Match

Western Bulldogs vs West Coast Eagles

Commentary / 17 Aug 2025

Pre Game

00:00
West Coast had a six-goal streak against Adelaide in Round 22, which was its first such streak of the season. It is also the first time that a team 18th on the ladder has had a six-goal run against the top of the ladder team.

Quarter 1

00:00
Q1 is now underway.
00:31
The Bulldogs are the No.1 ranked team at both winning centre bounce clearances and in points scored from this source. West Coast won the first such clearance today but failed to score from the resulting forward 50 mark.
02:09
The Bulldogs have tended to start quarters well, and are the No.1 team across the first ten minutes of quarters this season, while the Eagles are ranked last in this measure.
02:42
SCORE BEHIND - Eagles (Noah Long)
03:14
West Coast has generated the first three inside 50 entries of the game. The Bulldogs are the No.1 ranked team this season for inside 50 differential.
05:03
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Tim English)
05:09
The first score for the Bulldogs came from a forward half stoppage. The Bulldogs have scored an average of 21.4 points per game from forward half stoppage chains this season, which is the most ever by the club and the most by any team since 2015.
08:19
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Sam Darcy)
08:29
The first goal from the Bulldogs featured a mark on the lead from Sam Darcy. The Bulldogs average 9.1 such marks per game (ranked No.1), took a season-high 18 marks on the lead last week and have a 3-0 lead in this measure today.
11:28
A pair of early goals for Sam Darcy following forward 50 marks. Both goals came from turnovers in the midfield, and the Bulldogs have started the game with 91 per cent kicking efficiency in the forward half (the Eagles are 25 per cent).
13:21
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Sam Davidson)
13:44
The first centre bounce clearance for the Bulldogs has resulted in a goal. The Bulldogs average 17.5 points per game from centre bounce clearances (ranked No.1), while West Coast averages 6.2 (ranked last).
14:35
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Aaron Naughton)
15:41
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Aaron Naughton)
15:49
Aaron Naughton is the first player since Barry Hall in 2011 to kick at least five goals five times in a six-game period. The Bulldog forward has kicked his first of the game following a forward 50 mark. The Bulldogs have already taken five such marks, and all four goals have come from a set shot.
19:35
Tim English has been involved in five of the six scores for the Bulldogs to start this game. English averages seven score involvements per game, which is ranked No.1 among all rucks.
22:21
Jacob Newton is making his debut today for the Eagles (as a substitute). Newton has kicked a goal in five of his six WAFL games since joining West Coast as a mid-season recruit, after kicking seven goals from four games in the SANFL earlier in the season.
23:32
Jordan Croft, the son of 186-gamer Matthew, is playing his first game for the Bulldogs today. Croft has kicked three goals in each of his last two VFL games and taken seven contested marks across these games, giving the Bulldogs another tall option today.
23:50
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Ed Richards)
26:31
The Bulldogs have a 7-1 lead in forward half intercepts and have generated three scores from this source. The Bulldogs have scored from 39 per cent of such intercepts this season (ranked second).
27:12
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Matthew Kennedy)
28:23
A powerful, if somewhat wasteful, opening quarter from the Western Bulldogs, who dominated contests both at stoppages (clearances 11-6) and post-clearance (27-19). The Bulldogs generated 11 shots at goal and kept the Eagles to just one.

