Western Bulldogs defeat Sydney in Friday night shootout as SCG turf comes under fire

While all eyes were on Marcus Bontempelli in his 250th game and Sam Darcy in the forward line, it was two lesser-known Bulldogs who earned their coach’s praise after the match.

Lachlan McKirdy and Mitch Bourke

7 min read

June 28, 2025 - 6:59AM

News Sport Network

Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge paid credit to the club’s unsung heroes for leading the charge in their thrilling win against the Sydney Swans at the SCG.

While all eyes were on Marcus Bontempelli in his 250th game and Sam Darcy in the forward line, it was Joel Freijah and Lachie Bramble who were instrumental in the nine-point victory.

Freijah kicked four goals while also registering nine score involvements and 23 disposals in the most complete game of his young career to date. Meanwhile, Bramble finished the game with a team-high 28 disposals as some new faces proved to be “match winners” for the Dogs.

Joel Freijah was pivotal for the Bulldogs. Picture: Getty Images

“The game probably wasn’t dissimilar to some of the games we’ve played throughout the year where we haven’t prevailed,” Beveridge said. “And I thought Sydney were pretty exceptional…it was a pretty even game and a really important one for us to win.

“I thought in the third quarter, in particular, when Sydney had a lot of momentum, a couple of backs in particular, Lachie Bramble and Bailey Williams, just some composure, get the ball in their hands. They won some really important contests and some pressure ball.

“Then up the other end, we scrapped and Marcus provided some brilliance to kick a goal to give us a bit of a sniff to come back. And then some of the second-yearers in Ryley Sanders and Joel Freijah.

“(Joel’s) a special young player. And he and Ryley Sanders were enormous for us, and that’s really important for the now, but definitely for the future. So Joel was pivotal in helping us keep our heads above water.

“It wasn’t the usual suspects tonight who necessarily drove the bus home in the end. It was some of the lads who maybe haven’t been the match winners.”

Lachlan Bramble did a job down back for the Bulldogs. Picture: Getty Images

They were important contributions considering the Bulldogs didn’t have it all their own way through the midfield on Friday night.

Beveridge’s side came into the game as one of the best stoppage groups in the competition, leading the centre clearance differential, as well as being one of the top four contested possession teams in the AFL.

And although they still came out on top in the centre clearances (15-12), it was the Swans who won both the clearances (38-34) and contested ball (135-112), with Beveridge conceding that Brodie Grundy’s influence on the game became a huge concern.

“With the Grundy situation, Tim (English) fought the good fight, but we were tempted to make an early sub with Buku, but it was going to be difficult for anyone else but Tim or Sam to play in the ruck against Grundy,” Beveridge said.

“The only other lever we could have pulled was Rory (Lobb), but he’s too important for us down back, so we didn’t do it. Yeah, we hung on.

“Our core midfield brigade, they were going okay. Maybe there was a period in the first quarter and a half where we had some ascendancy, but by and large…it wasn’t like they were all going to be walking away with the coaches’ votes.”

The Bulldogs’ coach was still visibly frustrated at the lack of composure towards the end of the game, where they gave the Swans opportunities to work back into the contest.

But although they’re still yet to claim a big scalp in 2025, the win over last year’s grand finalists sees them move into fifth position with a healthy percentage and a strong platform to push for a top-four finish.

“Even in the last three minutes, just to try and take the heat out of the game, there were things we could have done better,” Beveridge said.

“We started the game up again on run-to-receives, and we didn’t need it. We did take some seconds off the clock, but we gave them another look at it when we should have been better.

“So, we’ll learn from that, but overall, a satisfying night on Marcus’s 250th, so it’s great to be able to celebrate a win.”

DOGS END SWANS’ YEAR AS SCG TURF COMES UNDER FIRE

The Western Bulldogs have celebrated Marcus Bontempelli’s 250th game in style, holding off a brave Swans outfit to come away with a thrilling nine-point victory at the SCG.

The Friday night encounter didn’t disappoint, with both sides bringing attacking flair in a high-scoring encounter. However, the Swans were made to pay for being wasteful in front of goal yet again, with their finals chances all but over after a ninth loss of the season.

Sam Darcy got the ball rolling early for the Bulldogs with two quick goals, but it was the Swans’ pressure that stood out in the opening exchanges.

