OpinionJon PierikSports journalist for The AgeSeptember 5, 2026 — 10:45pmSeptember 5, 2026 — 10:45pmAfter doing it the hard way, through a wildcard final win over Collingwood at the MCG last week, The Bulldogs were right up against it at Adelaide Oval.But no one should ever write-off Luke Beveridge’s men and their never-say-die spirit.The Dogs charged to a one-point lead in the final term. But Adelaide, courtesy of their firepower up forward, responded in style – winning by 22 points in front of more than 51,000 screaming fans.Jon Pierik runs his eye over every player in this elimination final.Taylor Walker leaves the Adelaide Oval surface for the final time as an AFL player.AFL PhotosAdelaide(2) Ben Keays: Had a crucial role as a defensive forward on Bailey Dale, but his attacking bent kicked in – literally – with a left-foot snap for the Crows’ second goal of the night. He is an energiser battery, and lifted the locals with a long-snap in the third term. 6.5/10(3) Sam Berry: He was at his robust best in the midfield, but was prepared to push back defensively. Finished the night with 20 disposals. 6.5/10(4) Callum Ah Chee: The Brisbane Lions premiership player was recruited for nights like this, and used his left foot to deliver a steadying goal late in the second term. He was always dangerous when near the goal, and even spent time behind the ball late in the game to steady his side. 6.5/10(6) Daniel Curtin: The big-bodied midfielder ran with Marcus Bontempelli early and did an excellent job, nullifying the Bulldogs great in the first term. Curtin complemented Jordan Dawson and Izak Rankine, finishing with 15 disposals and 340 metres gained. 7/10Job done: Daniel Curtin and Josh Worrell.AFL Photos(7) Riley Thilthorpe: The bustling forward had a great record against the Bulldogs, booting 13 goals in four games. He was well held here by Rory Lobb until he took a strong mark and converted a set shot on a tight angle in the final term, regaining the lead. He found himself in more key contests, lifting when the game was on the line. 6.5/10(8) Josh Rachele: The dynamic forward is the Crows’ leading goal-kicker, and loomed large all night. He had a crowd-pleasing moment with an opportunistic snap in the second term to extend his team’s lead. He was fortunate to not be concussed in a tackle in the third term, and finished with three goals. 7.5/10(12) Jordan Dawson: The inspirational Crows skipper ripped the Bulldogs apart earlier in the season, but had a relatively quiet 13 disposals to half-time. Of concern was that he had failed to have a clearance in that period. He finished with 28 disposals and five tackles, but the Crows will look for a goal or two from him next week. 7/10(13) Taylor Walker: In what was his final game at Adelaide Oval, the retiring forward was barely sighted in the first half until a strong mark midway through the second term led to a Brayden Cook goal. But this is a man who is never out of the contest. He lifted after half-time, his mark and long bomb – his 319th career goal at the venue – extending the Crows’ lead to double digits with just over 10 minutes remaining in the game and igniting the crowd. 6.5/10(14) Jake Soligo: The busy midfielder/forward had 11 disposals and 309 metres gained in the first half. He botched a regulation set shot for goal in the third term which would have extended the Crows’ lead to beyond four goals. 5/10(15) Brayden Cook: The clever wingman held his line late in the first term to mark and goal, giving the Crows the lead. He was busy all night, including a slick pass to Rachele, who snapped a goal. Delivered a fine tackle late when the desperate Dogs were pressing. 6.5/10(16) Max Michalanney: The young defender had the job on Arthur Jones, and was unlucky to cede a free kick – and goal – in the second term. Remained strong in the contest after the main break. 5.5/10(23) Izak Rankine: Wow, what a night to remember for the dynamic midfielder, who banished memories of a controversial end to his 2025 campaign. In his maiden final, Rankine, the top-ranked player in the league since round 17, put on a show. He had the first clearance out of the middle, the Dogs opting not to tag him. He had 17 touches and 300 metres gained to half-time, finishing with 34 touches, seven clearances and two goals. 