Western Bulldogs coach Nathan Burke praised the effort of his side in its 2021 AFLW season-opener, but says little things arguably cost the Bulldogs a first-up win.

The Bulldogs looked like snatching victory from St Kilda in the final quarter at RSEA Park before the Saints held on for a nine-point win.

“I was proud of the girls’ effort, I can’t question their effort at all,” Burke said post-game.

“There were just some little aspects of the game that the Saints did better than us. They capitalized on those aspects and we didn’t.

“Little things like being tired and not pushing over directly to your opponent, going halfway. Sometimes you get away with that and sometimes you don’t.

“All those little things tonight we didn’t get away with.”

Skipper Ellie Blackburn was tremendous, with the Bulldogs’ coach lauding her for taking on the challenge to become a goal-kicking midfielder over the off-season.

She finished with two majors and 21 disposals.

But Burke also had an eye on a player in red, white and black – his daughter Alice, who was making her AFLW debut.

“Once the game started, there’s so much happening and so much going on I didn’t really concentrate (on Alice),” the former St Kilda great said.

“If you’re asking me how she went, I’ll probably have to watch the video and tell you after that.

“I said after the game, ’did you like it, did you have fun?’ She said she loved it, so hopefully she did well enough to get another go next week where I can sit down and play the Dad role.”