Will Lewis Faces Criticism for “Flopping” in Bulldogs’ Loss to Fremantle
Western Bulldogs recruit Will Lewis found himself at the center of controversy after an incident late in the second quarter of his team’s loss to Fremantle. The 26-year-old was involved in a high-contact free kick deep inside 50, which was not his first of the night. He dropped low into a tackle by Matt Johnson, drawing attention from both fans and commentators.
Lewis then missed the set shot from 25 meters out, a crucial opportunity that could have given the Bulldogs a strong lead going into the main break. This moment sparked a series of reactions from former players and analysts who were quick to voice their opinions on the incident.
Reactions from Former Players
Jason Dunstall, a Hawthorn great, commented on the situation during a live broadcast on Fox Footy. “I think he went looking for (the high contact),” Dunstall said. Garry Lyon, former Melbourne captain, echoed similar sentiments. “No question he did. He’s got a bit of old-fashioned craft about him, this fella. He’s gone low and the umpire has paid it.”
Lyon was particularly critical of Lewis’s actions after he missed the set shot. The forward ran at Johnson and sparked a scuffle, dropping to the ground after a jumper punch to the chest. Lyon accused Lewis of flopping in an attempt to draw another free kick. “Well, if he wants to be a tough man, he would want to stop flopping like that,” Lyon said. “I like the way he goes about it, he’s a niggler, he likes to get involved, (but) you can’t go flopping over.”
Jimmy Bartel, a Geelong champion, also expressed disappointment with Lewis’s behavior. “(Lewis) was like a fish in the boat, flip-flopping around,” Bartel told 3AW. “He’s still carrying on about it.”
Further Criticisms and Analysis
Cameron Ling, a fellow Geelong premiership hero, believed Lewis had no right to confront Johnson and the Fremantle captain after missing the crucial set shot. “No point going to fight the guy on the mark. You just missed an easy set shot for goal. Get back in position and get on with the game,” Ling told ABC Sport. “Now he’s going at it behind the play with Alex Pearce. How about you just kick a 25m set shot for goal for your team?”
The Bulldogs added Lewis to their list via the supplemental selection period coming into the 2026 season. He has played four AFL games this season, but this incident has raised questions about his approach on the field.
Impact on the Game
The incident turned out to be a pivotal moment in the game as the Dockers took the ball up the other end of the ground and kicked a goal through Murphy Reid on the half-time siren. That sparked Fremantle in the second half, who overturned what was a 26-point second quarter lead to win 17.12 (114) to 15.12 (102) in one of the games of the season.
Marcus Bontempelli’s 33 disposals and two goals weren’t enough to drag his side over the line in the end. Hayden Young was the hero for Fremantle, booting three goals, including an unbelievable banana from the boundary late in the game.
The Dockers kicked six in a row to get out to their own 28-point lead in the fourth term, before the Bulldogs responded and got back within a kick themselves, but ran out of time.
Impressive Comeback Win
The comeback win on the road impressed former AFL Coleman Medallist Scott Cummings, who labelled Freo “genuine contenders” on social media. They’ll have another chance to prove that against top-of-the-table Hawthorn on Thursday night.
For the Bulldogs however, it was a fourth straight loss, despite the gallant performance, as their season continues to head south with injuries to significant players.