Quarter 2

00:00
Q2 is now underway.
00:43
The Bulldogs have scored from 49.9 per cent of their inside 50 entries this season, which is the highest percentage by any team since 2017. The Bulldogs generated nine scores from 18 entries in the opening quarter, maintaining this conversion rate.
01:59
Tom McCarthy had nine disposals at 100 per cent efficiency in the opening quarter for the Eagles. The mid-season recruit has made a remarkable start to his AFL career, averaging a team-high 24 disposals per game.
03:22
SCORE GOAL - Eagles (Matt Flynn)
03:32
The first goal of the game for the Eagles came from a forward half intercept. West Coast has scored from 33.6 per cent of such intercepts this season (ranked ninth), and this was only its second such intercept today.
04:50
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Joel Freijah)
05:27
Some slick hands from the Bulldogs led to the last goal from Joel Freijah. The Bulldogs now lead 21-8 in forward 50 disposals and 4-0 in forward 50 ground balls.
06:48
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Aaron Naughton)
08:31
A pair of impressive contested marks from Jordan Croft has been followed by an accurate left-foot snap. The Bulldogs now lead 8-2 in forward 50 marks, with these marks taken by five different players all at least 190cm tall.
10:18
SCORE BEHIND - Eagles (Jobe Shanahan)
11:12
SCORE GOAL - Eagles (Matthew Owies)
11:23
A second goal for the Eagles from a forward half intercept. West Coast leads 174-149 in forward half pressure rating, with this area a focus for the developing Eagles team.
13:35
Despite the ball spending more time in the forward half of the Bulldogs, West Coast leads 14-7 in forward half tackles, including 8-3 in the forward 50.
14:14
SCORE BEHIND - Eagles (Noah Long)
16:58
SCORE BEHIND - Eagles (Elijah Hewett)
17:08
West Coast has edged the Bulldogs for contested possession (17-16) in the second quarter and generated more inside 50 entries (8-4) with the ball in its forward half for 73 per cent of this period.
17:35
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Sam Davidson)
18:28
The last goal for the Bulldogs came from a kick-in chain and was the first score of the game for either team to come from a defensive 50 chain.
19:09
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Bailey Williams)
19:39
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Jordan Croft)
20:08
Rhylee West provided the assist on the second goal for Jordan Croft. West has now won 65 forward 50 groundballs this season, ranked No.1 in the competition and 16 clear of the next best.
23:04
SCORE BEHIND - Eagles (Tyler Brockman)
25:03
Liam Baker has again been a major contributor for the Eagles. Playing in defence today, he has recorded a game-high six intercept possessions, three tackles and two spoils, disrupting several Bulldog attacks.
26:25
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Ed Richards)
27:18
Another forward 50 groundball win by Rhyless West has resulted in a Bulldog goal. The Bulldogs now lead 9-2 in such groundballs, and West has had more forward 50 disposals (6) than any other player.
28:24
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Marcus Bontempelli)
28:39
The Bulldogs have already scored 20 points from centre bounce clearances (the AFL average is 11.4 per game) and now lead 27-3 in points scored from stoppages.
30:40
Eagles Interchange - Rhett Bazzo off due to the blood rule.
30:43
Bulldogs Interchange - Aaron Naughton off due to the blood rule.
32:51
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Jason Johannisen)
33:20
The Bulldogs have been a class above in the first half, with 67 per cent kicking efficiency in the forward half (West Coast only 42 per cent), and hold a major advantage in inside 50 entries (34-19), forward half intercepts (14-5) and forward 50 disposals (38-16).

