Sydney v Western Bulldogs
Friday 27 June | 7:40pm AEST
SCG, Sydney • Gadigal
Broadcast: Channel 7, Kayo/Foxtel

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LAST MEETING

Round 20, 2024
Sydney 7.6 (48) def. by Western Bulldogs 12.15 (87) 

The Western Bulldogs delivered a commanding performance in Round 20 last year, controlling the contest from the outset to claim a 39-point win at the SCG. The Bulldogs kept the Swans goalless in the opening term and maintained their grip on the match across all four quarters. 

Aaron Naughton was a dominant presence up forward, finishing with 18 disposals and 10 marks, while Sam Darcy and Rhylee West also hit the scoreboard to stretch Sydney’s defence. Captain Marcus Bontempelli led from the front with 22 disposals and a goal, while Tom Liberatore brought his trademark toughness around the stoppages, collecting 22 touches and eight clearances.

THE LINE-UP

WHO TO WATCH

Marcus Bontempelli will run out for his 250th AFL match this week, marking a major milestone for the Bulldogs’ captain and 2016 premiership hero. 

Since debuting in 2014, the six-time All Australian and four-time Charles Sutton Medallist has built a legacy of leadership, class and clutch moments. With 243 career goals and three AFLPA MVP awards to his name already, he has remained a dominant and consistent force through the midfield. So far in 2025, Bontempelli has continued to impress, averaging 24.9 disposals, 13.4 kicks and 5.9 clearances.

The captain will be looking to draw on his experience in the clash with the Swans, a side he regularly performs well against.

WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY

• Martin Pegan, afl.com.au

Sydney (6-8) almost shot itself in the foot as it dominated much of the game against Port Adelaide but failed to put it away due to a horror show in front of goal. The Swans got away with their wayward kicking against the Power but will face finer margins as they continue their late-season push against a Bulldogs outfit hoping to make its own tilt at a top-four spot. 

The Western Bulldogs (8-6) outclassed Richmond on the way to a fifth thumping win of the season that lifted them back into the top eight for the first time in a month. The Dogs are still to prove their credentials against other finals contenders and while the Swans might be paying the price for a sluggish start to the season, they remain the type of big scalp likely needed on the run home.

The Western Bulldogs have saluted in skipper Marcus Bontempelli's milestone game, edging Sydney by nine points in an SCG shootout on Friday night.

The Dogs had control early before the Swans fought back nearing half-time, but the Dogs pulled clear late in an entertaining second half to secure the 16.9 (105) to 14.12 (96) victory.

After the Dogs got out to a game-high 28-point lead midway through the second term, the Swans kicked the next five to hit the front early in the third quarter and kickstart a third-term shootout.

There were six lead changes for the quarter as both sides went on the attack, kicking six goals a piece in an entertaining quarter.

Bontempelli was at his bustling best in game No.250 as he gathered 18 disposals and booted a critical goal just as the Swans were threatening to pull away in the third term. 

But the Bulldogs captain was outshone by his sidekick Freijah as the 19-year-old then booted a pair of long bombs and finished with 23 touches as well as a career-high four majors. 

With Swans tagger James Jordon locking down on the Dogs' electrifying Ed Richards, mature-age recruits Matt Kennedy (15 disposals, two goals) and Lachie Bramble (28, one) lifted in the midfield as the visitors tried to hang on. 

The Dogs' twin towers Sam Darcy and Aaron Naughton looked set to blow the game wide open as they booted three goals each in the first half against the Swans' undermanned defence. 

But with Tom McCartin a late withdrawal before the first bounce and Dane Rampe subbed out in the third term, the Swans backline was led by Lewis Melican and Aaron Francis.

Heeney overcame an unusually quiet start where his only disposal of the opening term came on the cusp of the first break to spark the Swans in the forward half. 

The gun midfielder snapped a classy goal from deep in the forward pocket just after Swans teammates had missed a pair of simple set shots, then tore the game open in the second half. 

'Baby Bont' rises to the occasion:
Marcus Bontempelli's 250th match soon became a subplot with the Dogs searching for a big scalp to prove their top-four credentials and the Swans showing signs of returning to form in a shootout at the SCG.

As Isaac Heeney was turning the game at the other end, the Bulldogs' skipper took matters into his own hands with a classy snap off his left boot to drag his side back into the contest in the third term.

Bontempelli was almost outdone by emerging teammate Joel Freijah who booted the next two majors of the game as the Dogs reclaimed the lead.

Bontempelli was at his imposing best back at the coalface as he finished with 18 disposals while his protégé gathered 23 of his own as well as four majors to show the Dogs have more than just a one-two punch closer to goal.

Dogs deal Swans a tall order after late change:
The towering Sam Darcy has staked a claim to be the most ominous forward opponent in the game after only 36 matches but the Sydney defence's tall order to contain the 21-year-old was made all the greater by the late withdrawal of Tom McCartin.

The Swans' worst fears were quickly realised as the 208cm forward led 194cm Lewis Melican to the ball to take an uncontested mark and then slot the set shot within the opening minute of the match.

Darcy soon found space to kick truly on the run just a couple of minutes later but the best was still to come.

He swooped on a bouncing ball and elected to go with a drop punt to thread the needle from an ever-tightening angle for his third major in another mouth-watering display

Match Details

SYDNEY                         3.5    6.8    12.9    14.12 (96)
WESTERN BULLDOGS    4.2    8.5    14.6    16.9 (105)

GOALS
Sydney: Heeney 5, Papley 2, Buller, Grundy, Jordon, Lloyd, McInerney, Rowbottom, Warner
Western Bulldogs: Freijah 4, Darcy 3, Naughton 3, Kennedy 2, Bontempelli, Bramble, Harmes, West

LATE CHANGES
Sydney: Tom McCartin, replaced in the selected side by Jack Buller
Western Bulldogs: Nil

INJURIES
Sydney: Papley (calf tightness)
Western Bulldogs: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
Sydney: Ollie Florent (replaced Tom Papley in the third quarter)
Western Bulldogs: Buku Khamis (replaced Lachie McNeil in the fourth quarter)

Crowd: 29,246 at the SCG