A FOUR-GOAL haul from Heidi Woodley has helped the Western Bulldogs hold off Port Adelaide to claim a 13-point victory at Whitten Oval on Friday afternoon.

It marked the first time Woodley has kicked four goals in a match, headlining a frantic 14-goal second half where the Power stayed in touch despite the Bulldogs building to a 10.2 (62) to 8.1 (49) victory.

BULLDOGS v POWER Full match coverage and stats

While the Power edged the inside-50 count 37–35 and won the clearance battle 32–26, the Bulldogs remained far more efficient, converting 28 per cent of their entries into goals compared to Port Adelaide’s 21 per cent.

With the win, the Western Bulldogs continue their promising campaign, improving their record to 5-2 to consolidate their place in the top eight.

Keeley Hardingham stepped into the primary ruck role to replace the injured Alice Edmonds, joining fellow inclusions Analea McKee and Sarah Poustie. 

With Edmonds, who leads the League in hitouts this season, sidelined, her absence was a huge loss for the Bulldogs and gave Port Adelaide's Matilda Scholz a major advantage in the middle. Consequently, the battle at the stoppages became a key focal point for the Dogs. Despite losing the hitouts 45–11, the Bulldogs held their own to tie the stoppage clearances at 21 each.

Port Adelaide's Scholz was the standout player on the ground, finishing with 22 disposals and five clearances alongside her 40 hitouts.

Port Adelaide made a late change less than an hour before the bounce, with Katelyn Pope ruled out through illness. Second-year player Jasmine Evans came into the side for her first game of the season, joining debutant Ellie Hampson.

While Woodley led all comers on the scoreboard, teammate Isabelle Pritchard collected a game-high 23 disposals. 

For the Power, Shineah Goody and Hampson both chipped in with two goals, while Scholz and Dowrick shared a team-high 22 disposals.

The Bulldogs found their rhythm early, displaying strong link-up play through the middle and flooding forward with numbers to drive the ball inside 50.

Playing the early minutes almost entirely in their forward half, the opening goal came from a forward-half intercept for Woodley, who snapped truly. She had two on the board shortly after with another snap finish.

Finding space in a vacant forward 50 off the back of a kick-in chain, Goody took on Elisabeth Georgostathis before making a beeline for goal, gathering cleanly and executing a crafty snap to slot the Power’s first.

Despite Port evening up the inside-50 count, the Bulldogs took a seven-point lead into the first break.

With minutes remaining in the second quarter, neither side managed to score as both defences held firm. While the match remained tightly contested, the Bulldogs controlled general play, leading forward-50 disposals (24-9), forward-50 marks (5-2), and shots at goal (8-2).

Late in the term, an Analea McKee tackle yielded a holding-the-ball free kick in the forward 50, which she duly converted from the resulting set shot to give the Bulldogs a 13-point lead at half-time.

The hosts picked up where they left off, with a classy finish from Ellie Blackburn triggering a flurry of goals, a stark contrast to a defensive second term that produced only one.

The response for Port Adelaide came quickly through Hampson, before Woodley converted a set shot for a career-high third goal, all within five minutes.

Jasmyn Smith snapped one from the square before Goody kicked her second major, marking the first two-goal game of her career. Shortly after, backing into the flight to win the aerial contest, Woodley gathered possession and snapped home her fourth.

Late in the term, Blackburn and Boyd collided in a heavy contest, with Boyd coming off second best, suffering swelling to her temple and heading straight off the ground for an assessment before being ruled out for the remainder of the match.

Following a seven-goal quarter, the Bulldogs took a 19-point lead into the final change.

The shootout continued as both sides relentlessly traded goals.  

Friendship first as Ellenger presents Hampson's Power guernsey
Ahead of her Port Adelaide debut, forward Ellie Hampson received a surprise when her close friend Jade Ellenger presented her with her guernsey. The pair, former Brisbane teammates and best friends, shared an emotional moment before Port Adelaide clashed with the Western Bulldogs. Aware of the unusual circumstances, Ellenger joked: "It's not every day you have an opposition presenting your jersey, but I'm not here as that today, I'm here as your best friend and your No.1 supporter". Hampson starred for the Power with 16 disposals and four inside 50.s

Bulldogs outlast Power as inside-50 efficiency proves decisive
The Western Bulldogs' efficiency going inside 50 proved the difference, allowing them to make the most of their opportunities and withstand Port Adelaide's pressure. Despite the Power winning the clearances 31-26 and finishing narrowly ahead in inside 50s, 37-35, the Bulldogs' 28 per cent inside-50-to-goal conversion rate proved decisive. While Port Adelaide generated enough territory and stoppage dominance to challenge, the Bulldogs were far more clinical in attack, turning limited opportunities into scoreboard impact. Led by Heidi Woodley's career-best four goals, their finishing ensured they capitalised when it mattered most.

Boyd ruled out of Showdown with concussion after heavy collision
Defender Lucy Boyd will miss next week's Showdown following a heavy collision with Ellie Blackburn late in the third quarter that resulted in a concussion. When asked about Boyd post-match, Port Adelaide coach Glenn Strachan offered a cautious update, noting that she "was okay after the game" despite suffering visible swelling to her temple. "All I know is that she had a head knock and that's about as much as I know right now," Strachan said, acknowledging the big egg that had developed on her head while adding, "Hopefully she's all right”.

Up next
The Western Bulldogs will travel to Ballarat to face St Kilda at Mars Stadium on Saturday at 3:05pm AEST, before Port Adelaide hosts Adelaide at Alberton Oval for the Showdown at 7:15pm AEST.

WESTERN BULLDOGS     2.2    3.2    7.2   10.2 (62)
PORT ADELAIDE             1.1    1.1    4.1    8.1 (49)

GOALS
Western Bulldogs: Woodley 4, McKee, Blackburn, Smith, Hartwig, Fitzgerald, Wilcox
Port Adelaide: Hampson 3, Goodey 2, Young, Woodland, Mules-Robinson

BEST
Western Bulldogs: Woodley, Pritchard, Fitzgerald, Cann, Georgostathis, McKee 
Port Adelaide: Scholz, Hampson, Goody, Young, Dorwick, Brooksby

INJURIES
Western Bulldogs: Nil
Port Adelaide: Boyd (concussion)

LATE CHANGES
Western Bulldogs: Nil
Port Adelaide: Katelyn Pope (illness) replaced in selected side by Jasmine Evans

Crowd: 2431 at Whitten Oval