The topsy-turvy race to the AFL finals has sent Carlton crashing to a second straight defeat as the Western Bulldogs spoiled Patrick Cripps’ 200-game milestone on Saturday.

Just a week after the Blues fell to a GWS Giants side desperate to vault into top-eight calculations, history repeated with the Dogs bouncing back from a woeful loss to send a timely reminder of their potential.

Jamarra Ugle-Hagan and Rhylee West kicked four goals apiece as the Bulldogs won 14.16 (100) to 12.14 (86) under the roof at Marvel Stadium.

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Cripps put in a typically Herculean shift for Carlton, racking up two goals and 11 clearances from his 28 disposals to go with eight tackles, but they were always chasing the Dogs in the second half.

He declined the offer of being charged off by his teammates, instead leading his team off the field with a smile and a wave to fans.

“I love this. The symbolism of this is that Charlie (Curnow) and (Jacob) Weitering said get up on the shoulders and we’ll carry you off,” Garry Lyon said on Fox Sports.

“And he said ‘nah mate, not today, not after a loss’.”

His counterpart Marcus Bontempelli said “desperation” got the Bulldogs over the line.

“That was one of the key talking points (from coach Luke Beveridge) — it takes no talent, it’s all effort,” he told Fox Sports.

“I think you saw in that last quarter there were some amazing efforts, run-down tackles, desperation in the backline, taking an aerial (mark) going back with the flight.

“I think they’re all the things we want to be identified with as a team, and we haven’t been enough this year.”

The Bulldogs could yet remain out of the top eight by the end of the round and will need to maintain Saturday’s level to climb the ladder in the coming weeks.

Away games against Geelong and Sydney await the Dogs before finishing the season with matches against Melbourne (Marvel, home), Adelaide (Adelaide Oval), North Melbourne (Marvel, home) and GWS (Ballarat).

Beveridge’s side lost Adam Treloar as a late withdrawal with a tight calf and struggled early, almost kicking themselves out of the game.

The Bulldogs sprayed 0.7, with Ugle-Hagan a glaring offender, as the Blues kicked three goals and took a 15-point lead into the first change.

Three quick goals at the start of the second term steadied the Dogs and they briefly took the lead.

But the Blues hit back and after West missed a snap he should have nailed, Carlton went on the rampage from the kickout and Cripps marked his milestone game with a sublime goal on the run.

Carlton lost Zac Williams in the second term with a hamstring injury as the two teams went goal-for-goal, with the Bulldogs taking a three-point lead into the main break.

The game went up a cog in the third term, with the Bulldogs bursting clear from the first bounce and West kicking a goal just 17 seconds into the quarter.

Indeed, the Bulldogs kicked three goals in the term from centre-bounce clearances.

Ugle-Hagan was becoming a major issue for the Blues defence, especially with star Carlton defender Jacob Weitering appearing to be hurt.

The Bulldogs had 20 inside-50s to 10 for the term and should have led by more than 10 points at the final change, after kicking 4.5.

Cripps was mighty in the last quarter, kicking a goal and finishing the match with a game-high 11 clearances.

But the undermanned Bulldogs defence was outstanding, with Rory Lobb and Buku Khamis prominent.

After kicking three goals in the first half, Carlton’s Harry McKay only had one possession in the last two quarters and Curnow kicked 3.7.

The Blues have home games against North Melbourne and Port Adelaide to reignite their top-two fight ahead of a final month against Collingwood (MCG, away), Hawthorn (MCG, home), West Coast (Optus Stadium) and St Kilda (Marvel, home).

- with AAP