Player Ratings - Opening Round

As a new season begins, the Player Ratings return for 2026!

The process remains the same as it has in previous seasons: after each game, we go through the 23 Bulldogs that performed at the weekend and rate their score out of 10.

Last year, Ed Richards claimed his maiden TSB Player of the Year Award. Can he retain his title? Or will someone else rise up to claim top spot?

4. Marcus Bontempelli

So used we are to seeing the skipper conduct the Bulldog orchestra through the midfield, but Bontempelli instead spent a considerable amount of time up forward on Saturday night, particularly in the second half. It meant he didn’t win as much of football as we’ve grown accustomed to, but he was no less effectively, kicking 3.0 from 19 disposals, including a clutch set shot in the final term – 8

6. Cooper Hynes

Struggled to really exert much influence on the game, with just two kicks from his 12 disposals. Admittedly, seven of his disposals led to scores, but the real benefit will come from the experience of being on the winning side in a hostile environment. In a show of faith from coach Luke Beveridge, Hynes featured in six centre bounces, indicating the Bulldogs’ intentions of one day using him as a more reliable midfield rotation – 3

7. Rory Lobb

The milestone man was impassable at times in his 200^th game, regularly thwarting Brisbane attacks throughout the night. Granted, the Lions generated 31 scores over the course of the night, but Lobb’s aerial prowess did enough to quell the Lions attacking entries. We know the club’s defenders have worked hard on their spoiling techniques over the summer, and Lobb’s defensive efforts were emphatic. His nine spoils and three intercept marks were both team-highs, and took the third-most intercept possessions of any Bulldog – 8

 Rory Lobb was superb in Game 200. Source: Getty Images

8. Matthew Kennedy

Was everywhere to start the game, recording 13 disposals in the first quarter alone, as only inaccuracy prevented the Bulldogs from taking advantage of a fast start. Kennedy was one of the chief offenders with 0.2 in the opening term. He finished the night with 30 disposals at only 55% efficiency, but on a night where conditions were dewy, his knack of finding a way to surge the ball forward proved most effective – 8

10. Sam Darcy

Caught in a fascinating duel with Brisbane full-back Harris Andrews all night. Andrews was supreme and probably took the points in the matchup, but Darcy had his moments. Missed a couple of set shots that you would’ve expected him to convert, but made up for it with a beautiful snap from the boundary line, and another one to keep the Bulldogs afloat late in the third term. The stats won’t show it, but played a decisive hand in several Bulldogs goals in the final quarter – 5

11. Lachie Jaques

Acquitted himself admirably on debut, looking more like a 10-year veteran in the Bulldogs defence. He finished the night with 16 disposals at 88% efficiency, setting up several scoring opportunities with brave, defence-splitting kicking while also recording a team-high seven intercept possessions. The highlight of his night came in the second term, where he remained alert enough to intercept a Charlie Cameron handpass to prevent a certain Brisbane goal, before applying a strong tackle on the Brisbane livewire to win a free kick. A contender for the Rising Star nomination – 7

13. Oskar Baker

A tale of two halves for the hard-running wingman. Featured prominently in the first half and had 10 disposals to his name at the main break but touched the ball just once in the second half. It’s possible he was carrying some form of injury; he played just 67% of the game – 4

14. Rhylee West

Was relatively well-held in the first half, but stood tall as the match reached its crescendo and proved his worth in decisive moments. Caught fire in the minutes either side of three-quarter time, flicking through a rapid-fire handpass to set up a Darcy goal to ignite the Bulldogs’ charge in the third term, did the same for English to start the last term before kicking one of his own to bring the Bulldogs to within a goal – 7

16. Jordan Croft

A nearly night from the young key forward. Missed two snaps from close range in the first half, before winding himself trying to claim what would’ve been an extraordinary mark. It was his last real involvement in the game, failing to record a stat in the second half, playing 19% of the third term and not featuring at all in the last – 2

18. James O’Donnell

Had a few shaky moments both in the air and on the ground but was mostly effective. Took some nice intercept marks and like Lobb, looks to have worked hard on his spoiling, regularly clearing the area with a strong fist. Got away with one errant kick in the final term, where the subsequent turnover saw him caught in a one-on-one with Charlie Cameron where O’Donell was outpointed, before the Brisbane forward inexplicably missed. While Brisbane’s three key forwards combined for four goals, in a match that yielded 31 goals, it was a solid night’s work – 6

19. Connor Budarick

The former Sun endeared himself to the Bulldogs faithful well on debut, overcoming a nervous start to play an important role in victory, finishing with 27 disposals at 78% efficiency. The turning point came in the second term, when he booted his first goal from the club from long-range courtesy of a 50m penalty. Tasked with the responsibility of being the designated kick-in taker in a tense final term and didn’t let his team down – 8

