Round 9 – Western Bulldogs v Port Adelaide: Bulldogs through and through in a thriller

 

 

Round 9 

Western Bulldogs v Port Adelaide

Friday, May 8, 2026

Adelaide Oval

 

By Nick Kossatch

 

Western Bulldogs captain Marcus Bontempelli led his team to a gutsy 10.14 (74) to 10.12 (72) win over Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval on Friday night.

 

 

The Power never led at any stage of the game, but had threatened to do so before Arty Jones set up youngster Harvey Gallagher for what effectively was the winning point.

 

 

The Bont was enormous for the Dogs, while Port’s skipper Zak Butters did all he could to get his team over the line.

 

 

Both captains had 30 possessions.

 

 

Again the home team started sluggishly, as the Western Bulldogs kicked the first three goals for a 20-0 flier via the busy Connor Budurick, who assisted Aaron Naughton for the first.

 

 

After Ed Richards was the goal recipient through Tim English and Bontempelli, Port’s Logan Evans gifted Rhylee West with the third major when West intercepted Evans’ hesitant kick out of defence.

 

 

The Doggies cluttered the corridor – a key gateway from defence to attack for the Power in recent weeks under coach Josh Carr’s new playbook – and Port were forced to not play a daring brand for the bulk of this game.

 

 

Mitch Georgiades (four goals) kicked two goals from free kicks against Buku Khamis, but again his night was marred by four misses that could have resulted in goals. Surprisingly, Dante Visentini started in ruck and Jason Horne-Francis began in the goal-square, but that ploy back-fired as Tim English and the Bulldogs’ midfield group of the Bont, Ryley Sanders and Richards, were well on top despite the best efforts of Butters.

 

 

Port’s Miles Bergman injured his foot and didn’t play in the second half, while influential English missed the final term with concussion.

 

 

MIGHTY MARCUS CAPTAIN MARVELLOUS

 

Western Bulldogs Marcus Bontempelli was best-on-ground, with 30 possessions and a goal. Whether he was in defence quelling a Power forward surge, in midfield with important tap-ons or up forward with crucial set-up kicks to the forwards, without the inspiring skipper, the Dogs lose. Unlike Port, who heavily relied on captain Zak Butters, the Bont got help from fellow midfielders Ryley Sanders and the hard-running Ed Richards.

 

 

WHY NOT START GUNS IN THE CENTRE SQUARE

 

Josh Carr admitted he may have erred by not starting Jordan Sweet in the ruck and Jason Horne-Francis in the midfield. Instead, the Hornet began the game at full-forward and Dante Visentini as the lead ruckman. Visentini gave away several free kicks against Tim English, who taught his younger opponent a costly lesson.

 

 

PORT ADELAIDE               4.1    6.5    8.7    10.12 (72)

WESTERN BULLDOGS       6.2    9.5    9.6    10.14 (74)

 

GOALS

Port Adelaide: Georgiades 4, Watkins, Sweet, Mackinlay, Whitlock, Evans, Durdin

 

Western Bulldogs: Lewis 2, West 2, Naughton 2, Richards, Jones, Bontempelli, Freijah

 

 

Best (Nick’s Best):

Western Bulldogs – 10.14 (74). Best: Bontempelli, English, Sanders, Richards, Budurick, West.

 

Port Adelaide – 10.12 (72). Goals: Georgiades 4. Best: Butters, Horne-Francis, Georgiades, Aliir.

 

Injuries: Port Adelaide: Bergman (foot). Western Bulldogs: English (concussion).

 

VOTES

3: Bontempelli

2: Sanders

1: Butters

 

 

 

Read more from Nick Kossatch (KOSSYPOWERMAN) HERE

 

Visit Nick’s website HERE

 

To read other Round 9 match reports click HERE

 

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