Hawthorn v Western Bulldogs
Friday 5 June | 7:30pm AEST
MCG, Melbourne • Wurundjeri
Broadcast: 7AFL/7Plus, Kayo/Fox Footy (check your local broadcast guide)
LAST TIME WE MET
Round 5, 2026 (Gather Round)
Hawthorn 15.14 (104) def. Western Bulldogs 8.16 (64)
The Bulldogs suffered their first defeat of the 2026 AFL season, losing to the Hawks by 40 points during the Gather Round clash at Adelaide Oval.
Hawthorn dominated stoppage clearances (34 to 16) and put the squeeze on the Dogs early, holding them goalless in the second quarter and creating a 28-point buffer at the main break.
Skipper Marcus Bontempelli (26 disposals) was busy, alongside Ryley Sanders (25 disposals) and Richards, who had 22 touches and seven tackles before going down with a leg injury.
THE LINE-UP
Check back on Thursday at 6:20pm AEST for the team announcement!
WHAT IT MEANS
The Western Bulldogs (7-5) has revived their season with three nail-biting victories by under a kick in their past four matches, with the latest win over Collingwood arguably the most impressive of the lot. The Dogs will get a better idea of their top-six credentials with clashes against fellow finals hopefuls the Hawks, Crows, Saints and Swans to come with a bye thrown in the mix.
GAME SHAPER
Michael Sellwood has largely flown under the radar, even while playing every game this year, as he grasps his opportunity in the Bulldogs' defence and has taken their most intercept marks. The 22-year-old went a long way to making a name for himself with a match-saving grab in the dying stages as he had the courage to leave his man and take command of the aerial contest in the win against the Pies.
