RILEY Thilthorpe’s career-best six goals have spearheaded a crucial 11-point win for Adelaide over the Western Bulldogs.

The 16.13 (109) to 15.8 (98) win on Saturday at Marvel Stadium consolidated the Crows’ top-four berth with six rounds left and leaves the Bulldogs in danger of dropping out of the top eight.

Thilthorpe, an imposing figure in the Adelaide attack with his bushy beard, took nine marks.

It is Adelaide’s third straight win at Marvel Stadium as it zeroes in on a first finals appearance since the disastrous 2017 Grand Final loss to Richmond.

Worryingly for the Bulldogs, all their seven losses this season have been against finals contenders, and Saturday represented a significant test that they failed.

They didn’t give up, kicking five goals to two in the last term, but they fell too far behind when the Crows held a game-high lead of 32 points early in the final quarter.

Bulldogs captain Marcus Bontempelli was mighty with a game-high 37 possessions, and his counterpart Jordan Dawson also was outstanding in the midfield, while Dogs key forward Aaron Naughton kicked five goals.

No answer for Naughton early with three majors in a flash

Aaron Naughton continues his hot form with a hat-trick of goals in no time

The first half was a tale of key forwards – Naughton kicked all of the Bulldogs’ three goals in the first term and added his fourth in the second.

Then Thilthorpe made life tough for the Bulldogs defence with four goals in the second quarter.

There was no love lost between Naughton and his opponent, combative Irishman Mark Keane.

Highlights: Western Bulldogs v Adelaide

The Bulldogs and Crows clash in round 18 of the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season

When Naughton kicked his fifth from a free kick off the ball in the third term, he immediately went over to Keane, which sparked a melee.

The Crows slowly pulled clear of the Bulldogs, leading by 19 at the main break, then 27 points at the final change.

Fogarty burns off the Bont with power and precision

Darcy Fogarty shows his burst pace before a brilliant finish on his left

Injury concerns for Crows
The Crows were a man down on the bench for most of the second half, with Jordon Butts subbed out in the second quarter and Brayden Cook ruled out of the game early due to a head clash with Dogs defender Rory Lobb. Butts was sent to hospital for assessment for a chest concern, while Cook was sporting an egg on the side of his head after the game.

Crows injury blow as Butts taken to hospital

Jordan Butts leaves the ground in an ambulance following a suspected injury to the chest area

Crows talls combine
Adelaide’s three-headed beast was firing on all cylinders against the Bulldogs, with Thilthorpe’s six goals sublimely supported by two from veteran Taylor Walker and three from Darcy Fogarty. The Bulldogs tried all sorts of ways to nullify the trio, including swinging tall forward Sam Darcy into defence to play on Thilthorpe, but it had little impact.

WESTERN BULLDOGS        3.1    7.3      10.6     15.8 (98)
ADELAIDE                            4.2    10.4    14.9    16.13(109)

GOALS
Western Bulldogs: Naughton 5, Richards 2, Darcy 2, West, Sanders, O’Donnell, Hynes, Davidson, Bramble
Adelaide: Thilthorpe 6, Fogarty 3, Walker 2, Dawson 2, Rankine, Curtin, Cumming,

BEST
Western Bulldogs: Bontempelli, Naughton, Richards, Liberatore
Adelaide: Thilthorpe, O’Brien, Curtin, Laird, Soligo

INJURIES
Western Bulldogs:Nil
Adelaide: Butts (chest), Cook (concussion)

SUBSTITUTES
Western Bulldogs: Caleb Poulter replaced Cooper Hynes (tactical) in the third quarter
Adelaide: Chayce Jones replaced Jordon Butts (chest) in the second quarter

Crowd: TBC at Marvel Stadium