THE WESTERN Bulldogs have scored their first win since round 12 last season, overcoming Hawthorn by one point in a dramatic finish at Etihad Stadium on Friday night.
The Bulldogs trailed by 14 points nine minutes into the final quarter, but clawed back through Luke Dahlhaus and Clay Smith, who booted a supergoal to put his team up by a point.
Jordan Lewis then missed a set shot to level the scores, before Liam Jones hit the post at the other end to give Brendan McCartney's team a 1.10.6 (75) to 2.8.8 (74) lead, which it held through the desperate final minutes.
It was a bad night for the Hawks, who suffered a double injury blow to go with the loss, with Luke Breust and David Hale both subbed off with left leg injuries.
Early indications were Breust had escaped with only a cork, while Hale had a foot concern.
Clarkson whacks trial cap
Lance Franklin threatened to win the game for his team, giving spark to what was at times a lacklustre contest.
He booted five goals, including a brilliant running supergoal, and also put two shots out on the full in a typically hit-and-miss display in front of the big sticks.
The winners were superbly led by experienced midfielders Matthew Boyd and Ryan Griffen, although coach Brendan McCartney would have also been encouraged by the performances of recruits Koby Stevens, Brett Goodes and Nick Lower.
Draftee Jake Stringer kicked an outstanding goal with his first kick after being subbed on during the third quarter, but he was later subbed off with an apparent shin problem.
Dogs sweat on Stringer
The Bulldogs were their usual tenacious selves at the contest, winning clearances 41-30 and contested possession 118-107.
They again struggled to find a consistent focal point up forward, but spread the workload with 10 individual goalkickers.
Griffen was the only multiple scorer, with two.
Alongside Franklin, Hawthorn gained good service from recruit Jonathan Simpkin and star midfielder Sam Mitchell, who was slow to get going in his first hit-out of the season but worked his way into the contest.
Combining regular season matches, the London exhibition game against Port Adelaide in November and round one of this year's NAB Cup, the Bulldogs had lost 14 straight games.
WESTERN BULLDOGS 0.3.3 0.5.3 0.8.4 1.10.6 (75)
HAWTHORN 0.1.3 1.3.5 1.6.6 2.8.8 (74)
SUPERGOALS
Western Bulldogs: Smith
Hawthorn: Franklin, Roughead
GOALS
Western Bulldogs: Griffen 2, Murphy, Johannisen, Stevens, Goodes, Jones, Stringer, Dickson, Dahlhaus
Hawthorn: Franklin 4, Hale 2, Savage, Smith
BEST
Western Bulldogs: Griffen, Boyd, Liberatore, Minson, Smith
Hawthorn: Franklin, Mitchell, Lewis, Simpkin, Cheney, Suckling
INJURIES
Western Bulldogs: Stringer (ankle)
Hawthorn: Breust (left leg), Hale (ankle)
Reports: Nil
Official crowd: 8,162 at Etihad Stadium
