Match

Western Bulldogs vs St Kilda

Commentary / 20 Apr 2025

Pre Game

00:00
St Kilda averages 42 points from clearance chains this season, ranked third overall. Last season, they averaged just 23.3 points per game from this source - ranked 17th.

Quarter 1

00:00
Q1 is now underway.
01:32
The Saints get on the board through Mitch Owens, from a defensive-half intercept possession chain. The Saints average 18.6 points from defensive-half intercept chains, ranked 14th overall.
02:53
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Joel Freijah)
03:25
Joel Freijah converts an instant reply for the Bulldogs, from a forward 50 stoppage chain. The Bulldogs average 13.2 points per game from forward 50 stoppages, ranked third in the competition.
04:57
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Mitch Owens)
06:48
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Jack Sinclair)
07:00
The Saints have started the match with a stranglehold on possession, restricting the Bulldogs to just eight disposals in the first seven minutes and not conceding a single mark.
08:40
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Jack Higgins)
10:45
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Rushed)
10:50
The Bulldogs have looked strong at clearance so far tonight, registering three of the last four clearances. The Bulldogs average 38.8 clearances in 2025, ranked ninth in the competition.
11:53
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Aaron Naughton)
15:03
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Jack Higgins)
15:21
Jack Higgins puts through the Saints' fourth goal of the match - and third goal from a defensive midfield scoring chain. The Bulldogs have only registered two behinds from this source.
17:57
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Rhylee West)
20:29
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Matthew Kennedy)
20:46
The Bulldogs now have three goals from clearance, with two coming from forward 50 stoppage. Of the seven centre bounce clearances so far, the Bulldogs have a strong five to two lead so far.
22:03
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Marcus Bontempelli)
24:35
The Bulldogs have had the clear ascendancy with the ball in the last ten minutes, amassing six more contested possessions than the Saints and registering the only six clearances and seven inside 50s in this time period.
25:03
Bulldogs Interchange - Sam Darcy off due to an injury.
25:24
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Luke Cleary)
29:38
Callum Wilkie is having a significant impact in defence in the first quarter, registering five spoils so far. No other player on the ground has more than two.
30:15
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Rushed)
31:48
The Bulldogs take significant momentum into the second term, scoring the last two goals of the quarter. In the second half of the term, the Bulldogs amassed 10 more contested possessions, five more clearances and six more inside 50s than the Saints.

Quarter 2

00:00
Q2 is now underway.
00:05
Despite Sam Darcy's early injury, he leads all Bulldogs on the ground for score involvements, with three. Darcy is involved in 39.5% of the Bulldogs' scoring chains this season - the highest percentage of any player in the competition.
00:56
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Aaron Naughton)
02:12
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Aaron Naughton)
02:28
The Saints have registered just two inside 50s since the 15-minute mark of the first quarter. During this time, the Bulldogs have amassed 11, putting through nine of the last 10 scores.
04:48
Marcus Bontempelli announces his return with his first goal of the match. Bontempelli has amassed three contested possessions and two clearances - he ranked sixth for contested possessions and ninth for clearances in 2024.
05:58
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Darcy Wilson)
06:51
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Rhylee West)
07:39
Rhylee West kicks the Bulldogs' fifth goal in a row, and first from a kick-in chain for the match. The Bulldogs average just 4.2 points per game from this source, ranked ninth in the competition.
11:12
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Marcus Bontempelli)
12:47
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Aaron Naughton)
12:54
Aaron Naughton converts the Bulldogs' seventh goal in a row and first goal from a centre bounce clearance. The Bulldogs have now amassed seven more centre bounce clearances than the Saints, after amassing nine more than the Lions last round - their best return in the last three seasons.
17:00
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Lachlan McNeil)
17:51
The Bulldogs have amassed 10 repeat forward 50 entries so far this match. The Saints have not yet been able to register a single repeat entry into their forward 50.
20:18
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Bailey Williams)
21:15
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Cooper Sharman)
21:44
Despite kicking a behind, Cooper Sharman has now taken three marks inside 50 - equal to half of the Saints' total. His mark was the Saints' first mark inside 50 since the nine minute mark of the first quarter.
22:10
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Cooper Sharman)
26:15
The Saints have amassed 25 fewer inside 50s than the Bulldogs this match. This is their lowest first-half differential since Round 18, 2017, in which they registered 23 fewer than the Swans.
29:16
Seven unanswered goals has put the Western Bulldogs in a dominant position at half time. Their dominant quarter saw them amass 16 more inside 50s than the Saints in the quarter, alongside seven more clearances.

