Match Report

Dogs record 88-point win over Giants at Marvel Stadium.

By Josh Gabelich/AFL.com.au & Western Bulldogs Media

The Western Bulldogs head into August still alive in the race for finals after sending a statement that they can do some damage in September with a convincing win over Greater Western Sydney. 

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

Sam Darcy and Aaron Naughton dominated for the second week in a row, kicking five goals each to combine for 10 goals, while leaving even more scores out there 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.

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.

Adam Kingsley’s side matched the Dogs for the third 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 their finals ambitions. 

More to come

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

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 the Marvel Stadium

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