2026 NAB AFLW Season - Round 6

Fremantle v Western Bulldogs
Saturday 19 September, 1:05pm AWST/ 3:05pm AEST
Cockburn ARC Oval, Perth • Noongar Boodjar
Broadcast: Foxtel / Kayo / Binge

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LAST TIME WE MET

Week 10, 2024
Fremantle 4.11 (35) def. Western Bulldogs 3.3 (21)

Despite a strong start, the Bulldogs fell to the Dockers by 14 points in the final game of the 2024 home-and-away season.

Trailing by just five points at the final change, the hosts scored the only goal of the quarter to seal victory, bringing an end to the Pups' first year under new senior coach Tam Hyett.

Izzy 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 LINE-UPS

WHAT IT MEANS

With both sides entering the halfway point of the season at 3-2, Saturday's clash shapes as a crucial contest. The four points on offer could provide valuable breathing room between the winner and the chasing pack.

A victory could see either team finish the round inside the top four, while a loss could leave them as low as 13th on the ladder. With AFLW heavyweights Brisbane and Adelaide closing in, every result from here on in has huge ramifications.

The Dogs have made some massive inroads this year, but were outclassed by Hawthorn in the second half last week. An interstate trip to Perth looms as a big task, but the Bulldogs have proved they can definitely rise to the challenge.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Ellie Blackburn is set to make her long-awaited return, lining up for the first time since Round 1 after overcoming a hamstring injury.

The club champion's versatility and leadership will be a welcome boost for the Bulldogs as she looks to pick up where she left off, following an impressive performance against the Suns earlier this season.

Elisabeth Georgostathis is tough to miss on the field, sporting a ‘Batman'-style mask in 2026. But she's also playing some really solid footy and was one of the Bulldogs' best in the loss to the Hawks. The Dogs tough nut went back into the midfield mix that day and really tried to get things going. Her versatility makes her a really valuable player for the coaching staff.

The Western Bulldogs have leapfrogged Fremantle to jump back into the top eight after winning a wind-affected match 6.4 (40) to 4.6 (30) on Saturday.

Conditions were far from cyclonic at Cockburn ARC Oval, yet only a single point was kicked for the entire match to one end of the ground in a situation that would have given the Dogs a feeling of destiny when they trailed by less than a goal at three-quarter time.

The opening term may not have instilled them with such confidence as they failed to score, the Dockers kicking away through majors to Georgie Brisbane and Noa McNaughton.

However, by half-time it was the Bulldogs by 11 points on the back of four second-quarter goals.

Alice Edmonds dominated hitouts, but the small Dogs at her feet were having trouble capitalising on her dominance with clearances breaking even across the match despite a 38-16 difference in the taps.

Fremantle took control again when play resumed in the third quarter but wasted opportunities before Hayley Miller kicked truly, followed by the only other goal of the quarter from Kiara Bowers that put the home side back in front at the final change.

Any thought of defending the three-point lead disappeared almost as soon as play resumed, as Heidi Woodley goaled for the Dogs just 17 seconds into the fourth quarter.

Sarah Hartwig put the result to bed with another Bulldogs goal midway through the term.

The Dogs were well served by Isabelle Pritchard (21 disposals, six tackles, six clearances and one goal), Cleo Buttifant (16, four, five and one) and Edmonds who finished with 35 hitouts and 13 disposals.

Bowers was the Dockers’ best with 23 touches, eight tackles, eight clearances and a goal.

Next up
The Bulldogs return home to Mission Whitten Oval where they face Port Adelaide on Friday afternoon, while Fremantle also head east but only as far as Adelaide to take on the Crows early on Sunday afternoon.

FREMANTLE                  2.3    2.3    4.6    4.6 (30)
WESTERN BULLDOGS   0.0    4.2    4.3    6.4 (40)

GOALS
Fremantle: Miller, McNaughton, Brisbane, Bowers
Western Bulldogs: Woodley, Pritchard, McDonald, Hartwig, Buttifant, Bennetts

BEST: 
Fremantle: Bowers, McCarthy, Newton, Strom
Western Bulldogs: Fitzgerald, Pritchard, Kimber, Edmonds

INJURIES: 
Fremantle: TBC
Western Bulldogs: TBC

Crowd: TBC at Cockburn ARC Oval