Jamarra Ugle-Hagan has made a powerful stand against racism and fired in attack to lead the Western Bulldogs to a tense 14-point win over Brisbane.
Ugle-Hagan lifted his jumper and pointed to his skin, recreating Nicky Winmar's iconic gesture, after the first of his five goals in the 10.7 (67) to 7.11 (53) triumph at Marvel Stadium.
The dour victory was the Bulldogs' first of the season following a horror opening fortnight that had brought an intense spotlight on coach Luke Beveridge.
Josh Dunkley (23 disposals) was one of the Lions' best and was jeered all night by Bulldogs fans in his first encounter with his former club since forcing an off-season trade move.
But Ugle-Hagan's impassioned message was the major talking point as he responded sensationally to racist comments directed at him at the same venue just five days earlier.
The 20-year-old Indigenous star slotted the opening goal of the night with a curling effort from the forward pocket and turned to the crowd, repeating Winmar's famous "I'm black and I'm proud" gesture.
It came almost 30 years to the day since Winmar's celebrated stance at Victoria Park in April 1993.
Bulldogs captain Marcus Bontempelli (28 disposals, seven clearances) was best afield, willing his team to victory, with fellow midfielders Tom Liberatore (29, three) and Jack Macrae (30, three) also influential in the much-needed win.
Bontempelli (16) had more contested possessions than anyone else on the ground.
Rory Lobb kicked two goals from just four disposals and was substituted out during a tight final quarter in his first game back after ankle surgery.
Lachie Neale (31 disposals, eight clearances), young star Will Ashcroft (23, four) and Dunkley were all busy for Brisbane.
Ugle-Hagan raised the bar on his opening goal with a second from an even tougher angle in the opposite pocket.
It came from a free kick as three straight Bulldogs majors in the second term gave them an eight-point lead at the main break.
Jack Gunston kicked all three of his goals in the third quarter alone to keep the Lions within striking distance.
The final quarter was a struggle and two 50m penalties against Riley Garcia looked as though they could cost the Bulldogs.
The second led to an Eric Hipwood goal that cut the margin to two points.
But the Bulldogs steadied through Bailey Williams, set up by Bontempelli's hard-ball win and a towering Aaron Naughton mark, and resisted the Lions' last-ditch efforts in the final minutes.
FIttingly, the match finished with the ball in Ugle-Hagan's hands and he equalled a career-best tally when he kicked his fifth major after the siren.
