<p>It’s a Friday night blockbuster at the Gabba as Brisbane and the Western Bulldogs face off for the second time this year.&nbsp;</p> <p>And it’s a massive game for the Western Bulldogs!&nbsp;</p> <p>After losing to the Crows at home last Saturday, again falling to a team ranked above them on the ladder, the Dogs find themselves on the outside looking in.&nbsp;</p> <p>Not even a monster performance from Marcus Bontempelli (37 disposals, 11 score involvements, 12 tackles) and five goals from Aaron Naughton was enough to beat the Crows, with the Bulldogs falling at Marvel Stadium. As a result, the Bulldogs’ quest for their first top-four finish under Luke Beveridge seems to be in jeopardy.&nbsp;</p> <p>In ninth position and one game outside the top eight, things aren’t yet desperate for those at the Whitten Oval, but the questions about their credentials are getting louder.</p> <p>For a long time this season, the Dogs were considered a team capable of going all the way and winning the premiership. But after the loss to the Crows, they’ve only secured one win (against the GWS Giants) over teams currently above them on the ladder this year, raising doubts about their ability to compete with the best.&nbsp;</p> <p>That’s what they face on Friday night when they meet the Lions, who are hitting their stride in a big way.</p> <p>They comfortably brushed aside an inefficient Carlton last Thursday night and showcased their precision, class, and pressure to send a message to the rest of the competition while closing the gap at the top of the ladder, thanks to their rivals down the road beating Collingwood.&nbsp;</p> <p>While the Lions can further cement their top-four status and give their premiership defense a real boost, the Dogs must find a way to win so they don’t lose touch with the finals. If they lose this game, it could open the door for a late-season charge from teams once considered out of the race.&nbsp;</p> <p>On a selection front, the Lions will be forced into at least one change with premiership defender Noah Answerth suffering an Achilles rupture against the Blues, ruling him out for the rest of the season and well into next year.&nbsp;</p> <p>There might be a like-for-like replacement with Keidean Coleman, who has successfully returned via the VFL after a quad injury, and could be recalled, providing a boost for the Lions since he’s a quality player.&nbsp;</p> <p>The Lions are contesting the one-match ban handed to superstar Zac Bailey at the tribunal and may be without him against the Dogs, which could give Luke Bewick the chance to make his senior debut after impressive VFL form.</p> <p>For the Dogs, how will Luke Beveridge and the match committee respond to another failed test against a genuine contender?&nbsp;</p> <p>As forecasted, the back six looked vulnerable against the tall Timber of the Crows, and with Brisbane rolling with a dual ruck setup and a three-pronged forward line of Logan Morris, Eric Hipwood, and Sam Day, Bevo might need to select an extra tall.. Which means talls Liam Jones or Jedd Busslinger could be in the frame.&nbsp;</p> <p>Youngsters Cooper Hynes and Josh Dolan had limited impact and might be at risk, while veteran mid-forward James Harmes is nearing a return after illness.&nbsp;</p> <p>For the latest team news, analysis, odds, and betting tips, check out our Lions vs Dogs prediction and preview below.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Brisbane vs Western Bulldogs Predicted Teams</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Brisbane Predicted Team List</h3> <p>B: Darcy Wilmot, Harris Andrews, Ryan Lester</p> <p>HB: Keidean Coleman, Darcy Gardiner, Brandon Starcevich&nbsp;</p> <p>C: Jaspa Fletcher, Hugh McCluggage, Jarrod Berry</p> <p>HF: Charlie Cameron, Eric Hipwood, Will Ashcroft</p> <p>F: Cam Rayner, Logan Morris, Kai Lohmann</p> <p>Foll: Darcy Fort, Josh Dunkley, Lachie Neale</p> <p>Int: Callum Ah Chee, Levi Ashcroft, Oscar McInerney, Dayne Zorko, Luke Beecken</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Western Bulldogs Predicted Team List</h3> <p>B: Liam Jones, James O’Donnell, Bailey Williams</p> <p>HB: Jason Johannisen, Rory Lobb, Bailey Day</p> <p>C: Ryley Sanders, Ed Richards, Joel Freijah</p> <p>HF: Laitham Vandermeer, Aaron Naughton, Matthew Kennedy</p> <p>F: Cooper Hynes, Sam Darcy, Rhylee West</p> <p>Foll: Tim English, Marcus Bontempelli, Tom Liberatore</p> <p>Int: Lachie Bramble, Nick Coffield, Sam Davidson, Riley Garcia, Caleb Poulter</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Brisbane vs Western Bulldogs Prediction &amp; Betting Tips</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Head-to-Head Prediction</h3> <p>The Lions hold sway, winning three of the past five matches head-to-head.&nbsp;</p> <p>This is the first time the two sides will have met at the Gabba since 2022.&nbsp;</p> <p>The northern venue hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for the Bulldogs, with just two wins from seven visits in the past decade. And it looms as another difficult assignment for the visitors, especially given how well the Lions are going at present time.&nbsp;</p> <p>Not only have the Lions evolved over the past month to one of the top-three attacking profiles in the competition, but the Lions have turned the tables in recent weeks to become a strong tackling side and bring the heat. They laid 69 tackles against Carlton, with star midfielder Josh Dunkley leading the way with 13.</p> <p>The Dogs have been aesthetically pleasing to watch this year, and it looks glorious when they are in motion and moving the ball. But can they roll their sleeves up and do the tough stuff like the Lions were implored to do last week by their coach?&nbsp;</p> <p>The Dogs' defensive woes have been examined, but they have their own weapons in the forward half to give opposition defences nightmares of their own. Both Sam Darcy and Aaron Naughton have found their radar in front of goals in recent weeks and will command attention.&nbsp;</p> <p>The Lions have largely cruised along to this point and have been good enough to bank wins on their talent, but we feel they’ve gone to another level in recent weeks. They should continue on here.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Betting tip:</strong> <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/australian-rules/afl/brisbane-lions-v-western-bulldogs-9386452">Lions</a></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>First Goal Prediction</h3> <p>If you ever need to be properly played back into form.. Just play against Carlton, and that will do it for ya.</p> <p>Superstar small Charlie Cameron franked his good performance against the Cats and Port with another big showing against the Blues.</p> <p>We’re backing him to get the first one, so best get John Denver queued up on the jukebox at the Gabba!</p> <p><strong>Betting tip:</strong> <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/australian-rules/afl/brisbane-lions-v-western-bulldogs-9386452">Charlie Cameron&nbsp;</a></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Most Disposals Prediction</h3> <p>As the Lions gather some serious momentum, their skipper, Lachie Neale, is settling straight back into some big performances with 29 and 31 disposals in the past fortnight.&nbsp;</p> <p>He had a strong outing last time he played the Dogs with 28 possessions at Norwood Oval, and we think he’s only starting to motor now on the run home and through the finals series.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Betting tip:</strong> <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/australian-rules/afl/brisbane-lions-v-western-bulldogs-9386452">Lachie Neale 30+ disposals</a></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Brisbane Lions vs Western Bulldogs Match Details</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Date:</strong> Friday, July 18, 2025</p> <p><strong>First Bounce:</strong> 7:40pm AEST</p> <p><strong>Location:</strong> The Gabba, Brisbane</p> <p><strong>How to watch:</strong> Channel 7, Fox Footy/Kayo Sports&nbsp;</p>