The AFL pre-season gets underway with a replay of a fiery 2021 final as runners-up the Western Bulldogs face Essendon on Wednesday afternoon. Follow live!
The Bombers-Bulldogs practice match, and all practice matches this weekend, can be watched exclusively streaming on Kayo Sports.
Scroll down for full coverage of the game including live analysis and a full post-game recap of what we learned.
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These two sides met in an elimination final down in Launceston last year, with the Dogs prevailing on their way to the Grand Final, where they fell short of a second flag in six seasons.
The Bulldogs are without midfield gun Bailey Smith (groin soreness) and key defender Alex Keath (back soreness) while recruit Tim O’Brien (hamstring) is racing the clock for Round 1.
The Bombers said on Monday they were expecting to have a healthy list for the hitout after gun recruit Jake Kelly, Dylan Shiel and Kyle Langford were among those to sit out last week’s intraclub.
The match will consist of four quarters of exactly 30 minutes.
Both sides looked speedy and classy moving through the midfield early on, generating marks inside 50 before Nick Hind kicked truly for the first goal of the match.
The good start from Essendon was soured shortly after, however, with Aaron Francis staying down after a marking contest and needing to be helped from the ground.
“Francis, we know he’s had a wretched run with injuries ... he’s still down on true centre wing. He’s not in a good way,” commentator Ben Waterworth said.
Former Bomber Brendon Goddard added: “He was directly involved in that marking contest so it may be a landing injury which is obviously quite concerning, particularly the heights he comes down from.”
The Bombers continued to bring about scoring opportunities but, like the Bulldogs, were wayward with their execution in front of goal barring Hind’s major.
Mitch Hannan got the Dogs’ first goal after some “trademark” forward half play with fast ball movement by hand.
It was followed almost immediately by a goal to Stefan Martin, with the ruck option roving a contest in the goal square and finishing truly off an Adam Treloar handball.
In better news for the Bombers, Francis returned to the field and continued to play, recovering from his earlier injury scare, although Waterworth noted the 24-year-old didn’t “look 100 per cent”.
The Bombers kept the ball in their forward 50 for the better part of five minutes, but inaccuracy continued to haunt them.
At quarter-time, the Dogs led 2.4 (16) to 1.5 (11).
A superb pack mark from Aaron Naughton led to the Dogs’ third straight goal, giving his side an 11-point lead.
The Bombers finally got their second goal, this one via Archie Perkins, but the Dogs also added a couple of goals to their total to keep the 11-point buffer midway through the second quarter.
Will Snelling kicked Essendon’s third goal to reduce the margin to under a goal.
Marcus Bontempelli took a contested mark in the forward 50 and converted his set shot to get the Dogs’ fifth goal, with Aaron Naughton kicking his second goal shortly after.
Naughton looked worse for wear after a marking contest that appeared to injure his finger, but he continued on and quickly allayed any fears.
The Bombers hit back late with a couple of goals, bringing the margin back to four points heading into the main break.
Despite the tight margin, Goddard was left unimpressed by some of Essendon’s defensive lapses, which saw the Dogs take a number of uncontested marks close to goal.
“Essendon haven’t really helped themselves because I think they’ve been poor and lazy in defence,” he said at half-time.
“They’ve been thereabouts, think they’ve got them in a really strong position defensively, they set up really well behind the ball but then the Bulldogs are able to still find those spare men.
“Essendon are guarding grass - they’re either just ball watching or spectating, hoping they don’t kick it to the guy that’s two or three metres in front of them.”
The Bombers hit the front early in the second quarter after a crumbing goal from Devon Smith, which came shortly after an impressive launch from Jordan Ridley to take a great mark.
Showcasing their fast ball-movement, the Dogs quickly got back out ahead to return to an 11-point lead.
The match gets underway at 3pm EDT from the Bombers’ training base, The Hangar.
Bombers’ squad: Andrew McGrath, Sam Draper, Darcy Parish, Kyle Langford, Devon Smith, Jye Caldwell, Zach Merrett, Ben Hobbs, Dylan Shiel, Aaron Francis, Will Snelling, Tom Cutler, Nik Cox, Jordan Ridley, Jayden Laverde, Archie Perkins, James Stewart, Nick Hind, Peter Wright, Dyson Heppell, Harrison Jones, Nick Bryan, Kaine Baldwin, Mason Redman, Jake Kelly, Matt Guelfi, Tex Wanganeen, Nicholas Martin
Bulldogs’ squad: Adam Treloar, Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, Mitch Wallis, Marcus Bontempelli, Josh Dunkley, Lachie Hunter, Stefan Martin, Jack Macrae, Zaine Cordy, Josh Schache, Taylor Duryea, Cody Weightman, Ed Richards, Tom Liberatore, Laitham Vandermeer, Rob McComb, Mitch Hannan, Bailey Dale, Arthur Jones, Aaron Naughton, Bailey Williams, Caleb Daniel, Roarke Smith, Jason Johannisen, Ryan Gardner, Tim English
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