Live: Tigers, North clash at the MCG before Saints-Bulldogs finale

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SportsABC News·Jun 21, 2026·8 min read

Live: Tigers, North clash at the MCG before Saints-Bulldogs finale

The Western Bulldogs get the points at Docklands against St Kilda to finish round 15, as the Saints lose two key players to injury.

Earlier North Melbourne saw off Richmond by 25 points at the MCG to sit inside the top 10.

Marcus Bontempelli kicked an incredible goal with a one-handed scoop, turn and kick, along with 34 disposals.

The Saints trailed for much of the game, but their chances were not helped by losing key defender Jack Sinclair in the first quarter to a calf injury, before ruckman Tom De Koning left the game with a rib injury.

Follow all the action in our live blog.

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Sun 21 Jun 2026 at 2:09pm

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Highlights

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Sun 21 Jun 2026 at 5:54pm

FT: Western Bulldogs 12.11 (83) beat St Kilda 8.12 (60)

By Andrew McGarry

Late misses by Mitch Owens and Cooper Sharman and a goal from Ryan Byrnes completed the scoring, but the Saints have run out of puff and out of time.

They had chances in the final quarter, but whenever the Bulldogs were challenged they found the answer.

The Bulldogs win by 23 points, but the margin is irrelevant in the end.

They earn their ninth win of the season, and sit in seventh, out of the automatic finals spots on percentage.

St Kilda are in 12th after a tough, tough loss and they will be waiting for the injury report with trepidation.

Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera had 41 disposals, Hugo Garcia had 35, and Marcus Bontempelli had 34 plus THAT brilliant goal.

An entertaining and intense way to wrap up round 15!

Sun 21 Jun 2026 at 5:48pm

Callum Wilkie misses a shot

By Andrew McGarry

The time is very late here, but the Saints are still coming.

They had an opening with Callum Wilkie getting the ball inside 50, but his curling kick just stayed out to the left.

That is definitely that.

Sun 21 Jun 2026 at 5:45pm

Aaron Naughton answers for the Bulldogs

By Andrew McGarry

Andthere is the answer for the Bulldogs!

They get the centre clearance, go long to a contest, it comes off hands, Rhylee West handballs clear to Aaron Naughton, and the headbanded one snaps the vital goal to restore a 30-point margin.

Sun 21 Jun 2026 at 5:43pm

Hugo Garcia keeps the Saints in it!

By Andrew McGarry

We're about to enter time on, and the Saints have managed to hit back. They've run it out of the back half, and got it inside 50 to Hugo Garcia, who steadies and kicks a great goal from the right forward pocket.

There is time, but can they do it? Four goals the gap.

Sun 21 Jun 2026 at 5:40pm

Rory Lobb kicks the goal - are the Bulldogs home?

By Andrew McGarry

The swings of momentum are going minute to minute right now, and the Saints have got caught again.

They had it in forward 50 but it was cleared, and the Dogs went down the left wing. They had the numbers and there was always the extra man to take the handball or kick.

Finally there was the pass over the top to Rory Lobb in the square, and he hoisted it into the second deck from the goal-line.

The lead is out to 30 points and that must be close to it for the day.

Sun 21 Jun 2026 at 5:37pm

Desperation defence from both sides

By Andrew McGarry

This is getting to a white heat here. Both sides are going for EVERYTHING. The Bulldogs smothered a kick from Nas on Saints D50, but couldn't turn it into a score.

The Saints broke downfield, and were trying to go inside 50 but they were chopped off.

We are closing on halfway in the final quarter, and right now the Bulldogs have this in control. But it would only take a goal or two to make the crowd decibel levels match a rocket liftoff.

Sun 21 Jun 2026 at 5:33pm

Rory Lobb goal a big moment for the Bulldogs

By Andrew McGarry

The Bulldogs sense an opening here, and they are trying to put the game away.

They kick long inside 50 to a pack (who are all standing), the ball lands in the arms of Rory Lobb!

Lobb goes back and kicks it, and the lead is now out to 25 points.

Sun 21 Jun 2026 at 5:29pm

Artie Jones kicks a vital goal for the Bulldogs

By Andrew McGarry

Miss at one end, goal at the other!

The Bulldogs have it at half-back, then they switch it to the left wing before kicking stright to a mark, then a chip inside 50 to Artie Jones.

He marks and then kicks the goal, and the lead is out to 19 points!

The Saints need four unanswered goals, and it seems like they are putting Jack Silvagni up forward.

