THE WESTERN Bulldogs showcased some of their best football on Saturday, but not before they looked as "vulnerable as they have in a long time", according to coach Luke Beveridge.

In a dramatically contrasting game, the premiers overcame a 38-point, second-quarter deficit to beat the Brisbane Lions by 32 at Etihad Stadium.

The Lions nailed goal after goal from behind the Dogs' defenders after forcing a turnover and moving the ball quickly – and deeply – into attack.

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Beveridge said while his players showed "grit and integrity" to fight back in captain Bob Murphy's 300th game, the one-way first half gave them plenty to think about regarding repeated "leaky transitions".

"It's a combination of how you give the ball up and then your lack of intensity or senses around the turnover, and being ready to defend," Beveridge said.

"We just let them through far too easily, and they just got us.

"We just didn't have players in place because we didn't think we were going to turn it over so blatantly.

"We've got to fix that, because we haven't been that vulnerable for a long time."

As untidy as the first half was, the second was as impressive.

WATCH Bob the life of his own party

The Dogs gained control of the midfield, reduced the effectiveness of Dayne Beams and Dayne Zorko, and started hitting the scoreboard.

"I think our best footy was in our second half. That's what we're capable of," Beveridge said.

"How far away are we from playing that for four quarters? Hopefully this week.

"Their self belief and team belief is right there in the right part of the chart, and to turn it around by 60-odd points again is a great effort, but we don't want to be there.

"We want to take control of games, and we're not doing that."

Defender Marcus Adams showed a bit up forward in the first half in a move Beveridge said could be repeated in the on-going absence of Travis Cloke.

The lead up to the game was largely about Murphy's milestone, with fellow veteran Matthew Boyd delivering a moving, 15-minute tribute to the players on Friday.

While Beveridge said it was "dangerous" to rely on milestones for motivation, he knew the players would use it to turn things around.

"It would have been such a shame if we didn't win for him as much as anyone," he said.

"I can't manufacture that for them, but I knew that part of them today turning up would want to play well for him, and maybe they were frustrated they weren't able to do that to the degree they would have liked in the first half."

WATCH Luke Beveridge's full media conference

Fellow veteran Liam Picken said the players "regrouped" at half-time after being stunned by the young and plucky Lions, and were determined to turn it around for their captain.

"There's always emotion there at the start. We were disappointed with that first half," Picken told AFL.com.au.

"Most of the week, the players had it in the back of their mind, and we regrouped and talked about what Bob means to us.

"To be able to play like that and put it together, it means so much to us."