Bulldogs skipper Marcus Bontempelli cut a disappointed figure post game after his side fell short in their elimination final against the Crows tonight.
Bontempelli praised his side for fighting back into the game early in the last term before the Crows kicked away at the end.
“It definitely does [hurt] mate,” Bontempelli told Seven.
“I thought we really challenged them at certain points. We clearly couldn’t make enough of our entries and they are a very good intercept marking team, if you allow them to do it, then they can repel off the back of it and, gee, they have some mercurial players who can really hurt you.
“I’m proud of the boys. We weren’t going all that well halfway through the year.
“We found some grit to get in this position and even in that game, I don’t think we looked too far off it despite the margin.”