The Western Bulldogs first win of the season didn’t come easy but Dale Morris says the result is an indication of growing maturity and resilience in the team.

The two point victory against Richmond on Saturday was fought out in the dying minutes and Morris said the Bulldogs can take a lot from the outing.

“It was definitely an arm wrestle that last quarter and they were coming at us… it was a matter of absorbing their pressure and going from there,” Morris said.

“Credit to Richmond they came at us with everything and our guys did a great job to, like I said, absorb that pressure and stay calm and poised with the footy.

“A couple of crucial contests there went our way and we were able to control the footy in those last couple of minutes and take the sting out of the game.”

When Richmond held the momentum in the fourth quarter the Bulldogs never gave up, sticking to their structures and trusting that Senior Coach Brendan McCartney’s brand of football would get the job done.

“It’s a sign of growth, it’s a really good sign,” he said.

“For us to grit our teeth and do the hard things and the basics very well…and stay true to what we are about – it was great to see from the young guys.

“We still need to improve, we weren’t perfect tonight by any means and when we play the way that Macca wants us to play and instructs us to play, it’s funny how things work.”

Morris was especially impressed by the maturity shown by the young brigade in the clutch moments of the game.

“There were crucial contests that the young guys were involved in and they were able to compete really hard and play their role and really contribute… and they will get credit for that,” he said.

“Now the key is to back it up every week and to get them back it up each week as well.”