Western Bulldogs (2-2) and Essendon Bombers (2-2) go head-to-head in AFL Round 5 action on Friday at Marvel Stadium. Both teams were beaten in Gather Round and will be looking to bounce back here.
The Bulldogs were edged out by Geelong last weekend in a four point loss. At one stage in the 4th quarter, they were down by almost 30 points. They clawed their way back with some strong runs, but it was a case of too little too late to secure any points.
The Bombers, meanwhile, have struggled defensively all season, allowing the third-most points per game in the competition, but their determined effort against St Kilda shown that they are capable of shutting down a team.
They were in the game early against Port Adelaide Power. They kicked a goal seven minutes into the 2nd quarter that levelled the scoring, but then the game soon slipped away from them.
Here, GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch Western Bulldogs vs Essendon Bombers in the AFL, plus plenty more.
Western Bulldogs vs Essendon Bombers date and start time
| Date | Friday, April 12, 2024 |
| Start time | 7:40 pm AEST, 7:10 pm ACST, 5:40 AWST |
| Venue | Marvel Stadium |
| Location | Melbourne, Wurundjeri, Australia |
How to watch Western Bulldogs vs Essendon Bombers on TV & stream live online
There are several options to watch the Western Bulldogs vs Essendon Bombers AFL game in Australia, including Network Seven, Foxtel, Foxtel from Telstra, and Kayo Sports.
The best way to livestream the aforementioned AFL game is through Kayo with a seven-day free trial. It also does not have a lock-in contract or equipment fees, which means you can cancel anytime if you are no longer using it.
All you need to decide is whether you want to pick Kayo One at $25 per month (1 stream and up to HD), or Kayo Basic at $35 per month (2 streams and up to 4K).
What channel is Western Bulldogs vs Essendon Bombers game on?
The game will be broadcast live on 7mate on free-to-air TV and will also be available to watch Fox Footy on pay TV. Triple M, ABC, AFL Nation and NEMBC Media (Punjabi media) will provide the radio coverage.
Streaming the game with a VPN
- Overview of VPN services that allow access to geo-restricted streams
- How to set up and use a VPN service to stream the match
You can watch the game from wherever you are in the world by using a VPN (Virtual Private Network) service such as NordVPN/ ExpressVPN. A VPN will allow you to create a secure connection online when you are abroad on holiday or for work and you want to stream the game live.
If you are not sure which VPN to use or how to use a VPN, we have taken a look at the best options available out there for watching live sports - check out the best VPN services review here.
Here’s an easy step-by-step guide on how to use a VPN to watch a game when you are overseas:
- Install VPN of your choice - see our reviews here for the best options.
- Select the location you wish to connect to. This is easy - if you are visiting the UK and you wish to continue watching one of your U.S. streaming services, you would select the US.
- Grab the popcorn and get ready to watch!
Western Bulldogs vs Essendon Bombers team news
Western Bulldogs team news
Ryan Gardner (foot) has been designated as test this weekend. Lachie Smith (knee injury) is still a few weeks away after suffering a training injury over the weekend, and will be out for at least two weeks.
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Ruck | Smith, English |
| Defender | Busslinger, Coffield, O'Donnell, Khamis, Keath, Gardner, Duryea, Richards, Bramble, Dale, Cleary, Johannisen |
| Midfielder | Treloar, Bontempelli, Smith, Sanders, Macrae, Gallagher, Baker, Vandermeer, Poulter, McNeil, Williams |
| Forward | Weightman, Clarke, West, Harmes, Jones, Bedendo, Freijah, Scott, Jones, Arthur, Naughton, Daniel, O'Driscoll, Garcia, Ugle-Hagan, Lobb, Darcy, Croft |
Essendon Bombers team news
The early news does not bode well for Essendon, with injuries piling up. Soft-tissue injuries are again resurfacing at the club, with Archie Perkins expected to miss a month of action due to a hamstring injury.
Jordan Ridley will be sidelined for 4-6 weeks with a reoccurring quad injury, while Will Setterfield has reinjured his knee, making him unavailable for this one.
Zach Reid and Matt Guelfi have muscular injuries that will keep them out for several weeks. Dylan Shiel and Tex Wanganeen will be eased back into the VFL.
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Ruck | Draper, Goldstein, Bryan, Visentini |
| Defender | Ridley, Laverde, Hayes, Baldwin, Reid, McKay, McGrath, Hind, Heppell, Durham, Redman, Kelly, Lual, Davey Jnr, Roberts |
| Midfielder | Parish, Tsatas, Caldwell, Merrett, Hobbs, Shiel, Cox, Setterfield, Wright, Duursma, Martin |
| Forward | Langford, Weideman, Perkins, Jones, Baldwin, Caddy, Reid, McKay, Hunter, Gresham, Stringer, Davey, Wanganeen, Menzie |
Head-to-Head Record
| Date | Match | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| 21/07/23 | Essendon Bombers 49-90 Western Bulldogs | AFL |
| 01/05/22 | Western Bulldogs 103-71 Essendon Bombers | AFL |
| 29/08/21 | Western Bulldogs 85-36 Essendon Bombers | AFL |
| 08/08/21 | Western Bulldogs 84-97 Essendon Bombers | AFL |
| 17/07/20 | Essendon Bombers 51-93 Western Bulldogs | AFL |