Quarter 3

00:00
Q3 is now underway.
00:08
Marcus Bontempelli was the No.1 rated player in the first half. Bontempelli recorded an equal team-high six score involvements, five clearances among a game-high nine contested possessions and gained 300 metres from his 14 disposals.
00:37
The 56-point lead held by the Bulldogs at halftime is their biggest ever lead at this point against the Eagles.
00:55
SCORE BEHIND - Eagles (Jobe Shanahan)
03:13
West Coast has made a bright start to the third quarter, winning four of the first five contested possessions, which has led to the first two inside 50 entries, two forward 50 marks and two shots at goal.
05:16
First-year forward Jobe Shanahan has again impressed for the Eagles, but has missed all three of his shots at goal. Shanahan has taken nine contested marks and booted nine goals over his first seven career games, and is just the ninth teenager to record that.
08:15
Bailey Dale has had 20 or more disposals in 53 of his last 55 games at this venue, averaging 26.6 disposals in these games. Dale had a game-high 20 disposals in the first half today.
10:02
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Sam Davidson)
10:12
Sam Davidson has kicked a career-high three goals today, with all of his goals following a mark in the forward 50, and his last followed a forward half intercept by the Bulldogs. The Bulldogs lead 17-7 in such intercepts and 28-13 in points scored from this source.
11:43
Eagles Interchange - Tim Kelly off due to an injury.
12:22
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Rhylee West)
12:32
The Bulldogs now have a major 21-3 advantage in forward 50 handballs, with the Bulldogs able to share the ball to find a high-quality shot at goal.
14:57
Bulldogs Interchange - Lachlan McNeil off due to an injury.
15:48
The Bulldogs have played in the highest scoring matches this year, with an average of 187.1 points scored in the matches they have played. The Bulldogs have averaged 108 points per game and look set to post another high score today.
16:56
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Aaron Naughton)
18:11
Since Sam Darcy returned from injury in Round 14, Aaron Naughton has now kicked 39 goals (ranked second in the AFL), and Sam Darcy has kicked 34 goals (ranked third in the AFL).
18:55
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Sam Darcy)
23:22
West Coast has applied more tackles today (47-35), won more free kicks for holding the ball (7-4) and is ahead in pressure rating (181-172). The Eagles also have the edge in forward 50 tackles (10-6), but find themselves behind in most offensive measures.
26:00
SCORE BEHIND - Eagles (Bailey J. Williams)
26:18
Only two of the scores for West Coast have not come from a set shot (both resulting in behinds). The Bulldogs have generated six goals from general play and nine goals from set shots. The Eagles have still only won two groundballs in their forward 50.
29:08
West Coast has been outscored by an average of 17 points per game after the 20-minute mark of each quarter, which is the worst differential in the competition. The Bulldogs are ahead 16-2 in points scored during this period today.
30:22
West Coast was able to edge the Bulldogs for contested possessions (31-29) in the third quarter and generated more inside 50 entries (16-9) and shots at goal (5-4). However, the Bulldogs were more efficient and converted all four shots at goal.

Quarter 4

00:00
Q4 is now underway.
00:10
The Bulldogs have been able to move the ball regularly through the corridor and are ahead 100-64 for disposals in this zone.
00:52
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Marcus Bontempelli)
02:02
The Bulldogs have won all nine games this season when they have scored at least 40 points from defensive half chains. Today, the Bulldogs are ahead 42-9 in points scored from such chains.
03:28
Ed Richards has recorded a game-high 26 pressure acts today. No other Bulldog has recorded 20 pressure acts. Richards has also posted an equal game-high 449 metres gained from 20 disposals and his now the second highest rated player on the ground.
05:21
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Rhylee West)
05:46
Rhylee West has again been a dangerous forward for the Bulldogs with a game-high eight disposals in the forward 50, resulting in two goals and two goal assists.
08:23
SCORE GOAL - Eagles (Jamie Cripps)
08:32
Some smart ball movement from the Eagles has resulted in the goal to Jamie Cripps. This was the first score of the game for West Coast to come from a defensive 50 chain.
10:32
The Bulldogs are ahead 18-12 in intercept marks, with five of these taken by James O'Donnell. The Bulldogs also have a 12-8 edge in contested marks and a 15-11 lead in forward 50 marks.
11:56
Marcus Bontempelli is the highest-rated player on the ground today by a long margin. Bontempelli leads all players for contested possessions (15), clearances (10), metres gained (538) and score involvements (10).
13:52
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Riley Garcia)
16:05
Eagles Interchange - Liam Ryan off due to an injury.
16:10
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Jordan Croft)
17:09
Despite the clearance count being relatively even (Bulldogs 37-33), the points scored from stoppages (40-5) are heavily in favour of the Bulldogs.
19:36
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Rhylee West)
19:52
A third goal for Rhylee West, who is now ranked in the top-10 in the AFL this season for scoreboard impact (combination of goals/behinds kicked and goals/behinds assisted on).
22:24
The Bulldogs have already won seven games this season by at least 70 points. In the last 30 years, no team has won more than eight games in a season by at least 70 points.
26:22
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Marcus Bontempelli)
27:18
Jordan Croft has won a game-high eight forward half contested possessions, including three contested marks in the forward 50 and three groundballs in the same zone.
28:01
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Ed Richards)
29:27
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Ed Richards)
30:28
The Bulldogs will head into a crucial final-round game next week, having won 16 of their last 17 quarters. Marcus Bontempelli was the star again, but seven different players kicked multiple goals, and another five players provided multiple score assists in a strong team performance.