The Western Bulldogs ability to apply defensive pressure across four quarters was an area the team had trouble sustaining in 2012, but Daniel Cross is confident of improvement this season.

While unable to cement a win in the two shortened matches in NAB Cup round one against Essendon and Collingwood, the Bulldogs were competitive in both games until red time goals sealed their fate.

Off the back of Friday’s NAB Cup triple-header, Cross identified two main areas that the Bulldogs needed to tighten before season proper.

“There were key things that we took away with it – I think the main things were the red time goals that we had kicked against us,” Cross told  Crocmedia’s Sportsday.

“[There] was a bit of a pattern that happened last year where we fell away late in quarters and late in games.

“Defensive pressure up until that point was really good but then we just fall away and that has a lot to do with… the experience of the group and handling those situations in different ways - so we will continue to work on that.”

Disposal efficiency is a second key area that the veteran midfielder highlighted from the weekend.

“Our skill level wasn’t up to scratch just yet but certainly that has been our number one focus over the pre-season, so hopefully that will start to come through in our games in the coming weeks,” he said.