The Bulldogs held off a desperate Brisbane by 14 points at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night.
The Lions slashed the deficit to seven points with four of the first five goals of the last quarter to set up a grandstand finish, only for the Bulldogs to barely do enough.
A horror Lewis Taylor turnover by hand came back to haunt Brisbane, with Bailey Dale gleefully setting up Marcus Bontempelli's fourth major to stem the bleeding.
The 16.11 (107) to 14.9 (93) triumph levelled the Bulldogs’ ledger through eight rounds, leaving them within shouting distance of the top eight (albeit with an ugly percentage).
But their four victories – most of them unconvincing, like this one – were over Essendon, Carlton, Gold Coast and now the Lions, who have a modest six wins between them, so the jury is still out.
Jack Macrae enhanced his reputation as arguably the game's most reliable onballer, winning 26 of his career-best 47 disposals (18 contested) in the opening half.
Toby McLean, Lachie Hunter and Caleb Daniel ably supported him in the middle, defying Brisbane big man Stefan Martin's dominance over Tom Boyd in the ruck.
Matthew Suckling's ball use made him a weapon for the Bulldogs across half-back all night and his magnificent long-range finish, after Bontempelli's fourth, put paid to the Lions' challenge.
The Bont roamed the forward line in his return from a hip complaint and was effective without being dominant, forming a good combination with Billy Gowers (two goals).
For Brisbane, Dayne Zorko backed up his return to form from a week ago with 24 touches and four goals – giving him eight in the past fortnight.
Martin had 49 hit-outs to ensure Brisbane won the hit-out battle 62-20, but the visitors still conceded the clearances 45-35.
Tom Cutler had 22 touches and seven inside
MEDICAL ROOM
Western Bulldogs:
First-year defender Aaron Naughton suffered suspect ligament damage when he rolled his right ankle right before quarter-time, as he competed with Eric Hipwood for the loose ball near the boundary line. Two club trainers escorted him from the field and he never returned. Bailey Dale also went to the bench late in the second term to get his left AC joint examined, but he started the second half on the ground.
Brisbane:
The Lions managed to get through unscathed.
NEXT UP
The Bulldogs have a six-day turnaround for their trip to Adelaide Oval on Friday night to face a Crows side on the rebound from a narrow Showdown loss.
Brisbane returns to the familiar surrounds of the Gabba – and has the advantage of an eight-day break – to host Hawthorn.
WESTERN BULLDOGS 4.3 9.5 12.8 16.11 (107)
BRISBANE 4.1 6.5 8.8 14.9 (93)
GOALS
Western Bulldogs: Bontempelli 4, Gowers 2, Lipinski 2, McLean 2, Daniel, Boyd, Dale, Wallis, Dunkley, Suckling
Brisbane: Zorko 4, Cameron 3, McInerney 2, McStay 2, Rayner, McCluggage, Hipwood
BEST
Western Bulldogs: Macrae, McLean, Hunter, Bontempelli, Suckling
Brisbane: Zorko, Martin, Cameron, Cutler, Berry
INJURIES
Western Bulldogs: Naughton (ankle)
Brisbane: Nil
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Fisher, Margetts, Whetton
Official crowd: 20,865 at Etihad Stadium
