The Western Bulldogs won’t have too long to dwell on Sunday’s disappointing loss to Carlton. 

After three straight wins, the Dogs were defeated by 52 points at Metricon Stadium, by a Blues team which had already claimed the scalps of Geelong and Essendon this year.

In just five days they’ll face the Bombers, boasting a 4-1 record, fresh from their win over North Melbourne on Saturday night.

“We’ve got to learn our lesson.  The competition is still extremely even,” Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge said after the loss to Carlton.

“It’s just a reminder that as much as we have a belief in what we can do, you have to play extremely well every week to win the game.

“We’ve got to dust ourselves off.  We play in five days.  We’ve got to keep presenting. 

“We’ve got our full squad up here.  There might be one or two boys who get an opportunity this Friday.”

Against Carlton, the Bulldogs couldn’t match the early intensity of their opponents, and inefficiency in the forward 50 was also a telling factor in the loss.

“They had an edge that we didn’t have.  It’s been us in the last few weeks who’ve come out with that steely resolve,” Beveridge said.

“It was a bit greasy and slippery, and I thought they played that game better than us.

“They used the ball extremely well.  They capitalised on their opportunities.  The inside 50 differential was well in our favour, but their effectiveness was off the charts.  They played well.”