline, with the young defender continuing to showcase his ability to read the play well and disrupt the Hawks' repeat entries with a game-high 10 intercept marks.

Speaking following the game, Senior Coach Luke Beveridge credited the Hawks on their ability to bring the pressure while acknowledging the Dogs' need to respond better to the opposition. 

“When you’re discussing what is required and what is going to unfold in the game, everyone knew—off the back of some bad press and scrutiny over a period of time—that they were going to find a way in the contested and pressure stakes. And they did, so they get credit for that," the coach said following the game

“We knew we were going to have to work our way through it. I think that was a problem for a fair portion of the game. When we actually got out, we put it back into pressure. And when we got out, we didn’t use the ball particularly well.

“They had us in a stranglehold, and the times we looked like maybe we’d break out of it, they got us back in it.

“We’re half-and-half, six and six, and we know that’s part of our game that needs to improve for larger portions of the game.”

The Bulldogs will regroup ahead of next Thursday night’s clash with St Kilda.

Match Summary: 

WESTERN BULLDOGS   1.2    4.5    7.7      8.11 (59)
HAWTHORN                  5.2    8.4    10.5    12.9 (81)

GOALS
Western Bulldogs: Vandermeer 2, Richards, Kennedy, Harmes, Williams, Lobb, Khamis
Hawthorn: Chol 4, Ginnivan 2, Weddle, Nash, Newcombe, Macdonald, Gunston, Impey

BEST
Western Bulldogs: Richards, Freijah, Dale, O'Donnell, Kennedy, Lobb
Hawthorn: Newcombe, Chol, Meek, Weddle, Ginnivan, Ward, Hardwick

INJURIES
Western Bulldogs: Nil
Hawthorn: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
Western Bulldogs: Josh Dolan (replaced Lachie McNeil in the third quarter)
Hawthorn: Changkuoth Jiath (replaced James Worpel in the third quarter)

Crowd: 35,725 at Marvel Stadium