The Western Bulldogs will begin their 2025 home-and-away season on Saturday in Round 1 of the Australian Football League Women's (AFLW) season when they host the Melbourne Demons at Mission Whitten Oval.
The Bulldogs had a pretty disappointing 2024 campaign as they finished just 12th on the AFLW ladder. With four wins alongside their seven losses in the home-and-away season, the side from Footscray showed inconsistent form, which they will be trying to avoid this time around.
Melbourne had a wonderful end to their campaign last year, however, it was a little too late for them to build a charge for the Top Eight. They had started off with just two wins from their opening six games, and in the end, the Demons missed qualification to the Finals Series by just two points.
The Sporting News looks at the key details ahead of this game, including how to watch the match, kickoff times, and the latest lineup news.
Western Bulldogs vs. Melbourne free live stream, free-to-air channel
- Live Stream: Kayo, Foxtel, 7plus
- TV Channel: Fox Footy
- Free-to-air: Channel 7
Kayo, 7plus and Foxtel are providing both live and catch-up coverage of the match. The clash will also be available to watch on Fox Footy and Channel 7.
Fans can stream Western Bulldogs vs. Melbourne on Kayo which is currently offering a free trial for new subscribers so you can essentially watch this game and others this week for free. The match will also be streamed on the AFL website.
Western Bulldogs vs. Melbourne start time
- Date: Saturday, August 16, 2025
- Start Time: 7:35 p.m. AEST
- Venue & Location: Mission Whitten Oval, Melbourne
The AFLW Round 1 game between the Western Bulldogs and Melbourne will be played on Saturday, August 16 at 7:35 p.m. AEST.
It will be played at the Mission Whitten Oval in Melbourne, Victoria.
Here's how that kick-off time translates to the various Australian time zones:
| Date | Kickoff time | |
| Australian Eastern Standard Time | Saturday, August 16 | 7:35 p.m. |
| Australian Central Standard Time | Saturday, August 16 | 7:05 p.m. |
| Australian Western Standard Time | Saturday, August 16 | 5:35 p.m. |
AFL 2025 fixture schedule this week
Thursday, August 14
| Fixture | Venue | Time (AEST) | TV/Livestream |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carlton vs. Collingwood | IKON Park | 7:15 p.m. | Seven, Fox/Kayo, Binge |
| West Coast Eagles vs. Gold Coast SUNS | Sullivan Logistics Stadium | 9:15 p.m. | Seven, Fox/Kayo, Binge |
Friday, August 15
| Fixture | Venue | Time (AEST) | TV/Livestream |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney Swans vs. Richmond | North Sydney Oval | 6:15 p.m. | Fox/Kayo |
Saturday, August 16
| Fixture | Venue | Time (AEST) | TV/Stream |
|---|---|---|---|
| Geelong Cats vs. North Melbourne | GMHBA Stadium | 3:35 p.m. | Fox/ Kayo |
| GWS Giants vs. Essendon | Corroboree Group Oval | 5:35 p.m. | Fox/Kayo |
| Western Bulldogs vs. Melbourne | Mission Whitten Oval | 7:35 p.m. | Seven, Fox/Kayo, Binge |
Sunday, August 17
| Fixture | Venue | Time (AEST) | TV/Stream |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brisbane Lions vs. Hawthorn Hawks | Brighton Homes Arena | 12:40 p.m. | Seven, Fox/Kayo, Binge |
| St Kilda vs. Adelaide Crows | RSEA Park | 2:10 p.m. | Fox/Kayo |
| Port Adelaide vs. Fremantle Dockers | Alberton Oval | 4:10 p.m. | Fox/Kayo |