news, latest-news, Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the Western Bulldogs v Brisbane Lions match in Ballarat. Here, we will be bringing you all the action from the big day at Mars Stadium. Whether it is the colour in the crowd, the scores of the game or maybe that extra bit of inside information, this is where you'll find it. From 1pm onwards, follow our live blog at the bottom of the screen. The match starts at 1.45pm. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/34dXacDR8RguBkyLHxYXLhN/c7fa51bf-339e-4a01-be04-a7035eac246f.jpg/r8_167_3764_2289_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg<doc-sep>Join Shane McInnes, Matt Granland, Matthew Lloyd, Daniel Harford, Rohan Connolly (Pre Game) and on the boundary, Scott Cummings. The Western Bulldogs claim a well deserved win over the Tigers by 47 points. Aaron Naughton played a breakthrough game kicking five goals and taking 10 uncontested marks. The boys also had a chance to catch up with Bulldog’s co-captain Marcus Bontempelli and Richmond’s Shane Edwards. Click PLAY to listen Halftime and the Dogs have taken the ball and ran with it. The Doggies are proving they are hungry for a win, but is it enough to get them through to the final siren? Listen to the comprehensive halftime report from our commentary team at Marvel. Click PLAY to listen. The Tigers are the comfortable favourites as they head to Marvel Stadium to take on the Doggies. Richmond will be without reliable backman David Astbury, due to a rolled ankle suffered in the ANZAC eve match last round. Youngsters Shai Bolton and the speedy Connor Menadue will make their way into the Tiger side. The Bulldogs go in with an unchanged team despite coming off a loss in the west to the Dockers. Tonight will be the first time Sam Lloyd will face his ex-teammates and will be hungry to put the third win on the board for the doggies. Listen to our full match preview from the commentary team. Click PLAY to listen HOW TO LISTEN ONLINE in 2018 PRE-GAME: 3AW App or click here MATCH STREAM: AFL app or website POST-MATCH REVIEW: 3AW App or click here Tweets by @3AWisfootball<doc-sep>In the modern game, it’s rare the old-school factor of conditions play a crucial role in the outcome of a match. It makes the Bulldogs’ annual trip to Mars Stadium in Ballarat somewhat of an anomaly. When you play in Ballarat, you can bank on it being cold, windy and uncompromising. Stream Western Bulldogs v Brisbane Lions on KAYO SPORTS. Live & anytime in HD. Get your 14-day free trial and start streaming instantly > It’s a pure footy experience, where clean hands, tough tackling and doing the little things will bear fruit – and if you get too fancy, you do so at your own peril. You either play to the conditions – or you fall apart. And early on, young Bulldog Aaron Naughton – much-vaunted after a matchwinning show against the Tigers a week earlier – was feeling the full force of the Ballarat chill. Lions key back Harris Andrews kept the young Dog kickless in the opening term, scoring the early points in a match-up Johnson had predicted could be “one for the ages.” Andrews’ bodywork, combined with the tougher conditions of Ballarat compared to Marvel Stadium, saw Naughton struggle to make an impact in the first half. Meanwhile, one player was handling the conditions better than anyone else. It shouldn’t have come as a surprise that Hugh McCluggage was right in the thick of things in Ballarat – after all, he may reside in sunny Brisbane now, but his clean hands and poise were forged on that very oval in Victoria’s goldfields region. In the opening quarter of his return to Ballarat, the third pick in the 2016 AFL draft went about reclaiming that patch of turf as his own. McCluggage’s cleanliness in slippery conditions, burst of speed and intelligent ball use stood out, That included one effort where he ran back with the flight to spoil Sam Lloyd, then followed up his own work with a forward burst to create an inside 50. “That’s All-Australian efforts there from McCluggage,” Bulldogs great Brad Johnson said. “That type of play, if he continues that throughout the year – I know there’s a long way left to go in the season but that’s the type of stuff that the elite players do.” Indeed, McCluggage looked set to take the game by the scruff of the neck, with the 21-year-old racking up 14 disposals and gaining 271 metres in the first stanza alone. Hugh McCluggage dominated early (Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images) Source: Getty Images “He needs to be stopped right now … he may well be putting together a season that’s going to see his first All-Australian jumper if he continues this,” Brownlow Medallist Gerard Healy said on Fox Footy. “His first seven games have been superb and right now he’s nearly best on ground if not best on ground.” But despite their early dominance, the Lions were unable to make it count on the scoreboard, with the Dogs, and Naughton, starting to work their way back into the match. These Bulldogs won a premiership off the back of scrapping away to win – and from late in the second term, they simply looked more desperate. Josh Dunkley racked up the footy at will, Marcus Bontempelli provided a much-need touch of class and toughness around the ground and Ed Richards provided a spark at crucial moments. “We just went back to basics and won the footy at the