It’s business as usual at Whitten Oval this week, with Western Bulldogs Senior Coach Brendan McCartney keeping level after the Club’s nine point win over St Kilda on Saturday.

McCartney said Port Adelaide’s five wins this season was indicative of the football they were capable of producing, despite recent form, and that the Bulldogs will need to do the basics better and for longer, if they are a chance to win.

“Just because we won a game, doesn’t change anything for us – we are two wins, seven losses with a real challenging game this week,” McCartney said.

“They’re first five weeks wasn’t a fluke they played some terrific footy and we know we have to go up there and play well and do the basics of the game very well to get a good result.”

McCartney said he was pleased with the Bulldogs ability to fight back and recover when St Kilda swung the momentum their way on Saturday at Etihad Stadium.

While small lapses in performance have previously dictated the final margin, the round nine clash saw the young Bulldogs side not only adjust to St Kilda’s ascendancy but also turn the game to maintain control.

“We felt that a good result… was closer than what a lot of people realised and we were just having little patches in games that were costly and we had them again last weekend,” he said.

“But we were able to recover quite quickly instead of letting it spiral and get too far out of our reach, that’s the challenge again.

“A normal week here at the Bulldogs, and match committee and main session today to prepare and get on the plane tomorrow and go back to work.”

The Bulldogs currently hold a six game winning streak against Port Adelaide, but McCartney is wary of the personnel changes and altered game plan, believing his side will have to be on song to claim the win.

“We have historically [good matching up against Port Adelaide], they are different though, different coach, clearly different way of playing, [with a] real ability to open you up if you aren’t ready,” he said.