An empty feeling: Morris
Dale Morris says everyone has to stand up to prevent the season slipping away
The Bulldogs had appeared to be gaining momentum coming into Sunday's clash at Patersons Stadium after a 35-point over Richmond, but what happened from the 10-minute mark of the third quarter against the Eagles was nothing short of embarrassing.
The Bulldogs kicked just one more goal for the game while the Eagles added 18 to make the team that's made the last three preliminary finals look decidedly second rate.
Morris was in the middle of the rampage and trying to plug holes in defence, but was left struggling for words to describe it.
"It's an empty feeling," he said.
"It wasn't good, and it was embarrassing in the end there. We need to pick ourselves up, we need to work really hard now to get ourselves back on track and obviously we have a lot to work on because that was just unacceptable.
"If we had one solid answer for it then we would be able to fix it, but there's multiple things that we need to fix. To get so close there in the third and for it to end up how it did is just unacceptable."
As his third and final opponent, Morris saw first hand how damaging key forward Josh Kennedy was as he racked up 10 goals.
"He played really well and a 10-goal game is one you'll always take, but their whole team played really well." Morris said. "We can't let that happen, it's just not good enough.
"They go a little bit unnoticed because they play over here; if they were in Melbourne maybe they'd get a bit more coverage, but they are right up there. Their defensive press was exceptional. We need to get better at handling it because every team is doing it; they just seem to be doing it really well."
The loss leads into a tough run for the Bulldogs starting this Sunday against Hawthorn and Morris is sure there will be changes to the team.
"It's back to the drawing board, it's as simple as that," he said.
"We've got to review it and have a serious look at it, and we need to get a lot better. To be 22 points down in the third quarter and lose the way we did is just not good enough.
"Everyone needs to stand up and show what it means to them. Every game this year is tough from here on in where we are sitting now, but we've got guys in the VFL playing some good footy and no doubt they are going to be coming in.
"I assume there'll be changes so the guys who are playing good footy will get rewarded. They are coming into the team because it has to be done."