The Western Bulldogs saw their six-match VFLW winning streak come to an end as they went down to the Darebin Falcons 6.5 (41) to 3.5 (23) in a fiercely contested battle on Saturday at Genis Steel Oval.

The hosts were competitive throughout, holding the lead for the entirety of the match. The Bulldogs had moments where they seemed poised to overtake, but the Falcons' attacking play was too strong on the day.

The first term saw the Falcons get a fiery start with three straight goals by Monique De Matteo, making it difficult for the Bulldogs to get the ball into their offensive inside 50. However, Jaimi Tabb pulled through with a brilliant goal halfway through the first quarter, adding one on the scoreboard for the Dogs.

The second quarter saw the Bulldogs pick up their intensity. Dominating in offensive inside-50 contests, they prevented the Falcons from scoring a single point for the entirety of the quarter, while Tabb contributed another excellent goal to narrow the margin to just five points at half-time.

However, in the second-half, things became difficult for the Bulldogs as the Falcons continued to apply aggression and win further possessions, cementing their win despite a solid attacking effort.

Key standouts on the day included Dominique Carbone, who managed 22 disposals, four marks and five tackles, while Tabb finished with two goals from 11 disposals and five tackles. Keeley Hardingham showed great defence with 20 disposals, eight tackles and six clearances.

The Bulldogs will look to regroup when they take on the Casey Demons at Mission Whitten Oval on Saturday.

Match Summary

DAREBIN: 3.1 3.1 5.3 6.5 (41)
WESTERN BULLDOGS: 1.0 2.2 3.2 3.5 (23)

Goals: Tabb 2, Henry.