Round 19

Gold Coast SUNS v Western Bulldogs
Sunday 13 July | 3:15pm AEST
People First Stadium, Gold Coast • Yugambeh
Broadcast: Channel 7/7Plus, Kayo/Fox Footy (check your local broadcast guide)

LAST TIME WE MET

Round 9, 2025
Gold Coast SUNS 15.16 (106) def. Western Bulldogs 14.12 (96)

Gold Coast kept its Darwin fortress intact, holding off a barnstorming Western Bulldogs to win by 10 points in a TIO Stadium thriller.

The Suns had a 28-point lead midway through the final quarter, but with two goals to Sam Davidson, one to Lachlan McNeil and another to Marcus Bontempelli, the Dogs drew within three points with three minutes remaining.

Gold Coast held on in the desperate final moments though, winning critical contests before a Ben King goal on the siren.

Ed Richards (31 disposals, one goal and three assists) and Tom Liberatore (35, 10 clearances and 10 tackles) were arguably the two best players on the ground.

James O'Donnell was magnificent in defence, while Bailey Williams was also effective and sweeping up loose balls.

THE LINE-UP

WHAT IT MEANS

The Western Bulldogs (10-7) took their time to overcome a gallant West Coast before claiming a narrow victory that puts them in a strong position to make the finals and perhaps sneak into the top six. The Dogs missed an opportunity against the Eagles to boost a percentage that remains well behind the other top-six contenders, with the focus now turning to beating the Suns in what looms as a danger game. 

GAME SHAPER

Aaron Naughton has shouldered much of the load in the Bulldogs' forward line since a season-ending injury to Sam Darcy, and is on track to back up his best campaign in front of goal last year with another 40 majors. The 26-year-old helped save the Dogs as the Eagles threatened an upset, while his five goals also extended his streak of kicking a major to an equal competition-leading 27 consecutive matches.

The Western Bulldogs have put another nail in Gold Coast's 2026 season, riding a big third quarter to leave People First Stadium with a nine-point victory and four valuable premiership points.

Trailing by six points at half-time, the Dogs used a healthy breeze to kick the only five goals of the third quarter to bankroll an 11.11 (77) to 9.14 (68) victory.

The win keeps Luke Beveridge's men in seventh spot while consigning the Suns to an eighth straight defeat.

Gold Coast played with endeavour and fought the game out, but overused handball and invited the Dogs' suffocating pressure.

Superstar Marcus Bontempelli was a class above in the blustery and wet conditions, kicking three goals from 23 disposals, including a set shot early in the fourth quarter to extinguish the home team's hopes.

Matt Kennedy was excellent in the front half of the ground, also kicking three goals, and clutching valuable marks late in the contest.

Bailey Williams (29) was prolific, Tim English (20 and 10 marks) excellent on return from a back problem and Michael Sellwood and Buku Khamis resolute in defence.

After being beaten handily at stoppages in the first half, the Bulldogs flipped momentum in the game-shaping third quarter with some excellent work at centre ball-ups to give them repeated field position.

Aaron Naughton took a towering pack mark to kick their first goal of the quarter. Ed Richards then uncorked a sizzling 40m banana goal off his trusty left boot and when Christian Petracca gifted Rory Lobb the easiest of shots from 15m off an errant kick across goals, the visitors had a match-winning lead.

Both teams started full of intent, and combined with the swirling conditions, it was little surprise that scoring was difficult in the opening quarter.

It took some Bontempelli magic to get things going, with the Bulldogs champion banging one home from outside 50 and then adding a second moments later when the Suns inexplicably lost sight of him deep in their defensive 50.

Matt Kennedy the surprise forward
Last season, his first as a Western Bulldog, Matt Kennedy made a habit of bobbing up for goals (21 for the season) as he split time between half-forward and the midfield. In 2026 though, the former Blue had kicked only three goals entering the match against the Suns. Spending more inside forward 50, he proved a difference-maker, taking a strong mark in the second quarter, pinning Daniel Rioli to win a holding-the-ball free in the third and then plucking a contested grab moments later to finish with three for the match.

GOLD COAST                     1.2       6.6       6.10     9.14 (68)
WESTERN BULLDOGS       2.2       5.6       10.9     11.11 (77)

GOALS
Gold Coast: Lombard 2, Petracca 2, Patterson, Long, King, Andrew, Humphrey
Western Bulldogs: Bontempelli 3, Kennedy 3, West, Richards, Naughton, Lobb, Jones

BEST
Gold Coast: Rowell, Miller, Powell, Andrew, B.Uwland, Petracca
Western Bulldogs: Bontempelli, Williams, Richards, English, Sellwood, Kennedy

INJURIES
Gold Coast: Nil
Western Bulldogs: Nil

Crowd: 14,809 at People First Stadium