In a thrilling opening-season AFLW clash at EJ Whitten Oval on Saturday afternoon, Western Bulldogs captain Isabelle Pritchard delivered a career-defining performance, breaking her own club disposals record to lift her side to a gritty 11-point victory over a resilient Richmond Tigers side. The win preserves the Bulldogs’ perfect start to the new campaign and catapults them straight to the top of the league ladder with an impressive 172.5 percentage.
Pritchard dominated the contest from the opening bounce, racking up 12 disposals in the first quarter alone to set the tone for the match. By the final siren, she had notched a club-record 36 touches, complemented by eight score involvements and one goal, beating the previous disposals mark that she herself had set earlier in her career. The Bulldogs’ captain was a constant ball magnet across the four quarters, and her early lead allowed her side to hold off repeated late comeback efforts from the Tigers.
Pritchard was well-supported by standout teammates across the ground. Midfielder Jess Fitzgerald turned in a sharp, consistent performance in the stoppages, where the Bulldogs won the battle that ultimately decided the contest. Young key forward Emma McDonald was another bright spot for the premiers-elect, bagging all three of her goals in the first half to give the Bulldogs a comfortable buffer heading into halftime.
The match delivered multiple memorable moments for the crowd in attendance, including a stunning exchange of long-range goals in the second quarter that had commentators raving. Bulldogs forward Amaia Wain kicked off the sequence, slotting a spectacular goal from just inside the 50-meter arc after a quick step to create space. “When in doubt just bang it long, Wain, a moment to savour,” commentator Kelli Underwood told Fox Footy of the strike. Barely 60 seconds later, Tigers forward Caitlin Greiser matched Wain’s effort, launching a 40-meter goal on a tricky slight angle to level the exchange. “Just trading blow for blow at the moment,” Underwood observed.
The Bulldogs’ game plan also included a targeted tag on Tigers superstar midfielder Monique Conti, who entered the match off a blistering opening round performance. Bulldog defender Dominique Carruthers held Conti to just four disposals in the first quarter, a result that initially looked like a masterful coaching call from Western Bulldogs head coach Tamara Hyett. But Conti brushed off the close attention after quarter-time, emerging as the clear best performer for an outmatched Richmond midfield group, finishing the match with 26 disposals and seven score involvements.
For the Tigers, the 48-37 defeat marks their first loss of the 2025 season, and their first under new senior head coach Jarrad Donders. While Conti turned in a strong second-half fightback, it was not enough to overcome the Bulldogs’ early lead and Pritchard’s record-breaking day. After the match, Pritchard earned three votes for the league’s Player of the Year award, with Conti picking up two and McDonald claiming one.
Full match score:
Western Bulldogs: 7.6 (48)
Richmond Tigers: 5.7 (37)
Goals:
Bulldogs: McDonald (3), Pritchard, Cann, Wain, Woodley
Tigers: Wolmarans (3), Cleary, Greiser
Best players:
Bulldogs: Pritchard, McDonald, Fitzgerald, Edmonds, Bennetts
Tigers: Conti, Wolmarans, Grieves, Dallaway
Injuries: None reported