THE WESTERN Bulldogs have dodged a potentially damaging bullet, scraping past Greater Western Sydney by just four points at Canberra's StarTrack Oval on Saturday.
 
A Jeremy Cameron goal 11 minutes into the final term put the Giants in front as they desperately chased their first win of the season, but goals to Liam Jones and Daniel Giansiracusa gave the Dogs back the ascendancy.

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The visitors were then able to control the contest the rest of the way to prevail 13.9 (87) to 12.11 (83) and narrowly avoid back-to-back defeats to the AFL's bottom two sides, following last week's upset loss to Melbourne.
 
Coach Brendan McCartney will be breathing an enormous sigh of relief as a loss to the winless Giants would surely have led to doubts being raised about his long-term coaching future.

The Dogs coach acknowledged afterwards that both teams have a long way to go in their development.
 
"We went from playing good footy one minute to ordinary footy the next and they were probably the same," McCartney said.
 
"It's pretty obvious both clubs have got a long way to go, we know that, and we're both trying to do it with a lot of young people.
 
"Young people have a way of going on the blink every now and again and that's what happened with both teams."
 
Michael Talia (31 possessions) was excellent for the visitors, backed up by Ryan Griffen, Luke Dahlhaus and Will Minson in his 150th game, while Giansiracusa kicked three goals.
 
Tom Scully continued his vastly improved season for the Giants, with Dylan Shiel kicking a career-best three goals and Lachie Whitfield, Adam Treloar and Devon Smith all played important roles.
 
But the home side ultimately fell agonisingly short of the third win in its short history.

"We were ahead at quarter-time, half-time, three quarter-time, just a little bit of experience from Giansiracusa and Minson in the last quarter probably tilted it their way," GWS coach Kevin Sheedy said.
 
"We were ahead all day and we're very disappointed. We had an opportunity to win a game here in Canberra and win our first game for the year.
 
"That was really disappointing from that point of view and frustrating more than anything."
 
The Giants are also likely to have some concerns with the Match Review Panel over separate incidents involving Taylor Adams and Jeremy Cameron.
Adams cleaned up Adam Cooney with a high shot that led to a quarter-time melee, while Cameron and young Bulldog Jason Johannisen clashed heavily competing for a loose ball in the third term.
 
In an incident reminiscent of Luke Hodge's recent clash with Marc Murphy, Johannisen was taken from the ground on a stretcher and with his neck in a brace, but the initial word from the Dogs was his shoulder and concussion were the main concerns and there was no neck damage.
 
Expectations of a close contest were realised in a very even opening term, which ended with the Giants holding a one-point lead.

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Whitfield's late goal proved the difference, with Jones robbed of a mark-of-the-year contender when he used Whitfield as a stepladder and took the spectacular grab, only for it to be ruled after the siren.
 
There was also a suggestion of another 'siren-gate' controversy as the game continued for around two minutes after the countdown clock used in the television coverage had run out.
 
But the official word was the game clock was correct and the siren was blown on schedule.
 
The second term was much more of an arm-wrestle, with both sides only managing 1.4, as GWS retained its one-point lead at the main break.
 
The Dogs then rallied to start the second half, opening up a two-goal lead.
 
But the Giants answered strongly, with Shiel, Smith and Setanta O'hAilpin kicking goals as the home side took a two-point lead intowhat loomed as a thrilling last quarter.
 
That's how it unfolded, with GWS extending its lead to eight points early in the term before the Dogs rallied for their fourth win of the season.
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A relieved Bulldogs unit sing the club song for just the fourth time this year. Picture: AFL Media

WESTERN BULLDOGS                   4.1  5.5  9.7  13.9  (87)
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY    4.4  5.6  9.9  12.11 (83)

GOALS
Western Bulldogs: Giansiracusa 3, Smith 2, Jones 2, Tutt 2, Dahlhaus, Stringer, Dickson, Wallis
Greater Western Sydney: Shiel 3, Cameron 3, O'hAilpin 2, Smith 2, Whitfield, Hoskin-Elliott

BEST
Western Bulldogs: Talia, Griffen, Dahlhaus, Minson, Giansiracusa, Smith, Cooney
Greater Western Sydney: Shiel, Scully, Smith, Whitfield, Treloar, Gilham, Haynes

INJURIES
Western Bulldogs: Johannisen (concussion/shoulder), Liberatore (cut head)
Greater Western Sydney: TBC

Official crowd: 7132 at StarTrack Oval in Canberra

SUBSTITUTES
Greater Western Sydney: Rhys Palmer replaced Taylor Adams at three-quarter time
Western Bulldogs: Nathan Hrovat replaced Jason Johannisen (concussion) in the third quarter