source, the mids really stood up,” Dunkley told Fox Footy post-match. With six minutes left in the second term, Mitch Wallis cleverly tapped the ball out of congestion into the path of Jack Macrae, who snapped truly to get his side back into it. And when the Lions blew some opportunities, Luke Beveridge’s side were ready to pounce. Josh Dunkley dominated. (AAP Image/Julian Smith) Source: AAP On the stroke of half-time, Naughton marked the ball and kicked truly – making his mark on the game and handing his side the lead. Then, he made the second half his own. The young tall started to mark the ball at will as he worked his way up the ground in the third term, racking up nine touches and a goal in that quarter alone. “Aaron went naught to 100 in a quarter,” former Hawthorn forward Ben Dixon said on Fox Footy. “Nine touches, got himself right back into this game.” All of a sudden, the conditions weren’t a factor. “I knew the attention was gonna come and Harris Andrews did a good job in that first half,” Naughton told Fox Footy post-match. “But I think we had to keep fighting through, keep trying to launch at the footy and my workrate to get up the ground and beat them back just got me in the game in the second half.” From midway through the third term, the Dogs rarely looked troubled – outworking their opponents around the ground and showing discipline at the contest. Meanwhile, Naughton – despite some wayward kicking – looked a genuine focal point up forward. “He’s an interesting character, for a long, long time the Western Bulldogs have been looking for someone to become the player that Aaron Naughton is potentially able to do,” Healy said. “There’s a couple like (Tom) Boyd and (Josh) Schache in the seconds at the present time but this boy has come from nowhere.” Aaron Naughton worked his way back into the game (Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images) Source: Getty Images Then, as the minutes wound down, Naughton rose from nowhere – much like he did all night against the Tigers – to pluck a high mark, coolly converting to ice the game. From a non-existent first quarter, the young gun had turned his game around to deliver a 16-disposal, seven-mark and three-goal performance. In the process, he’d played his role to secure the Dogs their second consecutive gritty win. “He’s done well hasn’t he – recruited as probably a key back and if the other two boys (Boyd and Schache) were playing super football, that’s probably where he would be playing for the Western Bulldogs,” Johnson said. “But what he’s been able to do to transform himself into a competitive forward, a high-marking forward and look, the smalls would be loving this as well, his competiveness. “And his game, he takes a lot from this today because … he was down and out, he wasn’t having an impact whatsoever. To fight through that and kick 3.2 … and take some big marks and seal victory for the Dogs, was a fantastic game for him.” Get the ultimate AFL experience on your phone with the new FOX FOOTY App. Download it NOW for FREE on iOS and Android! Follow Round 8 of the 2019 AFL season in our live blog below. IF YOU CAN’T SEE IT, TAP HERE!<doc-sep>
One change has been made for the Western Bulldogs line-up for their clash with the Brisbane Lions at Mars Stadium in Ballarat on Saturday afternoon. As flagged by senior coach Luke Beveridge at his press conference on Thursday morning, experienced defender Matt Suckling will return from injury. Suckling has missed the past three matches, against Carlton, Fremantle and Richmond, after sustaining a groin injury at training. Prior to that he had enjoyed a strong start to the season, averaging 24.3 disposals and seven marks per game. Making way is small forward Tory Dickson, who has been omitted. Lewis Young, Pat Lipinski, Fletcher Roberts and Bailey Williams have been named as the emergencies. This will be the Bulldogs’ fourth AFL match at their Ballarat home, and they hold a record of one win from three outings there. Their recent record against the Lions is strong, having won their past four encounters. The Lions last claimed the points against the Dogs in the final round of 2015. ROUND 8 TEAM B: Jason Johannisen, Jackson Trengove, Hayden Crozier HB: Caleb Daniel, Zaine Cordy, Easton Wood C: Lachie Hunter, Tom Liberatore, Ed Richards HF: Billy Gowers, Aaron Naughton, Sam Lloyd F: Toby McLean, Marcus Bontempelli, Mitch Wallis Foll: Tim English, Josh Dunkley, Jack Macrae Int: Bailey Smith, Matt Suckling, Will Hayes, Lachie Young Emer: Lewis Young, Pat Lipinski, Fletcher Roberts, Bailey Williams In: Matt Suckling Out: Tory Dickson MATCH DETAILS Western Bulldogs v Brisbane Lions Mars Stadium, Ballarat Saturday 11 May 1.45pm AEST For match information, click here. LAST TIME THEY MET Round 8, 2018 – Star duo Jack Macrae and Marcus Bontempelli were dominant, as the Bulldogs overcame the Lions by 14 points – 16.11 (107) to 14.9 (93) – at Marvel Stadium. Macrae racked up an incredible 47 disposals, while Bontempelli spent time deep in the forward line to snag four goals an 24 disposals. Lachie Hunter (33) and Matt Suckling (30) also found plenty of the footy as the Dogs led at every break. Dayne Zorko (four goals) and Charlie Cameron (three) were dangerous in the Lions’ forward line. BROADCAST INFO TV – FOX Footy (live from 1.30pm) Radio – SEN1116 BELONG TO THE WEST: SIGN UP AS A 2019 MEMBER TODAY