The Western Bulldogs fought valiantly but fell to Sandringham by 29 points at Mission Whitten Oval on Saturday afternoon.

The Bulldogs hit the ground running, with Brianna McFarlane sparking the crowd with a brilliant boundary-line goal in the first quarter.

The hosts edged ahead after as the first break approached, but Sandringham struck back in the second, seizing control.

By half time, the Bulldogs trailed by 10 points. Despite strong forward pushes, they couldn’t find the goals, with the Zebras’ precision in attack proving the difference.

After the break, the Bulldogs battled on. The midfield worked tirelessly to keep the contest alive, but Sandringham held firm - pulling away late to secure the victory.

Sarah Sansonetti was outstanding, amassing 19 disposals and 10 marks, while Leah Swain dominated the ruck with 48 hit-outs.

Jaimi Tabb brought ferocious intensity, laying 11 tackles.

Tamsin Crook and Isabella Davies both collected 17 disposals while driving the midfield with class.

Jorja Livingstone’s 14 kicks added polish, while Paula Pavic’s six tackles and seven hit-outs demonstrated her grit.

The Bulldogs will look to regroup in their Round 10 clash with Geelong at Deakin University, with the first bounce set for 1:05pm on Saturday 28 June.

Western Bulldogs 1.3 1.4 1.6 1.7 (13)

Sandringham Zebras: 0.1 3.2 4.3 6.6 (42)

Goal: McFarlane.