AFL round eight 2026, scores, results, odds, stats and start time from Adelaide Oval in Adelaide

Luke Beveridge will look to rest losing captain Marcus Bontempelli following the 12-point defeat against Fremantle despite the Bulldogs’ midfield being severely depleted by injuries.

Bontempelli put in a superb performance against the Dockers at Marvel Stadium, dominating the opening period with 15 possessions and finishing the night with 33 turnovers and two goals.

But the brave captain’s right knee was heavily bandaged and he appeared to be limping at some stages of the game.

“Positionally, our depth in that area is stretched,” Beveridge said.

Tom Liberatore is expected to undergo minor knee surgery due to a concussion, while injured Adam Treloar has suffered another setback and his availability is “poor”.

It would be nice to be able to do that (the rest are Bontempelli), but we’re not in a position to do that – look, regarding Marcus, I think we might have to arrest him this week. I don’t know.

“But if we think he’s going to get hurt or get injured again, we’re not going to take the risk. I mean, he was pretty outstanding for most of the game tonight… I saw him limping around a little bit as the game went on, and I don’t like seeing that.”

“Our depth in midfield is pretty thin right now, even though Riley Garcia is still a few weeks out and Cody Weightman could play some minutes there.

“It would be nice to be able to do that (the rest of Bontempelli), but we’re not in a position to do that – look, regarding Marcus, I think we might have to arrest him this week. I don’t know.”

“But if we think he’s going to get hurt or get injured again, we’re not going to take the risk. I mean, he was pretty outstanding for most of the game tonight.”

“As the game went on I saw him limping a little bit and I don’t like to see that. So we’ll work on that throughout the week.”

Beveridge said the Bulldogs will lose Laitham Vandermeer with a hamstring complaint and are working on Treloar’s latest setback after returning for last week’s game against Sydney and missing this week.

The Bulldogs’ team selection said Treloar was referred for the Dockers clash.

“We only gave him a few days,” Beveridge said. “It’s frustrating for him. His body is letting him down a little bit. And I can’t give you any more than that right now.

Beveridge was pleased with the Bulldogs’ ability to gain the upper hand against the fancier Dockers but said his side failed to gain enough momentum in the second half.

They led by 26 points at quarter and 14 points at halftime, but lost by two goals after rallying again late in the game.

“They came at us a few times and kicked a few too many from the forward 50,” he said.

“We couldn’t afford to give them 63 in the 50s tonight.”

Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir sprayed his players during the quarter period to get them going.

“This sounds like a hazard game to me,” Longmuir said.

“There was a lot of talk about the Bulldogs at the beginning of the week, how many injuries they had, their form, their injuries. [Tim] Doesn’t play English, [Aaron] Naughton isn’t playing, it just felt like a danger game.

“I tried to make them aware of the intensity and desperation with which the Dogs were going to play, and we weren’t ready for the fight. We were sloppy, too.”

The AFL review system came under fire after referees decided to award a last-touch free kick to the wrong team in the third term.

The ball appeared to come off the boot of Bulldog Lachie McNeil before crossing the boundary line, but the free kick was awarded to Fremantle’s Andrew Brayshaw. It resulted in a Bulldog goal.

Recently the ARC system was used to overturn these decisions. Now this has changed.

Brayshaw was thrust into the spotlight again when he high-fived teammate Josh Treacy after scoring a goal in the final quarter, but he high-fived his teammate in the eye and had to leave the field for 10 minutes.
Fremantle were 28 points ahead at the time and the Dogs scored the next three goals.

The highlight of the night came from Docker Hayden Young, who kicked a goal-of-the-year contender with a sparkling banana kick from 35 meters from the byline.

Young kicked three second-half goals and, along with Shai Bolton and Luke Jackson, sparked Fremantle’s comeback. They have won seven in a row and face Hawthorn on Thursday night.