THE WESTERN Bulldogs were counting the cost of another bruising encounter on Saturday as tough defender Brett Goodes suffered a suspected broken arm.

With skipper Matthew Boyd missing his third game with a fractured cheekbone, and just six days after Clay Smith's season-ending knee injury against Essendon, it was the loss of another important player amid a strong performance against a premiership contender.

"It seems like it's a broken arm (for Goodes), just caught in between a contest and a teammate," Bulldogs coach Brendan McCartney said after the match.

"We're running games out pretty strongly but we keep breaking bones."

"We've made some terrific steps in the last two weeks."

"In the last month we've hung in and hung in and hung in and we'll get a win soon if we keep doing that.

Despite the run with injuries McCartney was satisfied with his side’s desire in and around the contest, particularly their ability to stop Hawthorn’s run and carry – and to compete fiercely at all times.

“We can put pressure on the opposition when the game stops and get the ball going our way,” he said.

“The next step in the evolution of our team and the people who are just learning the game, when there’s a five minute patch (and) you’ve got to defend your backside off… we’ll do that. It means you mightn’t score for a while, but they don’t score.

“I’m enjoying seeing and working with a team that doesn’t lie down and wants to keep fighting.”