Pre Game
00:00
Sydney has recorded a kick-to-handball ration of 2.14 in the defensive half, the highest ratio of any side.
Quarter 1
00:00
Q1 is now underway.
01:17
SCORE
GOAL - Bulldogs (Jamarra Ugle-Hagan)
03:40
SCORE
BEHIND - Swans (Will Hayward)
05:11
The Bulldogs have started well with four of the first five inside 50s of the match, kicking at an efficiency of 71 per cent by foot compared to just 50 per cent from the Swans.
05:22
SCORE
BEHIND - Bulldogs (Tim English)
07:51
Paddy McCartin has already had two intercept marks to start the match. He started last week in a similar fashion, taking five intercept marks in the opening quarter against Geelong.
09:26
SCORE
BEHIND - Swans (Lance Franklin)
10:22
SCORE
BEHIND - Swans (Rushed)
12:01
SCORE
GOAL - Bulldogs (Aaron Naughton)
12:36
The Bulldogs kick their second goal of the match courtesy of an Aaron Naughton contested mark. The Bulldogs lead the contested possession count by eight early in the match.
14:43
SCORE
BEHIND - Bulldogs (Aaron Naughton)
17:36
Bulldogs Interchange - Zaine Cordy off due to an injury.
17:51
The Bulldogs have kicked all of their 3.2.20 from set shots, kicking 2.0.12 from free kicks and 1.2.8 from marks.
19:04
SCORE
GOAL - Swans (Will Hayward)
21:48
SCORE
BEHIND - Bulldogs (Laitham Vandermeer)
22:54
The Bulldogs have kicked 20 of their 21 points from chains launched from their attacking midfield zone.
24:21
Zaine Cordy has been subbed out of the game for the Western Bulldogs witch Mitch Wallis his replacement.
28:52
The Bulldogs will be pleased with their work at the contest, as they lead the contested possession count by 14 at quarter time. They had only won this area in two of their eight quarters this season. They have averaged 29 fewer contested possessions than their opposition per game this season, ranked 17th.
Quarter 2
00:00
Q2 is now underway.
00:54
SCORE
BEHIND - Bulldogs (Aaron Naughton)
01:57
SCORE
BEHIND - Bulldogs (Josh Dunkley)
02:17
The Bulldogs lead the inside 50 count by five and have enjoyed 62 per cent time in forward half for the match.
05:19
The Bulldogs have the last eight inside 50s of the match and lead the count five to zero to start the second quarter.
07:29
Bulldogs Interchange - Mitch Wallis off due to an injury.
08:08
SCORE
BEHIND - Bulldogs (Jamarra Ugle-Hagan)
08:18
The Swans have improved in pre-clearance contested possession this quarter, leading seven to five this term. It is the post-clearance contested possession that is letting them down, trailing 13 to three in this area.
13:17
While the Swans rank 17th for intercepts this season, they average 67 points from this score source, ranked No.1. The Bulldogs have shut this down so far, allowing the Swans to kick just 0.2.2 from intercepts. The Bulldogs have generated more scoring shots from intercepts, but have kicked an inaccurate 1.5.11 from this score source.
13:54
SCORE
BEHIND - Bulldogs (Rushed)
16:08
Isaac Heeney, Josh Kennedy and Tom Hickey have won 16 of Sydney's 23 contested possessions this quarter. Heeney in particular has been prolific with seven contested possessions already this term.
20:08
SCORE
BEHIND - Bulldogs (Jamarra Ugle-Hagan)
20:26
The Bulldogs continue to generate set shots at goal via either marks or free kicks, but have been wasteful, kicking 3.6.24 from set shots tonight. The Swans have kicked just 0.1.1 from this shot type.
24:11
SCORE
GOAL - Bulldogs (Laitham Vandermeer)
25:20
Weight of numbers in terms of forward 50 entries finally reaps some benefit on the scoreboard for the Bulldogs. They lead the inside 50 count 16 to eight for the term, but have kicked a wasteful 1.5.11 from these entries. Conversely, they have been very sound defensively, not conceding a score for the quarter.
26:38
SCORE
BEHIND - Bulldogs (Rushed)
27:58
SCORE
BEHIND - Bulldogs (Lachie Hunter)
28:02
The Swans have failed to capitalise on their limited opportunities inside 50, generating just four scoring shots from 20 entries, a strike rate of 20 per cent - well below the 51 per cent strike rate which ranked them second in this area over the opening two rounds.
Quarter 3
00:00
Q3 is now underway.
