Due to the defensive improvement and experience to win in clutch games, the Western Bulldogs have quickly become one of the favourites to lift the trophy on Grand Final day.
Last season, the Bulldogs struggled to defeat the top eight sides, only able to take down GWS as they narrowly missed the finals.
Now in 2026, they have been able to flip the switch, converting close contests against top teams in the Brisbane Lions and Adelaide Crows, turning the wrongs into rights from 2025.
There's never been too much concern about the club's forward line and midfield group, but the defence has been an area of improvement.
This was heavily reflected as the Bulldogs attempted to lure Callum Wilkie and Jack Silvagni.
But the emergence of Buku Khamis, who considered a move to Carlton, has set the agenda, alongside James O'Donnell's presence, while Rory Lobb's improved form has turned the once leaky defence into a rock-solid backline.
According to WheeloRatings, the Dogs have ranked fifth in defence to start the season. Their backline has been spoiling teams from scoring all season, ranking fourth in points against.
As a team, they are first in spoils, averaging 35 per game; their trio of backman, Khamis, Lobb and O'Donnell rank top 10 in spoils.
This leads to their game-play style that Luke Beveridge has implemented into his squad.
Once they intercept the ball from their defensive half, they turn it into scores down the other end, moving the ball like no other. According to WheeloRatings, they rank first in ball movement chains from defensive 50 to scores and ranking third in scores from the defensive half.
Their personnel work perfectly for this game style, but their two new acquisitions, Lachie Jaques and Connor Budarick, have bolted this movement in a big way.
Both players rank highly in metres gained for their squad, respectively ranking fourth and seventh. They are also the Dogs' highest-ranked defenders for meters gained, even higher than Bailey Dale, which aligns with their movement chains.
They have also been super effective going inside 50, which makes it easier with the ball users they have, and they also get to kick it to Sam Darcy and Aaron Naughton. They rank second in the AFL in scores per inside 50, whilst ranking third in scores per game.
The Dogs will have to showcase their defensive improvements and execution in close games in the coming weeks as they face a few powerhouses of the AFL, with Hawks, Geelong, Sydney and Fremantle in their next four weeks.
