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 on Thursday.

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) fought hard for the Lions 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.

"I felt pretty proud going out there with all my mates that supported me throughout a tough week," Ugle-Hagan told reporters post-match.

"Then to do that in front of everyone, hopefully it makes a stance and a moment and hopefully people look back on it 30 years from now and say nothing's happened since.

"Hopefully, no one cops anything that I've been through."

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 with a sore ankle in his first game back after surgery.

Lachie Neale (31 disposals, eight clearances), young star Will Ashcroft (23, four) and Dunkley were all busy for Brisbane but Joe Daniher had a horror night in attack, kicking 0.4.

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, but the Bulldogs hung on in a final-quarter struggle.

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.

"We're all unbelievably proud (of Ugle-Hagan)," Beveridge said.

"He's made of some pretty stern stuff so we all had no doubt that he'd be himself tonight and want to do the absolute best for his team and our club.

"To see him play so well in such tough circumstances was just so uplifting."

Australian Associated Press