Player news from R1 of 2026: Western Bulldogs vs Western Sydney

Marcus Bontempelli (135/160): Leading the inside midfield then resting forward
Bontempelli contributed with 33 touches, 6 grabs, 3 tackles and kicked 3.1.
Aaron Naughton (123/121): Starting deep forward on Laverde
Naughton contributed with 15 touches, 11 marks, 2 tackles and 6.1.
Tom Liberatore (122/125): Pure midfield
Liberatore contributed with 29 disposals, 7 grabs, 6 tackles and 1.0.
Tim English (121/127): First ruck
English contributed with 22 possessions, 6 grabs, 4 tackles and 23 hit outs.
Lachie Jaques (112/80): Second game… 29 possessions including 21 kicks… also 9 marks. Rotating at half back.

Matthew Kennedy (107/114): Playing in midfield then resting forward
Kennedy contributed with 26 possessions, 6 grabs, 4 tackles and 1.1.
Connor Budarick (87/72): In his old defence role at the new club
Budarick added 23 disposals and 6 grabs.
Sam Darcy (86/99): Playing a forward/ruck role on Buckley
Darcy contributed with 16 possessions, 3 grabs, 6 hit outs and kicked 4.1.
Ed Richards (83/90): Starting on ball
Richards contributed with 19 possessions, 5 grabs and 5 tackles.
Joel Freijah (77/62): Starting at half forward
Freijah contributed with 20 touches, 5 grabs and 4 tackles.
Bailey Williams (76/76): Playing a half back role
Williams contributed with 17 disposals, 4 grabs, 5 tackles and 0.1.
Bailey Dale (75/79): In defence
Dale contributed with 23 touches, 4 marks and 0.1 on the scoreboard.
Buku Khamis (62/62): Playing key defender on Stringer
Khamis added 13 possessions and 9 marks.
Sam Davidson (60/54): Starting on a wing on Thomas
Davidson contributed with 11 touches, 4 grabs and kicked 2.0.
Oskar Baker (58/69): Playing a half forward role
Baker contributed with 11 disposals, 6 marks and booted 2.0.
Lachlan Bramble (55/56): Starting on a wing
Bramble contributed with 16 touches, 4 marks and kicked 1.0.
Rory Lobb (55/67): In defence on Hogan
Lobb added 12 possessions and 7 grabs.
Ryley Sanders (48/66): Starting forward and joining mids
Sanders also had 21 touches.
Rhylee West (44/62): Playing a forward role
West contributed with 13 touches, 4 marks, 2 tackles and 4 free kicks given away.
Cooper Hynes (43/45): Rotating forward
Hynes added 14 possessions and 1.0 on the scoreboard.
Michael Sellwood (39/37): Second game… 9 possessions and 7 marks. Rotating in defence.

James O’Donnell (31/45): Playing tall defender on Gruzewski
O’Donnell contributed with 8 touches, 2 marks and 2 tackles.
Will Lewis (22/20): First game… headclash with Himmelberg in Q3 drew plenty of claret from his right temple… passed HIA to return… 6 possessions. Could be forward or back.
Lewis also had 2 ruck taps.
Lachie Ash (139/137): Roaming from half back
Ash contributed with 31 disposals, 13 grabs and 3 tackles.
Finn Callaghan (109/118): Running through midfield
Callaghan contributed with 27 touches, 5 marks, 4 tackles and kicked 2.0.
Jake Riccardi (95/98): Tandem ruck with Briggs
Riccardi contributed with 19 possessions, 8 marks, 12 hit outs and 1.0 on the scoreboard.
Lachie Whitfield (92/69): Starting at half back
Whitfield contributed with 25 touches, 7 marks and 2 tackles.
Toby Greene (92/61): Starting on a HFF with centre rotations
Greene contributed with 26 touches, 6 marks, 2 tackles, managed 1.2 and 4 free kicks given away.
Jayden Laverde (90/64): Knock to his back in a big pack collision in Q3… 19 possessions including 15 kicks… also 13 marks. On Naughton.

Connor Idun (88/99): In defence
Idun added 23 possessions and 10 grabs.
Joe Fonti (84/82): Running off half back
Fonti contributed with 20 possessions, 7 grabs, 4 tackles and 3 frees against.
Clayton Oliver (79/67): Playing inside midfield
Oliver contributed with 26 disposals, 3 grabs and 2 tackles.
Harvey Thomas (70/68): Starting on a wing on Davidson
Thomas contributed with 21 disposals, 5 marks, 2 tackles and 3 free kicks given away.
Harry Himmelberg (70/65): Headclash with Lewis in Q3 caused a cut on his chin… passed his HIA… 17 possessions and 8 marks. Starting at half back.

Jack Buckley (68/78): At FB on Darcy
Buckley added 16 touches and 9 grabs.
Phoenix Gothard (67/46): Rotating as small forward
Gothard contributed with 12 disposals, 4 grabs, 5 tackles and booted 0.2.
Ryan Angwin (65/57): Starting on a wing
Angwin contributed with 15 possessions, 6 marks and 2 tackles.
Stephen Coniglio (65/59): Starting on a HFF and joining mids
Coniglio contributed with 15 disposals, 3 marks, 4 tackles and kicked 1.0.
Harry Rowston (61/44): Rotating as a small forward
Rowston contributed with 15 touches, 4 marks, 2 tackles and managed 1.0.
Xavier O’Halloran (58/56): Playing defensive half forward
O’Halloran contributed with 13 disposals, 3 grabs, 2 tackles and 1.1 on the scoreboard.
Kieren Briggs (55/19): Well beaten by English and low TOG… 15 hit outs… also 9 possessions and 3 tackles. Tandem ruck with Riccardi.
Briggs added 2 grabs and 0.1 on the scoreboard.
Jesse Hogan (47/61): Starting at FF on Lobb
Hogan contributed with 10 disposals, 3 marks, 3 tackles and 0.1.
Callum M. Brown (43/31): In attack
Brown contributed with 9 touches, 3 marks, 2 tackles and 0.2.
Josaia Delana (38/39): Rotating at half forward
Delana added 7 possessions and 5 tackles.
Max Gruzewski (34/35): In attack on O’Donnell
Gruzewski contributed with 7 touches, 4 marks and 0.1 on the scoreboard.
Jake Stringer (30/34): Starting forward on Khamis
Stringer added 5 touches and 3 tackles.