The Western Bulldogs are set to feature in Friday night football in 2020

The Western Bulldogs are set to cash in for their strong back half of 2019. After playing just one Friday night game this year, fans can expect to see The Bont and co more often next season.

Marcus Bontempelli and the Bulldogs will be prime-time in 2020. Pic: AAP

Western Bulldogs will receive more prime-time love in next year’s fixture as a reward for their exhilarating second half of last season.

The Bulldogs will be more prominent on the Friday night stage in 2020 after receiving only one Friday night game this year.

The Dogs have already been guaranteed two Friday night games – in the blockbuster Round 1 clash against Collingwood and also in the Good Friday game against North Melbourne.

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Bailey Dale and the Western Bulldogs will be front and centre in 2020. Picture. Phil Hillyard

But it won’t be the end of the prime-time night games for the Dogs, who stamped themselves as one of the most in-form teams in the competition in the back half of last season.

The Western Bulldogs were the second-highest scoring side in the league from Round 13 last season (average 95.7 points per game) and were a clear No. 1 from Round 18.

The Dogs averaged 111 points per game (from Round 18) well ahead of West Coast in second place with an average 91.7 points per game, according to Champion Data.

That scoring capability strongly appeals to broadcasters as well as the marketing appeal of the Dogs’ superstar midfield brigade.

As well as more Friday night games, the Dogs will also feature regularly on our screens on Saturday night after seven Saturday night games in 2019.

The extra prime time slots will deliver a nice kick to the Dogs’ coffers, helping draw increased crowds and television audiences in 2020.

The Bulldogs finished the home and away season full of running. Picture: Mark Stewart

The Dogs are considered a genuine contender in next year’s premiership race after a busy trade period, adding gun key position players Josh Bruce and Alex Keath.

It means there will be significant intrigue in how the Dogs shape up next season after crashing out of the finals in an elimination final defeat to GWS Giants’ in Sydney.

St Kilda great Leigh Montagna said the Bulldogs deserve more prime time action.

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“I certainly think the Western Bulldogs, they’re a team on the rise,” Montagna said on Triple M.

“They’ve now got two more key position players to compliment the midfield, and they’re a good team to watch, the Western Bulldogs.

“They play an exciting style of footy, we know about their talent, they’re a team I’d like to watch play on a Friday night.”

Originally published as The Western Bulldogs are set to feature in Friday night football in 2020