When there's such a high turnover of players in an off-season, it's common sense when the new campaign roles around it will take time for a team to gel.
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For the first two games and three quarters, that was evident at Golden Square.
Across their first 11 quarters of footy in 2024, the Bulldogs had only mustered 18 goals.
Come three-quarter-time against Castlemaine on Saturday, there was a real chance the reigning premiers would start their season 0-3 under new coach Brad Eaton.
But the first signs of the Bulldogs beginning to connect came to the fore in the final term when they broke the shackles to kick seven majors for the stanza and win by 12 points.
For the first time, they played with a bit of dare, and it gave their forwards the delivery they'd be craving.
While one-quarter of footy isn't a pattern, and Bulldogs coach Brad Eaton is fully aware of that, he was more than pleased to see his side start to turn a corner late in the game.
"We clearly haven't scored heavily during our first three games, so it's an area we're trying to refine," Eaton said.
"But it was nice in the last quarter when our backs were against the walls, we showed when we loosen the shackles, we can score by moving the ball quickly.
It is their work up the ground that will make the Bulldogs a more high-powered offence.
Eaton has been impressed with skipper Jayden Burke and Kai Daniels as tall targets, while Jack Stewart is working as hard as ever, and Jordan Rosengren looks like kicking a goal almost every time he rests forward.
But their skill and class mean little if the footy isn't coming in the right way.
"Being able to get some cleaner ball inside 50 will help, so that's on a few guys to be a bit more confident with ball in hand between the arcs and be decisive from 50 to 70 metres out so we're not getting set shots from tough angles," Eaton said.
"In the last quarter, three or four of our goals came from pressure up the ground, which enabled us to get one-on-ones with our forwards and have better look-ins."
In their first two outings against Eaglehawk and Strathfieldsaye, their output around the contest was impressive.
That didn't translate to Camp Reserve in the opening three terms, as Eaton admitted they were beaten comfortably at the coalface.
While their forward connection improved, they needed someone in the guts to take the game by the scruff of the neck to claim the four points.
Experienced heads such as Rosengren or Luke Holt would be the most likely options, but it was one of their next-generation stars that got the ball rolling the Bulldog's way.
Macey Eaton collected 14 disposals, 11 of which were handballs, in the last quarter.
Most of the Bulldog's chains started with Eaton (Macey) getting first hands on the pill and firing it to the outside runners with clean hands.
"Macey was really good at getting the ball out of the contest, and he is one of those younger guys who stood up and took the game on, which created some opportunities," Eaton said.
"He generated a couple of inside 50s that ended in goals.
"The connection around the footy in the last quarter between the young guys Dylan Hird, Ricky Monti, Tom Strauch and Jack Stewart felt a lot better and stopped those repeat stoppages that we'd seen all game."
The Bulldogs return to Wade Street in round four where they'll face neighbours Kangaroo Flat.
