Aaron Naughton celebrates a goal during the R21 match between the Western Bulldogs and GWS at Marvel Stadium on July 31, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

DON’T put a line through them just yet. 

The Western Bulldogs head into August still alive after winning a final in July by sending a statement that they can do some damage in September. If they get there. 

BULLDOGS v GIANTS Full match coverage and stats

Luke Beveridge’s men smashed Greater Western Sydney by 88 points at Marvel Stadium on Thursday night to make it nine wins from the past 10 meetings between the two sides. 

The equation was simple – win and remain in the hunt for finals. They will need to win at least three of the final four to qualify for September. They ticked off the first test emphatically. 

The Dogs are now 2-8 against top-eight sides in 2025, but have rarely played at this level, which raises an oft-asked question: How far they can go?

Sam Darcy and Aaron Naughton dominated for the second week in a row, kicking five goals each in the 19.18 (132) to 6.8 (44) win. The pair have now combined for 60 goals across the past eight rounds since Darcy returned from a knee injury in round 14. 

Naughton has never produced a better patch of football in his career, continuing to build his case for a maiden All-Australian blazer after recovering from a slow start to the year to now be second in the Coleman Medal on 50 goals, behind only Jeremy Cameron.

Tim English dominated around stoppages and pushed forward to stretch the Giants with a third tall target inside 50, finishing with 2.3 from 20 disposals, 11 marks and 22 hitouts.  

Toby Greene, Jack Buckley, Josh Kelly and Brent Daniels were inside Marvel Stadium, but they were not playing as the Bulldogs produced their most dominant start of the season, kicking six goals to one after amassing 20-5 inside 50s in a first-quarter blitz. Darcy and English both kicked 2.1, while Caleb Poulter hauled in four marks in attack to leave the Giants stunned for the second week in a row.

Nothing changed in the second quarter. Lachie McNeill kicked the first three scores of the term, converting two of them after missing the easiest. Naughton kicked two goals in two minutes, juggling the second mark in front of Leek Aleer, before receiving a 50m penalty to punish GWS. The Dogs had five more goals on the board 15 minutes into the second quarter. 

It took until time-on for Aaron Cadman to finally kick Greater Western Sydney’s second, but the momentum didn’t shift, Naughton kicked a third before the main break. The usual suspects – Marcus Bontempelli, Tom Liberatore and Ed Richards – were busy but this was no one-man show. The full orchestra performed. The Dogs had 81 points on the board – their highest first-half score of 2025 – by the main break. 

Jake Stringer gave GWS a pulse at the start of the third quarter, drilling a set shot from the pocket to silence Marvel Stadium. It planted the seed. St Kilda recovered from 46 points down inside this ground to stun Melbourne on Sunday. The Giants recovered from 35 points down last Friday night to eventually win by 44 points in the Sydney Derby. 

Lightning wouldn’t strike twice in Docklands. 

Adam Kingsley’s side matched the Dogs for the quarter, until Darcy slotted a goal after the siren to extend the margin to a game-high 67 points. Sam Taylor and his defenders couldn’t stop Naughton or Darcy. 

For the fourth time in 2025, the Bulldogs have won by 80-plus points, flaunting their scoring prowess and breathing life into a finals race, which would have been all but finalised if they lost on Thursday night.  

GWS had won six games in a row before arriving in Melbourne, but didn’t look anything like a premiership contender under the bright lights of Thursday night football. 

Sore spearhead
Reigning Coleman medallist Jesse Hogan struggled for opportunities and continues to deal with a foot issue that sidelined him recently. The All-Australian was held goalless for the first time since 2023 and only finished with three touches. Adam Kingsley indicated post-game that he is no guarantee to be right to face North Melbourne next Sunday.

Naughty blazer?
Aaron Naughton struggled out of the blocks to start the season, following a summer where he was diagnosed with glandular fever and calf troubles. He was held to one goal or less in seven of the first 13 rounds, but has exploded since. The West Australian is now up to 50 goals in 2025 after booting 31 in the past eight games since Sam Darcy returned. Only Jeremy Cameron has kicked more this season. If he maintains this form across August, does he have an All-Australian case? 

Vintage English form
Only once before has Tim English taken more marks than the 11 he hauled in on Thursday night. And only once before has he had more scoring shots than the five he registered at Marvel Stadium. The 2023 All-Australian dominated around stoppages and at either end of the ground, providing another target inside 50, as well as pushing back behind the ball. English finished with 14 score involvements in a dominant display.

WESTERN BULLDOGS        6.5    12.9    16.13     19.18 (132)
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY   1.2    3.2    6.6   6.8 (44)

GOALS 
Western Bulldogs: Naughton 5, Darcy 5, McNeil 3, English 2, Poulter, West, Kennedy, Richards
Greater Western Sydney: Riccardi 2, Cadman 2, Bedford, Stringer

BEST
Western Bulldogs: English, Naughton, Bontempelli, Darcy, Liberatore, Richards
Greater Western Sydney: Ash, Callaghan, Whitfield, Idun

INJURIES
Western Bulldogs: Nil
Greater Western Sydney: McMullin (ankle)

SUBSTITUTES
Western Bulldogs: Laitham Vandermeer (replaced Caleb Poulter in the fourth quarter)
Greater Western Sydney: Harry Rowston (replaced Toby McMullin in the second quarter)

Crowd: 23,898 at Marvel Stadium