It took the Western Bulldogs until halfway through their opening match of the AFL pre-season competition to wake up, according to assistant coach Leon Cameron.

Thankfully for the Dogs, a committed second half performance was enough for them to notch a 1.5.14 (53) to 1.5.6 (45) in a scrappy clash on Canberra's rain-soaked Manuka Oval on Sunday.

Last year's preliminary finalists trailed Brisbane Lions by 19 points at the main break, before a halftime rev-up from coach Rodney Eade prompted a lift in intensity and they took over in the second half.

"Our first half, we just weren't awake," Cameron said.

"Their (Brisbane's) young midfielders were fantastic and they gave our older midfielders a bit of a touch-up."

Cameron said mature aged rookie Brodie Moles, playing his first game for the club, was one Bulldog who held his own early.

"He played well in the first-half, when some of our experienced lads were struggling a little bit," he said.

The Bulldogs' coaching staff were also heartened by the performances of young talls Jordan Roughead, Brennan Stack and Liam Jones, with Roughead and Jones kicking valuable goals as their side surged into the lead.

But the comeback was largely driven by more experienced hands in the midfield.

Stand-in captain Daniel Giansiracusa, Daniel Cross, Adam Cooney and Matthew Boyd were all major contributors to the second half revival.

Defenders Dale Morris and Brian Lake also performed solidly, ensuring Brisbane star recruit Brendan Fevola was shut out of the game, after he kicked the opening goal in his first appearance for the Lions.

The Bulldogs were aided by dryer conditions after half time and kept the Lions scoreless in the third term, taking the lead by the last change then holding firm.

Brisbane coach Michael Voss applauded the performance of ruckman Jamie Charman, looking to reestablish himself after having his 2009 season wiped out by an ankle injury, with Mitch Clark shining in his absence.

But he said after halftime, the Lions were guilty of costly "concentration lapses" and the Bulldogs dominated the contested ball, a crucial aspect in the conditions.

"In the second half they just started winning the contested footy, and they started to get their handball receive game going," Voss said.

But he said the slippery surface had provided his players with a useful experience.

"You have got to get used to playing in all different sorts of conditions, if anything it gets your competitive instincts going straight away," he said.

The one concern for the Bulldogs was an ankle injury to young star Shaun Higgins, but the Dogs were confident it was only minor.

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