The Bulldogs rooms were a sombre place after Sunday’s loss to the Hawks, the injury to skipper Bob Murphy overshadowing what was a brave performance from a young Bulldogs team who emerged bruised but walking tall after going toe-to-toe with the defending champs.

After allowing Hawthorn the first five goals of the match, the Dogs fought back to snatch the lead in the third term, only to fall by three points after a James Sicily goal iced the game in the final minute.

Speaking to Terry Wallace and Tony Leonard on Sportsday Radio on Monday night, Dahlhaus said that the injury to the skipper put the loss into perspective.

“It was pretty quiet, there wasn’t much talk going on, I think everybody was shattered for the game but everyone was even more shattered for Bobby, he said.

“Just seeing the emotion in his face, and his families face… but Bobby is a pretty strong person as everybody knows.“

But in the aftermath of the Murphy injury, Dogs fans would have been buoyed by the fact that there wasn’t a heavy reliance on the Club’s veterans on the weekend.

23-year old Dahlhaus continued his early season form, picking up 33 disposals, 21 of them contested, and joining Marcus Adams, Matthew Suckling and Caleb Daniel as players of influence.

Adams in just his third senior game collected 15 marks in addition to 23 disposals, while Caleb Daniel collected a career-high 29-disposals and six tackles to spark the Bulldogs resurgence in the second term.

Dahlhaus joined the rest of the football world in applauding the game of second-year Bulldog Daniel.

“He’s an absolute jet, Caleb.

“He has some of the best skills I’ve ever seen in a footballer.  

"I don’t know how he does it with those small hands but he did a great job for us on Sunday.

“He’s a very valuable player already, for the Club.”

The Bulldogs return to Etihad Stadium on Saturday night to face the Blues.