A six-goal Hawthorn blitz to open the third quarter abruptly ended any hope of the Bulldogs winning their second game in a row at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night.
 
Led by 25 first half touches from Jason Johannisen, matching his season average in a half of football, the Dogs went into the main break with a two-point lead after an entertaining and at times spicy, first half.
 
But the Hawks were simply too strong after that, powering to a 63-point win on the back of a 12.6 to 2.1 run after half time.
 
The Dogs had kicked the final two goals of the second quarter, through Mitch Wallis (16 disposals, three goals) and Lachie Hunter (26 disposals, six marks) and would have headed up the race to start the third with some confidence after beating the Hawks in clearances (+5), contested possessions (+10) and kicking the ball at a clip 15% above the visitors.
 
But it was Jack Gunstan who kicked his first of three third quarter goals inside the first two minutes, while Luke Breust added his sixth for the evening; the rest were shared around a host of Hawks - the Dogs offering just the solitary behind.
 
Suddenly, a two-point lead was a seven-goal deficit and the game was over.  The Dogs wouldn’t kick another major until Caleb Daniel (20 disposals) snuck forward when there were nine minutes left in the game.
 
There were positive signs, albeit almost entirely in the first half.  There was Johannisen’s blistering start, which included 457 metres gained, and the Dogs’ ball use in the opening 20 minutes was some of their best work by foot of the season, and the pressure was again up.
 
Brad Lynch showed for the second week in a row that he belongs at the level, pick up 23 disposals and five marks, his disposal on both sides of his body a highlight.
 
The Dogs take on Melbourne next Saturday afternoon at the MCG.
 
Western Bulldogs              4.1   7.4  7.5    9.5  (59)
Hawthorn                            6.0   7.2  14.6  19.8 (122)
 
GOALS: Wallis 3, Hunter 2, Gowers, Biggs, Schache, Daniel
DISPOSALS: Johannisen 32, Hunter 26, McLean 24, Bontempelli, Dunkley, Lynch 23
BEST: Johannisen, Dunkley, Crozier, Hunter, McLean, Adams