While the final margin didn't fall in their favour, the Western Bulldogs will take away plenty from last night’s enthralling contest with Collingwood. 

Ultimately winning two quarters of football, the Bulldogs’ press and setup around the ground saw them go head-to-head with an unexpecting Collingwood outfit. 

The Bulldogs’ work-rate and willingness to take the game on kept them in the match until late in the fourth term, before time-on goals to the Magpies extended the final margin to 21 points.

Despite the loss, there is much encouragement to be taken from the Bulldogs’ performance according to pacey defender Patrick Veszpremi.

“There are still areas to improve on but tonight was a little step forward,” Veszpremi said.

“We can take away three quarters - we took it right up to them and a lot of the time we were on top.

“We have areas to work on internally with the players as individuals and as a team 
so we will keep working towards that.”

Veszpremi indicated it was the Bulldogs hesitation to take chances and a drop off in intensity in the fourth term that saw Collingwood break free and secure the win.

“During the first three quarters we were just in there but in the fourth term the team began picking and choosing when to go, when to tackle,” he said.

“[Collingwood] just had numbers around the footy and got those last goals from a few quick kicks.

“We got a lot that we have been working on right but it was just the last quarter that let us down.”

He also believes creating goal scoring opportunities in the forward line is a team effort which was put on display during last night’s clash with defenders Brian Lake and Easton Wood also contributing to the goal tally.

“It is good to have a mix [of goal kickers]... all the boys in the forward half worked extremely hard and are always getting double teamed,” he said.

“It is also up to us as a backline when we have the footy to deliver it into the forward line quicker.

“If we can work on that and get the ball in quicker then they should have more of a chance - we need to give them a fair contest as opposed to making them compete with two people where the odds are stacked against you.

“Also a few of our backs like [Ryan] Hargrave, Woody and Lake got shots on goal just from our press up so that is something we will take away and keep working on.”

Veszpremi also saw the game as a step forward in his own development providing a lot of run and rebound out of the back half and almost adding to the goal tally himself, finishing the game with 17 disposals to his name (9 contested, 8 uncontested).