Sun 21 Jun 2026 at 5:27pm

Mitch Owens hits the post!

By Andrew McGarry

This game is fast and furious already, and every chance is important.

The Saints go forward, and Mitch Owens lets loose a kick from inside 50 - but it hits the post! He celebrates as if a goal - but the umpire signals with one hand, not two.

Sun 21 Jun 2026 at 5:23pm

Wanganeen-Milera the key for St Kilda?

By Andrew McGarry

As we start the final term, there's no doubt who the key is for St Kilda.

Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera has, in three quarters of footy, had 37 disposals, kicked a goal and gained a crazy 867 metres.

Unless something happens, he seems likely to crack the 1,000m by the end of this. The Bulldogs need to try and find a way to stop him.

Key Event

Sun 21 Jun 2026 at 5:15pm

3QT: Western Bulldogs 8.10 (58) leads St Kilda 6.8 (44)

By Andrew McGarry

The siren sounds, and the Saints can't get the late goal they really want.

It's a 14-point game with a quarter to go.

The Bulldogs have lost their dominance, and the Saints are coming. But the injury toll is real, and could be a problem.

On the plus side for St Kilda, Rowan Marshall is back on the ground with his shoulder strapped. Can he see out the game?

They are going to be short of rotations as this match comes to a conclusion. Who will win? We're about to find out.

Sun 21 Jun 2026 at 5:07pm

Still time for the Saints

By Andrew McGarry

We are in time on in the third quarter, and the Saints trail by 15 points.

So there is plenty of time left to turn this around, but they can't afford to miss opportunities.

Sun 21 Jun 2026 at 5:05pm

Hall runs too far for St Kilda

By Andrew McGarry

That could be a pivotal moment!

The Saints burst forward and Max Hall runs towards goal and kicks a great score.

But it won't count! He ran too far! The Saints fans are incensed, but that's a big moment. It could have been an eight-point lead, but the momentum is chopped off.

Sun 21 Jun 2026 at 5:00pm

Campbell Lake kicks a goal for St Kilda, who narrow the gap

By Andrew McGarry

Oh what a mistake from the Bulldogs!

That's an awful kickout from the Dogs, going across 50 and down the throat of young Saint Campbell Lake.

He marks inside 50, and kicks the goal!

That's a team lifter, and the margin is falling to 14 points.

Sun 21 Jun 2026 at 4:57pm

More injury chaos for St Kilda with Rowan Marshall going to the rooms

By Andrew McGarry

Are the Saints cursed today?

They've already lost two of their leading players, now Rowan Marshall has gone down after a contest, and he is holding his shoulder.

He gets up and waves the medics away, but a minute or two later he has come from the ground and gone down to the rooms.

Will pain relief keep him in the game? If it can't, then the Saints will be three players down. Unbelievable.

Sun 21 Jun 2026 at 4:55pm

The Saints hit back through Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera

By Andrew McGarry

The Saints need something to start going right here, and they have one!

The ball went inside 50, the Saints kicked across 50 to a contest, but Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera was held as he tried to go for it.

The free followed and Nas kicked the goal! The lead is back to three goals, which is important.

We should also point out that Wanganeen-Milera is up to 32 disposals including 24 kicks, and we're barely a few minutes into the second half.

Key Event

Sun 21 Jun 2026 at 4:51pm

Tom De Koning is ruled out of the game for Saints

By Andrew McGarry

St Kilda is down to three rotations on the bench, as something changed during the half-time break with Tom De Koning's rib injury obviously causing him more grief.

He spoke briefly to Fox Footy coming off at half-time and sounded ok, but that's the end of his day, and that will make the Saints's task doubly hard now.

Sun 21 Jun 2026 at 4:50pm

Early goal to the Bulldogs from Lachlan McNeil

By Andrew McGarry

The Bulldogs are off to a quick start in the third term, with Lachlan McNeil kicking his team's eighth major of the day.

The margin is out to 22 points, which ramps up the pressure on the Saints.

But a bigger problem exists for St Kilda, because ...

Sun 21 Jun 2026 at 4:48pm

Sinclair incident fairly innocuous

By Andrew McGarry

It's never good when a player goes down or pulls up short when they are a distance away from the play.

That's what seems to have happened to Jack Sinclair, which is concerning.

He's just jogging at the back, when he suddenly pulls up short holding the back of his leg.

We're hoping that it is just a calf as the team is saying, because these type of things can turn out to be an Achilles. Either way, we wish Sinclair well and hope he can be back in action soon.

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