Both teams come into this one with plenty of fire in the belly after disappointing losses in Gather Round.
The Dogs dropped a tight one to Geelong while Essendon were thumped by Port Adelaide, leaving both clubs with a two and two record to start the season.
Expect there to be plenty of heat in this contest under the roof on Friday night.
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What time is the AFL tonight? Western Bulldogs vs. Essendon start time
Tonight's game between Western Bulldogs and Essendon is scheduled to start at 7:40pm AEST on Friday, April 12.
The game will be played at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne.
| Timezone | AEST | ACST | AWST |
| Start time | 7:40pm | 7:10pm | 5:40pm |
How to watch or live stream Western Bulldogs vs. Essendon
| Region | Melbourne | Sydney | Adelaide | Brisbane | Perth | Tasmania | Darwin |
| Channel | Fox Footy/Seven | Fox Footy/Seven | Fox Footy/Seven | Fox Footy/Seven | Fox Footy/Seven | Fox Footy/Seven | Fox Footy/Seven |
| Broadcast time | 7:30pm/7pm | 7:30pm/7pm | 7pm/6:30pm | 7:30pm/7pm | 5:30pm/5pm | 7:30pm/7pm | 7pm/6:30pm |
This match, and every match across the home-and-away season, will be available for live streaming and replay on Kayo Sports.
Western Bulldogs vs. Essendon betting odds
Per bookmaker TAB, the Bulldogs are the $1.42 favourite to win this match, while Essendon is the underdog at $2.90.
Western Bulldogs vs. Essendon Round 5 team lists
Western Bulldogs:
IN: James O'Donnell
OUT: Caleb Daniel (omitted)
Essendon:
IN: Sam Durham, Alwyn Davey Jnr
OUT: Will Setterfield (Injured), Archie Perkins (Injured)