Western Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade said a sustained effort and improved execution saw his team produce some match-winning football in the third term against Adelaide at AAMI Stadium on Sunday.

The Dogs were pushed by the Crows in the first half but took control of the Round 7 clash with an 8.5 to 1.3 'premiership quarter'.

Eade said the team made some changes after the long break which made a significant difference to the contest.

"I think coming into the game we performed pretty well in the stoppages and obviously that was an area Adelaide had spoken about publicly they needed to work on," he said.

"And I think they had first use of the ball too much in the first half so we spoke about that, we needed to get first access."

"We obviously changed our forward structure and went smaller than we have in the past and we spoke about our execution inside 50, we tended to bomb it a bit (in the first half)."

The improved efforts of Adam Cooney (29 disposals) and Robert Murphy (four goals), who haven't dominated since coming back to the game from injuries, was also a factor in the result.

"I think Coons and Murph are probably a couple of weeks away from playing their best but at least they are getting confidence into their body," he said.

"I think obviously Robert gives us that lead-up forward, we are not a big side and his ability to get off his man (is important) ... he's still rusty with his execution at the moment but that will return."

Matching effort with a high skill base has been the biggest challenge for the Dogs this season which, previous to the West Lakes game, had lost three matches in a row.

Eade said he hadn't been too worried about his team's fortunes during this slump.

"We haven't played well in the last three weeks but as I said after the game last week, when we were beaten reasonably comfortably, our effort was there," he said.

"The hard-ball gets we won and the stoppages we won last week so that's an indication the players were willing to put their body in."

"As a coach you can't cut crook if they are trying really hard."

"If you've got that at least you've got one set ticked off - if you get smashed and its poor intensity and poor effort then you've really got some worries."

"I think the confidence was actually staying there, the confidence was there because of that work-rate we just needed to hopefully turn it around as far as execution goes."