Live AFL 2022, Western Bulldogs vs Essendon Bombers, Round 7: Live scores, updates, stats, video, stream, news, blog

The Western Bulldogs and Essendon go head-to-head at Marvel Stadium in an elimination final rematch, with both sides desperate for victory.

The Dogs (2-4, 100.4%) have disappointed this season off the back of their grand final appearance, falling to Adelaide by one point last week. Luke Beveridge has boldly dropped Jamarra Ugle-Hagan and Josh Schache, while Laithan Vandermeer and Mitch Wallis return.

The Bombers (1-5, 72.8%) showed improvement in last week’s Anzac Day loss to Collingwood, but this season is quickly slipping away from them.

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Essendon made its own selection statement, dropping Dylan Shiel as Zach Reid comes in.

But Shiel was named as the Bombers’ medical sub with Josh Schache the sub for the Dogs.

The match gets underway at 3:20pm EST from Marvel Stadium.

Watch it live on Fox Sports 503 from 3pm EST.

QUARTER-BY-QUARTER MATCH REPORT

The Bombers got the quick start, with Matt Guelfi taking an excellent contested mark inside 50 and converting his set-shot attempt.

A brilliant, spearing kick from Dogs star Marcus Bontempelli found Mitch Wallis, who kicked the Bulldog’s first major. Wallis missed last week’s clash with Adelaide after his mother-in-law died in hospital after being hit by a car before he and his wife Emily have welcomed their second child into the world.

Peter Wright then responded for the Bombers at the other end before Wallis kicked his second to continue the early goal-for-goal trend.

That trend was broken minutes later though as Lachie McNeil won a free kick for too high and converted his set-shot to give the Bulldogs two goals on the trot.

Despite the Bulldogs dominating the inside 50 (+6) and contested possession (+4) counts, they only led by four points at quarter-time.

The second term, to the eye, was dominated by the Bulldogs, yet the Bombers only found themselves down by 14 points.

Laitham Vandermeer, Robbie McComb and Zaine Cordy kicked the first three goals of the quarter as the Bombers struggled to contain the Dogs on transition.

Yet the Bombers found a way to hit the scoreboard despite the ball spending most of the quarter in the Bulldog’s forward half, with Wright kicking a crucial late goal to have his side within striking distance.

The Bombers were forced to activate their sub at half-time, with young gun Nik Cox exiting the match with an ankle injury and Shiel entering the game.

The Bulldogs got the ideal start for the third term, with McNeil taking an unlikely contested mark and converting his set-shot. And when Josh Dunkley pounced on a loose ball and ran into an open goal, the Bulldogs opened up a game-high 26-point lead.

“The Dogs are on the charge,” Channel 7 commentator Brain Taylor said.

Beveridge’s side exploded in a high-scoring third quarter, kicking seven goals, including another from Dunkley, to Essendon’s three to take all momentum in the match.

Former Carlton and Adelaide great Eddie Betts was full of praise for the Bulldogs at three-quarter time.

“The Bulldogs’ pressure was unbelievable. Bont is getting into it, and there ball movement was unbelievable,” he said.

“Every time Essendon has had the ball, their pressure was just just in their face, not allowing them to move it.”

Cody Weightman booted the first goal of the fourth quarter to keep the Dogs surging before taunting Bombers fans, who’d been booing him during the game, behind the goals.

It comes after Weightman sensationally kicked all four of his goals from free kicks in last year’s elimination final over Essendon.

The Dogs continued to pile on the pain, kicking two more goals and score over 100 points.

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