AFL LIVE: Bulldogs, Swans face off at Marvel Stadium. AFL mourns a great

Aaron Naughton has gone down holding his right knee. He looks to be in a lot of trouble.

In an act of good sportsmanship, Swans defender Lewis Melican showed his concern by urgently waving to medical staff to come on.

Dogs fans will naturally fear the worst. We’ll keep you posted as soon as we know anything.

From a short-term perspective, the Dogs are now down two to just three fit men on the bench. They have already activated their sub, Ryley Sanders, who came on for Anthony Scott. Scott came off after a head clash with Harry Cunningham as the pair contested a ground ball.

If the Dogs lose tonight they may well rue the last 10 minutes when they have had the game played predominantly in their forward half but cannot find a way to goal.

They wasted a golden opportunity through Bailey Dale, who burst clear to about 30 out with a clear shot at goal but pulled it to the left.

The Swans then took it down the other end where Errol Gulden converted clinically from 40 out. Of course he did. He’s a phenomenal young footballer.

The Swans lead of three points.

The Bulldogs are holding on to a slender lead after both sides kicked second-quarter goals.

The irrepressible Tom Papley opened the term with a goal for the Swans, but the Bulldogs were able to answer back through Rhylee West.

Both defences have been able to clamp down on the scoring after a hectic opening quarter.

There have been just two goals kicked in the second quarter. But the Doggies are suffering from inaccuracy, booting 5.7 to the Swans’ 5.3.

The Bulldogs lead by four points, eight minutes remaining in this term.

Aaron Naughton has gone down holding his right knee. He looks to be in a lot of trouble.

In an act of good sportsmanship, Swans defender Lewis Melican showed his concern by urgently waving to medical staff to come on.

Dogs fans will naturally fear the worst. We’ll keep you posted as soon as we know anything.

From a short-term perspective, the Dogs are now down two to just three fit men on the bench. They have already activated their sub, Ryley Sanders, who came on for Anthony Scott. Scott came off after a head clash with Harry Cunningham as the pair contested a ground ball.

QT: We look to have a high-quality and entertaining game tonight. The Dogs started quickly and were able to come back as well once the Swans woke up from their early slumber.

Ed Richards has been the best player afield after an electric first term with 11 possessions.

His ability to get himself into space from stoppage to get onto his laser-like left foot is a huge asset for the Dogs. Adam Treloar has also caused the Swans midfield trouble.

The margin is only two points but the key stats are in the Dogs’ favour. They lead contested possessions 24-15, are up 12-7 in clearances, which explains why they’ve also had 16 entries inside 50 to the Swans’ 10.

The Swans’ efficiency is keeping them in the game. The Dogs have not been able to dull the Swans’ rebound off half-back, often kicking into a vacant forward line.

Isaac Heeney has had seven touches but Chad Warner, so good last week, has had only three disposals, though one was a goal. The positive for the Swans is they are very much in the game on the scoreboard even though they have not played well.

We’ve had four lead changes in the first quarter, and the Bulldogs will finish the first term two points in front.

Jamarra Ugle-Hagan kicked the Doggies’ fourth inside the final minute.

Two pieces of poor discipline from both sides cost them goals. First, Brodie Grundy got into Tim English, and then Marcus Bontempelli, of all people, knocked the ball out of Joel Amartey’s hands, taking the Swans forward to the goal square.

EXCLUSIVE: All 18 AFL clubs have been warned they could be targeted over historical racism claims in a class action led by Phil Krakouer and including at least six other footballers who played between 1975 and 2022.

Margalit Injury Lawyers told the AFL this week that it planned to expand the class action beyond the AFL and could potentially include all 18 clubs. The class action was lodged in the Victorian Supreme Court in March alleging historical racism claims by Phil and Jim Krakouer, who played for North Melbourne between 1982 and 1989.

AFL boss Andrew Dillon and his legal counsel Stephen Meade notified the clubs on Wednesday that the class action could be expanded.

For full story, click here.

Looks like we’ve got a shootout on our hands, folks.

They are playing fast-paced, end-to-end footy, and the Swans are leading by five points.

The Bulldogs brought up their third goal and hit the lead via an Aaron Naughton snap, while the Swans grabbed the lead back through star Chad Warner.

Big Swan Joel Amartey has struck twice in the space of a couple of minutes.

He kicked his first major after a 50m penalty, and then helped himself to a second soon after by outpointing Bulldog defender Liam Jones and marking 30m from goal.

The Swans are looking good. They have countered the Bulldogs’ opening two goals through Amartey before hitting the front at the 10-minute mark of the first term thanks to a goal from Hayden McLean.

Sydney lead by six points.

Bulldog Anthony Scott has been subbed out of the game with concussion.

Playing just his first game of the year, Scott banged heads with Sydney’s Harry Cunningham about three minutes into the first quarter while both were bending down to grab the ball.

He was ruled out of the game soon after the sickening clash, with Ryley Sanders brought into the game. Sanders was a late call-up for James O’Donnell.

The Bulldogs were able to regroup quickly after the incident and kick their second goal through Tim English.

English kicked from the goal square after a brain fade from opposing ruckman Brodie Grundy resulted in a 50m penalty. The action, an old-fashioned tummy tap, caused coach John Longmire to shake his head in annoyance.

A second 50m penalty, this time to Sydney’s Joel Amartey, allowed the Swans to claw a goal back.

The Bulldogs lead 12 points to six.