00:59
SCORE
BEHIND - Bulldogs (Bailey Smith)
01:39
SCORE
GOAL - Swans (Will Hayward)
02:11
Will Hayward kicks his second, and Sydney's second, goal of the match via a kick-in chain. The Swans, the AFL's highest scoring team from intercept possessions in the opening two rounds, still hasn't kicked a goal from this score source, with Hayward's other goal coming from a centre bounce clearance.
05:47
SCORE
BEHIND - Bulldogs (Tom Liberatore)
06:24
The Bulldogs lead the tackle count seven to one this quarter and by 14 for the match.
08:15
SCORE
GOAL - Swans (Isaac Heeney)
08:31
After kicking one goal from 20 inside 50s in the first half, a strike rate of five per cent, the Swans have kicked two goals from three entries to start the third quarter, a strike rate of 67 per cent.
11:34
Swans Interchange - Tom Hickey off due to an injury.
12:10
SCORE
GOAL - Swans (Hayden McLean)
12:37
Sydney's three goals this quarter have all been launched from the defensive half of the ground, with the last two coming from intercepts.
15:25
SCORE
BEHIND - Bulldogs (Mitch Wallis)
16:40
SCORE
GOAL - Bulldogs (Cody Weightman)
17:07
After a string of five consecutive behinds, Cody Weightman kicks a settler for the Bulldogs via a mark. The Bulldogs lead the marks inside 50 ten to three for the match.
18:37
Tom Hickey has been substituted out of the match for Sydney. Ben Ronke is Hickey's replacement.
19:23
SCORE
GOAL - Swans (Lance Franklin)
22:37
The Bulldogs lead the tackle count 19 to six for the quarter. Josh Dunkley has seven tackles for the term, more than the entire Sydney side.
24:18
SCORE
BEHIND - Bulldogs (Rushed)
26:47
SCORE
GOAL - Bulldogs (Cody Weightman)
27:02
Cody Weightman has been one of the few efficient Bulldog players forward of centre tonight. Both of his kicks this quarter have been goals, with the livewire forward kicking 3.0.18 from five kicks.
28:36
SCORE
BEHIND - Bulldogs (Rushed)
32:20
Sydney's efficiency kept them in the game in the third quarter, kicking four goals from 11 entries, a strike rate of 36 per cent. Conversely, the Bulldogs, despite winning the inside 50 count by four and generating seven scoring shots, kicked just two goals from 15 entries, a strike rate of 13 per cent.
Quarter 4
00:00
Q4 is now underway.
00:55
SCORE
GOAL - Swans (Lance Franklin)
02:39
SCORE
BEHIND - Swans (Luke Parker)
03:30
SCORE
BEHIND - Swans (Will Hayward)
04:45
The Swans are throwing everything at the Bulldogs to start the final term, recording the first five inside 50s of the term, kicking 1.2.8 as a result.
05:09
SCORE
GOAL - Bulldogs (Mitch Wallis)
06:20
The Bulldogs respond with a goal from their first inside 50 of the term, courtesy of an intercept possession. The Bulldogs have narrowly outscored Sydney 4.9.33 to 4.3.27 from intercepts tonight.
09:32
SCORE
BEHIND - Bulldogs (Bailey Smith)
11:11
SCORE
GOAL - Swans (Sam Wicks)
13:19
Sydney leads the contested possession by seven in the final quarter, the first real time for the match that they have had any ascendancy in this area. Sam Wicks has four contested possessions for the term and a crucial goal.
16:36
SCORE
GOAL - Bulldogs (Alex Keath)
17:17
Alex Keath kicks his third career goal in his 74th game and the Bulldogs' seventh goal from a set shot. In total, they have kicked 7.8.50 from set shots while the Swans have kicked just 2.3.15 from this shot type.
18:02
SCORE
BEHIND - Bulldogs (Rushed)
20:58
SCORE
GOAL - Swans (Ben Ronke)
22:19
SCORE
BEHIND - Swans (Rushed)
25:44
Bulldogs Interchange - Mitch Hannan off due to an injury.
28:29
SCORE
GOAL - Swans (Errol Gulden)
28:42
Jack Macrae has failed to register a disposal in the final quarter, a rarity for the prolific Bulldog midfielder, who has also given away a free kick and a 50m penalty this term. Macrae has 23 disposals tonight, his lowest tally since the elimination final in 2019.
30:17
SCORE
GOAL - Bulldogs (Marcus Bontempelli)
31:56
Despite losing the count by six in the last quarter, the story of the match was the contested work of the Bulldogs. After losing the contested possession count by an average of 29 over the first two weeks, the Bulldogs won this area by 25 tonight. They also enjoyed an advantage of 18 in tackles, 10 in inside 50s and nine in clearances.