A heart-breaking four-point loss to the Gold Coast Suns has kept the Western Bulldogs winless after four rounds of the AFLW season.

The Bulldogs threw everything at their opponents in a frantic final quarter away from home, drawing to within a point late in the game before eventually being defeated 7.6.48 to 7.2.44.

Two of the Dogs’ losses this year have been by seven or fewer points, and this performance was full of merit against an improved Suns outfit.

Staring at a 13-point deficit at three-quarter time, the Bulldogs came home with a rush, booting the only two goals of the final stanza – through Kirsty Lamb and Deanna Berry.

05:56

AFLW RD4 | Match Highlights

Catch the highlights from our clash against the Suns

Gold Coast finished with the final three scoring shots of the match, but the result was a flip of the coin right up until the final siren.

The Bulldogs finished the game with two fewer players, with Gemma Lagioia and Celine Moody both withdrawn through injury during the second half.

Despite the loss, the Dogs had some outstanding contributors.  Berry (21 possessions) and hard-running winger Rylie Wilcox (18) both finished the game with career-highs for disposals.

Elisabeth Georgostathis was brilliant across half back, winning 21 touches and taking a game-high eight marks, and Issy Grant was strong in the air with seven marks.

00:32

Lamb lands gold as Dogs dig deep

Kirsty Lamb somehow manages to muster this major while being slung in a tackle

Along with Lamb, Bree McFarlane kicked two goals, making it four majors from her three games this season, while skipper Ellie Blackburn and fellow midfielder Jess Fitzgerald finished the contest with 20 disposals each.

The Bulldogs started the game full of intensity, and at one stage, with an inside 50 advantage of 11-1, they had two goals on the board and were well on top.

The Suns started to work their way into the game thereafter, and a three-goal burst in the second quarter swung the momentum their way.

The sides traded blows in an even third term, before the Dogs set up the thrilling finish.

00:38

McFarlane turns on the wheels to create timely major

The Dogs were crying out for a goal and Brianna McFarlane obliges with this solid pressure act and finish

Tara Bohanna and Jamie Stanton kicked two each for Gold Coast, while Charlie Rowbottom was the most prolific player on the field with 28 disposals.

The Bulldogs return to Melbourne on Monday to prepare for a Grand Final eve clash with St Kilda on Friday, in what will be the Club’s return to VU Whitten Oval for the first time since early in 2022.

GOLD COAST                  1.0     5.3     7.3     7.6 (48)
WESTERN BULLDOGS      2.0     3.1     5.2     7.2 (44)

GOALS:
Gold Coast: Bohanna 2, Stanton 2, Dupuy, McLaughlin, Membrey
Western Bulldogs: McFarlane 2, Lamb 2, Berry, McLeod, Woodley

BEST 
Gold Coast: Rowbottom, Girvan, Single, Whitfort, Drennan, Saad
Western Bulldogs: Berry, Georgostathis, Grant, Wilcox, Blackburn, Fitzgerald 

INJURIES 
Gold Coast: Nil
Western Bulldogs: Lagioia (concussion), Moody (shoulder) 

Reports: Nil 

Crowd: 1181 at Heritage Bank Stadium