Quarter 3

00:00
Q3 is now underway.
00:05
Marcus Bontempelli's return has been immense so far, with his 20 disposals at half time the third time he has achieved this mark in the last five seasons. It is also the second time he has achieved the mark against the Saints in this period.
02:15
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Jack Higgins)
03:12
Jack Higgins converts his second goal of the match to end the Bulldogs' run of seven in a row. It's the Saints' first goal of the match from a forward half ball movement chain.
04:59
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Ryley Sanders)
06:41
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Cooper Sharman)
07:32
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Jason Johannisen)
08:43
The Bulldogs have won 14 of their last 15 games when leading at half time; they have also won their last seven at Marvel Stadium by an average of 38 points.
10:51
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Cooper Hynes)
11:49
Led by Anthony Caminiti with three, the Saints have registered eight contested marks so far - double the amount the Bulldogs have managed. The Saints had taken just 27 before tonight, ranked last in the competition.
13:08
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Hugo Garcia)
13:54
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Rushed)
15:01
The Bulldogs have amassed 37 more handball receives than the Saints so far, with 21 of these coming in the Bulldogs' forward half.
16:00
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Jack Higgins)
16:35
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Rushed)
17:31
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Aaron Naughton)
19:04
Ryley Sanders leads all players on the ground for disposals for the third term, with 10 so far - the equal-most in a quarter for his career. He has also amassed a game-high four score involvements for the term and nine for the match.
19:34
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Rhylee West)
23:05
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Ed Richards)
23:14
Despite Sam Darcy's absence, the Bulldogs have now taken 12 marks inside the forward 50 for the match. The Bulldogs average 10.4 per game this season, ranked 12th overall.
24:44
Despite amassing eight fewer centre bounce clearances than the Bulldogs, the Saints have been efficient with their scoring. They have kicked 2.2 (14) from just six centre bounce clerances, equal to the Bulldogs' score from this source.
27:09
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Rushed)
27:39
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Rushed)
29:00
In his first match against his old club, Jack Macrae has amassed a team-high 11 contested possessions and team-high six clearances for the match. Macrae averages 16.8 contested possessions and nine clearances this season, ranked first and second in the league respectively.
30:11
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Ryley Sanders)
32:14
The Saints made inroads in the third term in contested possessions, winning the contested possession count for the quarter by 13. However, they were unable to capitalise on winning the hard ball, registering a kicking efficiency of just 50% in their forward half.
32:17
The siren has sounded to end Q3.

Quarter 4

00:00
Q4 is now underway.
03:21
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Ed Richards)
04:14
The Bulldogs have continued their clearance ascendancy in the fourth, registering the first three clearances of the term. They have now doubled the Saints' clearance count for the match of 18.
06:14
Tim English has had the better of the ruck battle today, amassing nine more hitouts than Rowan Marshall, and turning eight of his 27 hitouts into hitouts-to-advantage. Marshall has amassed seven stoppage first-possessions, but only four clearances.
08:14
The Bulldogs have added 13 uncontested marks to their total for the match this term, which now sits at 98. They have amassed 29 more uncontested marks than the Saints so far - their biggest differential of the year.
08:15
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Jack Higgins)
09:44
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Tom Liberatore)
11:51
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Rushed)
12:34
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Joel Freijah)
14:04
The Saints, despite the large margin, have been efficient when going forward tonight, amassing 7.8 from just 26 inside 50s - an entry-to-score conversion rate of 58%. The Saints score in 47% of their entries this season, ranked fifth in the competition.
15:26
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Rushed)
16:29
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Aaron Naughton)
16:32
Ryley Sanders has been instrumental in the Bulldogs' domination tonight, amassing a career-high 29 disposals up to this point. His 12 score involvements is the highest of any player on the ground and three higher than his previous career-best.
17:46
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Lachlan McNeil)
19:44
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Matthew Kennedy)
20:14
The Bulldogs continue to run riot, amassing five goals in a row this term. They have now registered 3.2 (20) from centre bounce clearances and 10.5 (65) from all stoppages around the ground - 44 more points than the Saints have managed from the same source.
21:12
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Bailey Williams)
22:43
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Darcy Wilson)
23:22
Tom Liberatore has continued his elite season, with his 12 contested possessions an equal game-high. Liberatore averages 14 this season, ranked eighth in the competition.
27:46
The Saints have amassed 38 fewer inside 50s than the Bulldogs this match - their second-worst differential in the last 10 years, and their worst since Round 11, 2016.
27:50
Despite a solid start, the Saints' game fell apart quickly. While the Bulldogs dominated at stoppages, the Saints were unable to initiate any form of counter-attack. From 53 defensive 50 ball movement chains, the Saints went inside 50 only nine times - a lowly conversion rate of just 17%.
28:45
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Rory Lobb)
29:57
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Sam Davidson)
31:30
The siren has sounded to end Q4.