Crowd numbers are yet to be confirmed for Western Bulldogs' one-point loss to Adelaide Crows on Saturday afternoon but a packed stadium offered few free seats.

This comes two weeks after Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews officially confirmed Mars Stadium would host athletics for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in regional Victoria. The arena is set to expand from a 12,000 capacity to 30,000, with some temporary seating structures, as a showpiece for the international multi-sport spectacle.

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The Bulldogs' first Ballarat home game for the season is also the first time in two years the stadium has been able to open up to capacity under pandemic restrictions.

Traffic was telling with cars packing the stadium vicinity to the edges of the central business district along Creswick Road and for blocks on either side of Norman and Howitt Streets.

It was a big test for the precinct, also hosting a Lake Wendouree home game in the Ballarat Football Netball League and Ballarat Miners to open their NBL1 season on Saturday night.

The stadium's official AFL crowd record stands at 10,087 on August 19, 2017, which was the first match for AFL premiership points in Ballarat.

Melbourne mum Briony Lanigan said she could definitely picture bigger sporting events for Ballarat.

This was Ms Lanigan's first visit to Mars Stadium, bringing her family.

"This is awesome," Ms Lanigan said. "When we were walking in my husband and I were saying there is a good future here for footy.

"It's going to be great for the Commonwealth Games. We've got family and friends up here and we're thinking how we can plan a big day out and maybe stay over night."

Meanwhile, Adelaide stunned the Bulldogs to kick their AFL resurgence up a level.

Taylor Walker's late goal ultimately proved the difference after the Crows fought through multiple Bulldogs surges and their own inaccuracy to prevail 8.15 (63) to 9.8 (62).

In claiming back-to-back wins for the first time since rounds three and four last season, Adelaide evened their win-loss ledger at 3-3 while condemning the Dogs to 2-4, their worst start since 2019.

Billy Frampton (26 disposals, nine marks) marshalled the Crows' defence with aplomb while Tom Doedee put the clamps on Marcus Bontempelli.

Ben Keays (33 disposals, eight clearances) and Rory Laird (30 disposals, eight clearances, 11 tackles) were typically busy while ruckman Reilly O'Brien had the better of Bulldogs 200-gamer Stefan Martin.

Midfielders Josh Dunkley (28 disposals), Tom Liberatore (33 disposals, 10 clearances) Bailey Smith and Jack Macrae led the charge for the Dogs.

Adelaide's frantic pressure put the Bulldogs on the back foot early and they booted the first two goals of the game.

But Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, Adam Treloar and Aaron Naughton struck to give the home side a seven-point lead at quarter time.

Laird could come under scrutiny after coming in late and high on Dunkley after the Bulldog took an intercept mark late in the opening term.

The second quarter proved a dour affair, with Walker outbodying Tim O'Brien for the only goal, with scores level at the main break.

Adelaide dominated the third quarter and led by 10 late in the term courtesy of goals to McAdam and Lachlan Gollant, but really should have got ahead by several goals.

A remarkable Josh Schache snap cut the Crows' lead to three points and gave the Bulldogs a sniff at the final change.

Walker slotted the first goal of the final term, and the 500th of his career, to put Adelaide in the box seat.

From there, Treloar and McHenry traded goals, before Schache soccered through one effort, then Dunkley snapped another, to put the Dogs in front.

But the Crows weren't done yet.

Josh Rachele levelled scores with a behind, then Ned McHenry put them in front with another.

But when Caleb Daniel made an uncharacteristic error from the kick-out, Lachlan Gollant picked out Walker to give the Crows a seven-point lead.

Bontempelli goaled with seven seconds left but it proved too little, too late.

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