Western Bulldogs skipper Marcus Bontempelli remains optimistic his side can finish 2020 with a bang, despite Friday night’s narrow loss to the Geelong Cats. 

The Bulldogs were sensational in the first term, kicking away to a six-goal lead early against the premiership contenders. 

But from there the Cats hit back, running over the Bulldogs in the final minutes of the game.

“We’ve got three weeks left, who knows what can happen,” Bontempelli said post-game.

“We would’ve loved to have won that one and that gives us a bit more of a chance to go deeper, but you’ve got to quickly process and move on to what’s next.

“We’ve got to stay positive, look for our next opportunity against West Coast – another good team – and try to produce a bit more of that first quarter.”

While proud of the group for fighting on despite being two players down for most of the game, Bontempelli said not being able to hold on for the four points was disheartening.

“It’s pretty flattening,” he said.

“Obviously a great start in the first quarter, the energy was up, we were moving the ball pretty well and good at the stoppages as well. There was a lot to like out of that first quarter.

“But clearly they managed to pick up their intensity and effort around the ball and then defend us a bit better.

“(Being two players down) probably had some sort of effect.

“You’d like to think in those scenarios you’re able to grind it out, which fourth quarter we did. They got close, we managed to get out in front again, they got close and we kicked out in front… we just couldn’t hold on.”