9/10After missing last year’s finals series, Izak Rankine was superb in this elimination final.AFL Photos(24) Josh Worrell: The robust defender was here, there and everywhere in what was arguably a best-afield effort with a whopping 19 intercept possessions. He not only silenced creative small forward Cody Weightman, but had 10 touches of his own in the first term. By half-time, he had nine interceptions and a game-high 19 touches, rising to 32 to three quarter-time. Why the Bulldogs did not do more to avoid him was baffling. 9/10(27) Luke Nankervis: The hard-running utility was busy with 10 disposals to half-time. He continued to work hard after the break. 6/10(28) Alex Neal-Bullen: The former Melbourne premiership star worked hard but did not have a great impact before half-time. His tackling pressure is elite, and that was reinforced in the third term. 6.5/10(29) Rory Laird: The veteran midfielder had 13 disposals to half-time, and sent his team forward early in the second half. He was a solid contributor. 6.5/10(30) Wayne Milera: Despite the inclement weather, the dashing All-Australian half-back was at his creative best. He finished with 27 disposals and 402 metres gained, and was a prime mover when the game was there to be won. 7.5/10(32) Darcy Fogarty: Gave the Crows’ faithful what they wanted by delivering the game’s opening goal with a clever bunt in traffic. He worked hard all night, and was rewarded with a strong mark and long goal late in the final term that put the contest beyond the Bulldogs’ reach. 6.5/10(35) James Borlase: The intercept-marking defender had only the four touches to half-time but played the role the Crows needed. 5/10(40) Hugo Hall-Kahan: The mid-season draftee has impressed at half-back since joining the club. That continued with 10 touches to half-time. He had the job on Buku Khamis in the final term. 6/10(42) Lachlan McAndrew: The young ruckman was determined to flourish against Tim English, and had a solid evening. While he had only nine disposals, 30 hitouts and four clearances got the job done. 6.5/10Marcus Bontempelli leads the Bulldogs off the field for the final time in 2026.AFL Photos(44) Isaac Cumming: The former Giant had eight disposals to half-time, but finished the night with a workmanlike 206 metres gained. He was a calm presence. 6/10(48) Mark Keane: The reliable defender delivered his typical run and rebound, and had 201 metres gained just in the first term. Had 22 touches and 426m gained by night’s end, and will be a man the Lions will need to curb next week. 6.5/10Western Bulldogs(3) Cody Weightman: The flashy small forward had an early set shot snap from the boundary, but went to ground too often in the first term. While his endeavour could not be questioned, he needed to do better to negate opponent Josh Worrell, who was arguably best afield. 3/10(4) Marcus Bontempelli: Branded “the best Bulldog ever” by club great Brad Johnson during Kayo Sports’ pre-game coverage, the man dubbed “the Rolls Royce” did all he could to will his team over the line, finishing with 27 touches and 10 clearances. He began quietly with just the five first-term touches, but got moving in the second, finding himself more goal-side. He was sent forward in the third, but injected himself more into the midfield in the final term, delivering run and carry. 7.5/10(6) Cooper Hynes: The strong-bodied forward-midfielder was prolific early with 15 disposals and 318 metres gained to half-time. He continued to work hard, and was steady when the contest was there to be won. 6.5/10(7) Rory Lobb: The veteran defender looked lost up forward against Collingwood last week, and was sent to defence on Riley Thilthorpe, where he was excellent until the final break when the burly Crow got busy. That wasn’t just on him though, for the Crows lifted through the midfield. 7/10(9) Ryley Sanders: The exciting midfielder won’t want to watch this game again. He was another who struggled to get going early, having just the five touches before half-time, and finished with only 10 disposals. Needed to lift after the main break, but had a nightmare moment early in the third term when he dropped the ball, leading to an Izak Rankine goal. 3/10(14) Rhylee West: Typically a goal-kicking forward, the son-of-a-gun was injected into the midfield in a brilliant move by Luke Beveridge. He was arguably best afield in the first half with 12 touches, including five clearances, but faded as the evening progressed. 