After controlling the majority of the play yesterday the Western Bulldogs weren’t able to hold off a fast-finishing Essendon - suffering their fifth loss by under 13 points this season.

Jake Stringer did his best to keep the Bulldogs in the match throughout the afternoon, kicking a career-high five goals, and said the team’s inability to hold its structure proved costly in the end.

“I think we just lost the structure a little bit in the last half, more in the third quarter – ten minutes in the third quarter really cost us,” Stringer said.

“Once we got the ball forward we were dangerous, it was just a matter of getting our defence right and making the most of our opportunities when we go forward.

“[McCartney said] just defend and then when the time’s right to attack, attack.”

The Bulldogs won the contested ball count (+18)  but it was the last ten minutes of the game that was decisive, with Essendon’s experienced players getting on top of their younger opponents.

The Bulldogs will use the bye to recover after a gruelling three week period where they were narrowly beaten by Geelong in the wet, recorded a win against Gold Coast in the heat and pushed Essendon to the final minutes of the game yesterday.