Match Preview
All you need to know ahead of Friday night’s clash against Collingwood.
When and where: Friday 31 May, 7.40pm AEST, Marvel Stadium (Wurundjeri)
Broadcast: Channel 7, Fox Footy/Kayo
Head-to-head: Played 161 (won 49, drawn once, lost 111)
Last time we met: Round 17 2023, WB 11.11 (77) def. by Collingwood 13.11 (89)
All Public GA and Reserved Seats for this match are now exhausted. If you have redeemed a Reserved Seat/GA Ticket or have a GA membership, you are still able to scan in but recommend arriving early.
Standing Room tickets are now available until the allocation is exhausted. Click here to purchase.
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What it means
The Bulldogs will be keen to bounce back from a spirited loss to Sydney against the reigning premiers this Friday night. A three-game run at Marvel Stadium heading into the bye is a great opportunity for the Dogs to capitalise, hosting both Brisbane and Fremantle after tomorrow night’s clash. The Bulldogs currently sit 11th on the ladder with five wins, two games outside the top eight.
Who to watch
As coach Luke Beveridge confirmed on Wednesday night, Rory Lobb will return to the line-up in replace of the injured Aaron Naughton. The 31-year-old forward-ruck will add plenty of experience to what is otherwise a young three-pronged attack (Jamarra Ugle-Hagan and Sam Darcy) on Friday night. Lobb has managed three senior outings this season, otherwise making his presence felt in the undefeated Footscray side with seven majors in his past three games alone.
Finding the right blend
Naughton won’t be the only forced out this Friday night, with the Dogs also needing to find replacements for Ed Richards and Anthony Scott. The duo suffered concussions against the Swans and were subsequently placed into the protocols. As a result, Rhylee West, Riley Garcia and Ryley Sanders – ‘Triple R’ as Beveridge named them last week – were sent into the midfield. The match committee will have some decisions to make again this week, but is likely the Dogs’ on-ball brigade will again look different come Friday night.
VFL curtain-raiser
Prior to the AFL clash, the VFL sides will do battle from 4.05pm at Marvel Stadium. Gates 5, 8 and 9 will open from 3.45pm AEST to accommodate patrons wishing to attend – but must hold a valid ticket/admission to the later AFL match. Footscray currently sit undefeated at the top of the ladder, while Collingwood sit 16th with two wins.
Support the ‘Scray with a VFL membership, giving you access to all Footscray Bulldogs home games at Mission Whitten Oval.
Check before you travel
Avoid public transport and road disruptions this Friday night by checking before you travel.
Buses replace trains on sections of the Pakenham, Craigieburn, Lilydale, Seymour and Gippsland lines.
To plan your journey ahead of time, visit Victoria’s Big Build website for more information.