LUKE Beveridge has hailed a "monumental day" for the direction of his team, after the Western Bulldogs stormed from 30 points down to stun Hawthorn on Sunday.
The Dogs kicked the final eight goals of the match at the MCG, producing a remarkable 49-point turnaround in the final quarter alone to improve their season record to 2-0.
Josh Schache was inspirational in the victory, kicking three of the Bulldogs' nine goals in the last quarter, with Beveridge lavishing the praise on his side's spirit in the fourth term.
"I'm pretty ecstatic," Beveridge said after the game.
DOGS STUN HAWKS Full match coverage and stats
"It was a monumental day for us, when you consider how the game unfolded. The boys did a sensational job to persevere. To come back from so far down, it's a big day for us."
The Bulldogs dominated the first half, producing 26 more entries inside 50 than Hawthorn in the first two quarters, but failed to make it count on the scoreboard and led by only four points at the main change.
It looked as though they would count the cost of their profligacy, when the Hawks kicked seven goals in the third term to open up a 30-point lead at the final change.
GAMEBREAKER Schache steps up in staggering fightback
But the Dogs produced a stunning comeback in the last quarter, with Beveridge crediting the manner in which his team maintained its belief despite a host of missed opportunities.
"You try not to think about the consequence of your recent history," Beveridge said.
WATCH Luke Beveridge's full post-match press conference
"You're always on edge about the now and what you can do. At no stage did I feel like our intensity had dropped off. I didn't feel like we'd come off our pre-game plan.
"The boys understood that and to their credit, they didn't drop their heads. They were willing to take it as a little hiccup in the course of the game.
"At times, although they would've been frustrated because they were giving it their all, the critical thing was that our players never dropped their heads. Credit to all of them."
Having seemingly lost the momentum that propelled the Bulldogs to the 2016 premiership over the last two years, Beveridge now hopes victories like the one his side recorded on Sunday can inspire another push up the ladder this season.
"As you try to establish the foothold of what sort of team you are, then these wins do create belief," Beveridge said.
"It's that instantaneous memory looking forward of what you're capable of when you're tested."
