LOSING three games in a row stung Cats' midfielder Mitch Duncan into action as he recorded a personal best 18 tackles against the Western Bulldogs on Friday night.

The figure was a massive eight tackles above his previous best of 10, also against the Western Bulldogs at Simonds Stadium in 2014.

Duncan modestly told AFL.com.au it was one of those tightly contested games that lent itself to tackling, but revealed the team was motivated to respond to the criticism it received.

SHOWREEL: Cats' tackling masterclass

"[We'd] been belted left, right and centre last week," Duncan said. 

"It stung a lot but it was good to get back to work tonight and put in the performance we did."

Duncan said the past three weeks, when the Cats conceded 100 points to the opposition and lost three in a row for the first time since 2006, was a wake-up call for the group.

"[It's] just a reminder what you have to do to win games of footy," Duncan said.

"The competition is so even. You just have to rock up every week knowing you are going to get hunted and you have to hunt them."

Duncan, who has been back to his best form in 2017, said the Cats now knew what was required. 

"That is just the start now and we have got to keep going forward and use a bit of that momentum."