The Western Bulldogs must rediscover their self-belief urgently if they are to press deeper into the AFL finals, according to midfielder Matthew Boyd.
Boyd said the Dogs' confidence deserted them as they collapsed into disarray under pressure from Hawthorn who stormed to a 51-point win, leaving the Bulldogs to survive a cut-throat semi-final.
He admitted that the players were nervous and jittery and unable to absorb the pressure of an AFL final last night.
"I don't think we handled the situation too well, to be honest," Boyd said.
"A lot of guys had the fumbles, myself included. This wasn't the way to play finals footy and we got shown up by a better side.
"I think they played really good footy and their pressure was outstanding throughout the midfield and the whole ground.
"We didn't cover that pressure and it's something we have to rectify very quickly.
"We've just got to get back on the wagon, so to speak, and go again and try and get the things right that we didn't do on the weekend."
Boyd said the Bulldogs needed to understand the influence they had exerted on the competition this year and play accordingly next week.
"I think it's just having that self-belief. We finished third on the ladder for a reason, because we're a good side, and we've just got to believe that again," he said.
"You wish you knew the secret answer to it all but it's probably above the shoulders, I'd say."
But he agreed the Bulldogs may be forced to work overtime this week to frantically improve, although he hoped there would not be an element of panic.
"I don't think it's desperation, I think we've just got to do what we did earlier in the year and try and find that form somehow, through workload or through intensity.
"There's just got to be a big effort to play well and try really hard and that's all we can do."
Boyd was quick to point out that, despite criticism of the team, the players themselves were as unimpressed as their supporters and the club.
"We feel as well, we're not robots and it hurts us just as much as it hurts anyone else.
"It hurts the supporters and the club and it matters to the players and I suppose it's a good sign that we're hurting today," he said.