6.5/10(18) James O’Donnell: The reliable defender had the job on Taylor Walker, and was at his intercept-marking best early. But “Big Tex” lifted late, as all great forwards do. 6.5/10(19) Connor Budarick: The versatile small defender worked hard but did not have a major impact. 5/10(20) Ed Richards: The dashing midfielder snapped the Dogs’ opening goal, the visitors rewarded for multiple inside-50 entries. He kept an eye on Izak Rankine at stoppages, and had 16 touches and 411 metres gained to half-time. He delivered a moment of inspiration with a brilliant running goal in the final term to knot scores, finishing with 27 disposals. 8/10(24) Buku Khamis: The rebounding defender had the job on Darcy Fogarty, and broke even, before he was sent forward in the final term as the Bulldogs, with only five goals, desperately sought another avenue. Had a chance to cut the Crows’ lead to five points, but his long set shot drifted wide. 6/10(26) Josh Dolan: The creative midfielder-forward was quiet in the first half. He battled hard, but did not have an impact when the game was there to be won. 5/10(27) Joel Freijah: He’s spent more time in the midfield over the past month, and pushed forward in the second term to snap a crucial goal. He could have done better with a snap early in the final term, which would have closed the Crows’ lead to a goal. 6.5/10(28) Will Lewis: Replaced the concussed Matthew Kennedy in the 23 and had the job of keeping Crows defender Mark Keane honest. Delivered a slick pass to Weightman in the second term, but the latter missed the set shot. Exploded in the final term with two goals, which cut the Crows’ lead to a goal. 6.5/10(29) Lachlan Bramble: The dashing utility and half-back flanker had a quiet evening but worked hard in the contest. 6/10(30) Lachie McNeil: He was a late inclusion after Michael Sellwood pulled out on the cusp of the opening ball-up when concussed in the warm-up. He only had five touches to the final break and was a non-factor. 3/10(31) Bailey Dale: The creative defender kicks the ball “hard and fast”, as Brad Johnson put it, but didn’t have as much of the Sherrin as the Bulldogs would have wanted. He was steady under pressure in the final term but couldn’t generate enough run. 6.5/10Arthur Jones had an impact in the second quarter in what could yet prove to be his final game for the Bulldogs.AFL Photos(32) Arthur Jones: The exciting forward delivered when needed in the second term with two goals. The first was after a contentious free kick, his celebration not well received by the locals, while another came after a strong lead into space. The Bulldogs needed more from him after the main break. 6/10(33) Aaron Naughton: The Bulldogs needed their “astronaut” to take flight and build on his stellar performance against the Magpies. He began well, and that continued in the second term with a juggling mark and goal in wet and windy conditions. He hit the post with less than 30 seconds left in the third term, and early in the fourth, diminishing his good work. 6.5/10(34) Bailey Williams: The rebounding half-back counter-attacked well, having 11 disposals and 248 metres gained before the main break. He was lucky not to let himself down when Darcy Fogarty marked – but missed a set shot – in the third term. 7/10(35) Luke Kennedy: The speedy midfielder had eight touches, including two clearances, to half-time, but couldn’t lift his side late. 6/10(42) Sam Davidson: The hard-running wingman would have been disappointed with his unsuccessful snap at goal late in the second term, compounding a poor start with only five touches. Had only 10 touches in the end, but finished with 229 metres gained. 4/10(43) Ryan Gardner: The former Cat had just the one touch to half-time and three to the final break. 2/10(44) Tim English: The blue-chip ruckman was a big disappointment, adding to his woes against the Crows this year. He broke even with his opponents to half-time, but needed to be a physical warrior after the break, particularly when sent forward to help Aaron Naughton. He finished with only 10 touches, one mark and 19 hitouts. 3.5/10Get around our AFL finals coverageFrom our partners