AFL round four 2026, scores, results, odds, stats and start time from Marvel Stadium in Melbourne

Western Bulldogs star Marcus Bontempelli said the club’s players were “a bit distracted” after half-time against Essendon, a period in which the Bombers were finding their mojo and the Dogs at the top of the ladder were being persecuted for miscues.

The experienced captain put together another great game, dominating the Bombers early when the game was hot in the first half. Bontempelli finished the match with 35 balls.

“I think some of the things we have to look back on are how we used the ball, the decisions we made when we had the ball… which was probably a little bit of their pressure, but I think that’s a lot of it.” [was due] sometimes a little lacking [with the ball]Bontempelli said following the Dogs’ 34-point win over the beleaguered Bombers.

After their opponents’ revival – Essendon scored four goals in the third quarter and the Doggies failed to score a big goal in that quarter – Bontempelli told Channel 7: “We were pretty wasteful at one point… if you look at the scoreboard.”

The unbeaten Bulldogs could face injury, particularly to ruckman Tim English. The 208 cm big man spent most of the second half in exchange.