Blog log from P1 of 2026: Western Bulldogs vs Hawthorn

After a Bontempelli free from the first centre jump, Naughton feeds Davidson who jinks and goals from near the hotspot. (Q1 0:32)
The Bulldogs win a scrum on outer wing to release Richards who passes long over Mraz to Naughton near the hotspot, whose set shot drifts right into the post. (Q1 2:34)
Sicily spoils near the hotspot but the crumb flips over the back where Croft speeds onto it and goals from 15m. (Q1 5:17)
Bramble’s slow play rebound kick is to two Hawks in the centre, Newcombe passes quick and short to Ginnivan 45m out in front who kicks truly. (Q1 7:20)
Sanders’ backward handball is to the feet of Lobb, Hawks swarm and eventually Nash sharks Bontempelli to set up Lobb’s man Lewis to snap the goal from 20m. (Q1 10:18)
West earns a high contact free on Meek after a stoppage 30m out on a slight angle, his set shot fades from right to left and in. (Q1 12:58)
Morrison flies from the opposite wing to spoil a long ball to 20m out but it comes off his knuckles to go over the back for his opponent Baker to rove and goal with ease. (Q1 15:18)
Newcombe baulks away from Davidson on outer wing and passes to the pocket for Gunston 25m, who curls in the goal with his right boot. (Q1 21:46)
Naughton marks on the HFF and goes quickly to the pocket for Bontempelli 25m out, but his set shot curler is a shank for a behind. (Q1 23:21)
After a long period of the ball in Hawthorn’s front half, a poor pass by Impey is swept upfield at pace to set up a running goal by Croft from 40m. (Q1 27:49)
Meek bombs long to the top of the square, Nash’s pressure forces a cough up by Budarick to Gunston who goals. (Q1 30:04)
Hawks are forcing plenty of front half turnovers, Newcombe bullets a pass to Watson 40m out on the flank just before the QT siren. Wiz kicks truly but is whistled for playing on! (Qtr Time)
That completes a putrid quarter for Watson, he will be spitting chips. (Qtr Time)
Weddle fumbles a crumb at defensive hotspot to allow Croft to throw a boot at it, the ball rolls just inside the left goalpost. (Q2 0:44)
Gunston takes a link mark to set up a Mackenzie pass to the pocket 30m out for Lewis to mark in front of Khamis, he misses. (Q2 2:17)
Freijah runs behind Meek to mark a Richards pass 30m out in the pocket, his J-curve set shot off the left is a peach. (Q2 3:22)
Sanders passes to Bontempelli at the hotspot as the Hawks fail to rebound from halfback and turn it over, the Bont tugs it way right. (Q2 9:59)
Again the Hawks have the ball in their half for a while but it’s Jones who is over the back on his own to skid through the slingshot goal for the Dogs. (Q2 13:59)
D’Ambrosio’s snap from a stoppage 30m out on the flank dribbles into the post. (Q2 15:31)
Mraz drops an intercept mark deep in defence to allow his opponent Naughton to rove and feed Jones for the goal. (Q2 21:14)
Gunston marks Newcombe’s long kick to the teeth of goal in front of Khamis after the Hawks win the next centre clearance, Unc curls in his third goal. (Q2 22:52)
Liberatore marks untouched at the hotspot after Naughton’s link mark at half forward, Libba makes no mistake. (Q2 25:14)
Big pack forms 20m out for a long ball by Matthew Kennedy but Naughton marks, keeps his feet and waltzes into the open goal. Dogs goals have been far easier tonight. (Q2 26:55)
Another long ball by the Bulldogs from the centre through English, another big pack, another crumb over the back, this time it’s West who profits. (Q2 28:15)
The Hawks get their first slingshot goal of the day through Butler with a feed by Watson. (Q2 30:45)
Watson sails through a quality set shot from 45m on the flank after marking a Weddle pass. (Q3 2:58)
Connor Macdonald snaps his first goal from a throw=in to 15m out in front. (Q3 5:13)
O’Donnell is penalised for encroachment to bring Newcombe from half forward to the hotspot, where he misses to the right. (Q3 6:48)
Richards’ tackle on Ward slips down as they both fall, ump spots a legging free. Ward misses from 30m on the flank. (Q3 11:08)
Liberatore receives from English and checksides off a step from the hotspot for his second goal. (Q3 11:56)
Richards gets a soft contact free on Weddle at true CHF, his set shot just fades to the right very late for a point. (Q3 17:00)
Weddle’s dump kick from a pack in defence is straight to Baker 30m out on a slight angle, who shanks way right and OOTF. (Q3 19:44)
Jones drops the knees to suck a cheap free at half forward, long ball to the square roved by Croft, handball outside to English for the goal. (Q3 21:14)
English clears from the centre, Sicily roves but is slung and coughs up to Croft who sets Jones away to race to 20m and goal again. (Q3 22:44)
Chol contests against two Dogs for a long speculator to provide a crumb for Butler to goal from 20m. (Q3 28:45)
English grabs the ball out of ruck and snaps a quality goal from 40m on a slight angle. (Q3 31:00)
Mackenzie begins Q4 junk time with a snap goal from the HFF, with an assist by Schubert. (Q4 0:24)
Hill misses a snap on the run from 40m on the flank. (Q4 3:09)
Budarick receives outside a pack on the HFF and hits the lead of Jones 30m out in front of Sicily, who misses. (Q4 5:22)
Butler catches Davidson in a chicken wing tackle to win a HTB free at the hotspot, but shanks to the left. (Q4 8:19)
Williams marks a Khamis pass over Maginness 35m out on a slight angle, he also misses to the left. (Q4 10:22)
Baker sails through a snap from CHF. (Q4 14:08)
Watson intercepts Lobb’s kick across the last line 15m out for an opportunist goal. (Q4 16:38)
Freijah misses a flying snap from mid-range after a feed by West. (Q4 18:12)
West marks a Kennedy pass 40m out in front after another Khamis intercept mark, but pulls his kick to the left. (Q4 20:21)
West sends Naughton into the open goal for a garbage time special. (Q4 25:52)
Butler misses from 40m on a slight angle on the final siren. (Q4 28:05)