Brisbane Lions vs Western Bulldogs Preview & Prediction | 2026 AFL | Regular Season | Round 1

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Reigning Premiers Brisbane Lions begin their 2026 regular season campaign by hosting Western Bulldogs at the Gabba.

Kick-off date/time:

How to watch on TV: UK – TNT Sports / USA – Some matches are televised on Fox Sports channels

How to watch online: UK – discovery+ & Watch AFL / USA – Watch AFL

The prediction

Brisbane Lions' bid for an AFL three-peat begins on Saturday, with the hosts looking even more stacked this time around following some excellent recruitment in the off-season.

After a solid pre-season campaign, many are tipping the Lions to go all the way again, and they begin their assault on home turf at the Gabba.

By contrast, Western Bulldogs experienced an underwhelming 2025, missing out on the finals with a lowly ninth-placed finish. However, there were some positive signs in pre-season, not least a Tim English-inspired dismantling of Hawthorn.

The Lions will be keen to establish themselves as the team to beat once more though, and they simply have to be favoured here.

Brisbane Lions vs Western Bulldogs tip: Brisbane Lions to win