After bossing Port Adelaide around the contest last weekend, their physicality was on display with enormous tackle pressure across the field.

Follow all the action and SuperCoach news in the live blog below.

The Bulldogs got the better of the Swans in the end. Picture: Getty Images

The returning Jake Lloyd kicked the Swans’ first of the match, but his two other set-shot misses summed up his side’s first half with their wicked inaccuracy from the win over the Power hanging around for another week.

Chad Warner kicked a brilliant running goal in his 100th game, but some poor discipline from the hosts allowed the Dogs the opportunity to move the ball forward quickly and generate some good looks at goal.

That momentum continued for the visitors into the second term as they kicked four unanswered goals to open up a 28-point lead.

Aaron Naughton kicked three on the bounce as the Dogs’ key forwards threatened to open up an unassailable margin.

The Swans ramped up the pressure once again and finally found some success at their forward 50 stoppages. Brodie Grundy began to dominate Tim English, and his work created goals for both Isaac Heeney and James Jordon from near-impossible angles.

It meant the lead was quickly whittled back down to just nine points at the main break, with the Swans having all the running as they went into the rooms. They also led the tackle count 38-16 in a sign of the intensity Dean Cox had ordered his side to bring.

The red and white swarm continued into the third term as Heeney and Justin McInerney kicked early majors to give the Swans for the first time since the opening quarter. It looked like the Swans had all the momentum, but the Dogs kept finding an answer with teen sensation Joel Freijah kicking three goals in the quarter.

However, it was Heeney who continued to keep his team in the contest, going one better and kicking four goals for the term to keep the margin at just nine points ahead of the final term.

The two sides traded goals, including Freijah’s fourth and Jack Buller’s first of his career, but the margin stayed at nine points deep into the last quarter.

It was the Swans who had all the legs in the dying minutes, but they were their own worst enemy with terrible ball use and shocking turnovers. Hayden McLean had a chance in the final minute to keep the game alive, but his shot narrowed in on the post as the Swans were consigned to another home defeat in 2025.

Sam Darcy slots a goal from the boundary

DARCY DRAWS FIRST BLOODS

Tom Papley and the Swans tried to get stuck into wunderkind Sam Darcy before a ball had even been bounced, but the move very quickly backfired.

A bit of push and shove erupted in the centre square as the two forward lines passed each other, and there was no surprise that Papley was in the middle of it.

But within 30 seconds, it was Darcy who had the last laugh after he beautifully marked an inside 50 entry from Tim English. He then followed up his work with a great crumbing goal to kick the first two of the game.

On a night where the Swans needed everything to go right in defence with Tom McCartin a late out, it was the worst start they could have imagined.

Darcy then kicked his third with a miraculous goal from the pocket early in the second quarter that most small forwards would have been proud of.

Brodie Grundy is in unbelievable form ðŸ‘#AFLSwansDogs pic.twitter.com/6H81YzQEYK
— AFL (@AFL) June 27, 2025

GROUSE GRUNDY

The Dogs came into the game as the best centre clearance team in the competition, and they got on top in the first quarter on the back of Tim English and their midfield superstars.

But Brodie Grundy, who has been sensational over the past six weeks and one of the top 20 rated players in the game, took the challenge on and almost single-handedly turned the stoppages in the Swans’ favour.

He started dominating English in hit outs and with deft craft was finding both Chad Warner and Isaac Heeney with brilliant sleight of hand.

The Swans then turned that into scoreboard pressure, kicking four goals from forward stoppages, largely from Grundy’s tap work.

Grundy then had his headline moment with a superb crumb and goal in the final term as the Swans mounted a late charge.

Marcus Bontempelli celebrates on the troublesome SCG turf in game 250. Picture: Phil Hillyard

SURF AND TURF

It’s been an issue ever since famous opera singer Andrea Bocelli graced the SCG in early April, but 85 days later, the turf at the Paddington End of the ground was as bad as it has been all season.

Across the first half, players from both sides were slipping and sliding in the 50-metre arc, with players unable to change direction without falling over. It became farcical at points during the second term with multiple players falling over competing at the same contest.

The concern for the turf is even more stark given there hasn’t been any sport held on the SCG for almost a month, since the Swans’ last home game against the Crows in May.