20. Ed Richards

The reigning Charles Sutton Medallist and Salty Bulldog Player of the Year was awesome. Got things started for the Bulldogs by kicking the first goal of the season – for the third time in his career – and his influence only grew in stature as the game progressed. Had 11 disposals to his name by quarter time, and then rose again in the final term with the game up for grabs, picking up another nine touches, including a goal to give the Bulldogs the lead, and two raking entries inside 50 to set up two more majors, including the match-winner. Finished the night with 30 disposals, 16 score involvements and two goals. A stellar start to the year – 10

Ed Richards picked up right where he left off from last year to start 2026. Source: Getty Images

21. Tom Liberatore

Copped a heavy hit in the opening minutes of the game but shrugged if off in true Libba fashion to carve out a typically gritty performance. Finished with 28 disposals and 10 contested possessions as his experience and nous provide a crucial counter to Brisbane’s star-studded midfield – 8

24. Buku Khamis

Continued his recent spell in defence. Only had five possessions, all of them intercepts, and produced a mixture of timely interventions with a couple of brain fades. Hit the target with three of his five touches. Still, his presence down back is worth persisting with – 4

27. Joel Freijah

Was used somewhat sparingly in the midfield, attending the centre bounce just 10 times, but found enough of the ball in the limited opportunities he had, finishing the night with 20 disposals. Despite being involved in eight scores, he wasn’t particularly damaging, gaining just 119 metres overall – 7

29. Lachie Bramble

Used more on the wing than he has at any point in the last two seasons, picking up 16 disposals at 81% efficiency. Stood tall for the Bulldogs in a big last quarter, with seven touches and three score involvements, playing every minute of the final stanza – 7

31. Bailey Dale

Brought back into the lineup after a knee injury, he had a slightly subdued performance, picking up only 19 disposals and gaining 248 metres. One of many Bulldogs to make his moments count in a frantic last term, taking a strong mark to retain field position, before showing good strength to stand up in the tackle to keep the Bulldogs in possession in the final moments – 6

32. Arthur Jones

Was lively on the occasions when he did get the ball, showing good anticipation to gather the loose ball and set up Richards for the Bulldogs’ opening goal, and used the ball cleanly when he did find it. But the moments were far and few between, with Dayne Zorko winning the head-to-head matchup. Was concussed in the third term following a swinging arm from Harris Andrews, and won’t play next week – 3

33. Aaron Naughton

The overall stats will point to a 10-disposal, two-goal performance, but that alone doesn’t do justice to the stellar hard-work that he produced after half time. Began the Bulldogs charge with a goal late in the third term, before playing a critical role in four final-quarter goals for the Bulldogs. It started with his triple-tackle effort to set up the English goal, his follow-up work to fire out handpasses to both West and Davidson for goal assists, snuck out the back to kick a goal of his own, before being only seconds away from kicking another before the siren intervened. An awesome club from the vice-captain – 9

34. Bailey Williams

Did just about everything in a massive performance on the wing. Won 25 disposals and had 11 score involvements, regularly linking up defence and attack for the Bulldogs. His hard running and ability to sneak in behind the defence was rewarded with several opportunities to kick for goal, but could only manage a wasteful 1.4. Ironically, the one goal he did kick was an early Goal of the Year contender, slipping past four Lions, selling some candy, and even finding time for a bounce before kicking a crucial goal just before three-quarter time – 9

37. Michael Sellwood

Another debutant that handled himself very well on the big stage. Only had the 10 disposals and four intercepts in defence, but kept things simple, going at 90% efficiency and rarely looking overwhelmed by Brisbane’s imposing offence. Earned his opportunity following a strong apprenticeship for Footscary last year, and certainly didn’t look out of place at the elite level – 6

42. Sam Davidson

Used sparingly in the first half, playing about a third of game time to the main break, before his power running came into play in the second half as most players began to tire. Finished with nine disposals at 89% efficiency (eight in the second half), and kicked a goal to give the Bulldogs the lead halfway through the final term – 6

44. Tim English

Had played quite well for most of the game, but a real sliding doors moment came late in the final term, where he was rag-dolled far too easily by Fort, who subsequently kicked a goal from a stoppage inside Brisbane’s attacking 50. The Brisbane players came for him straight away, looking to physically intimidate English. His response was to use his athletic running power to speed past Fort in a counter-attack minutes later, take a mark and convert his second goal from close range, before giving Fort a taste of his own medicine. The goal proved to be the matchwinner, and felt like a real line in the sand moment from the Bulldogs No.44, who has often been bested by physical rucks over the journey; this felt like a proper turning point in his career - 8