Footscray will enter the last round of the VFL season still with the chance of a top-four finish.
The Bulldogs made light work of Werribee Tigers in a 63-point rout at Avalon Airport Oval on Sunday.
It left the door ajar for the Dogs to finish the regular season in double- chance territory.
Footscray will need help from an outside source to snatch fourth. The Bulldogs not only need to beat Collingwood at Whitten Oval on Saturday, but they will need Geelong to upset Port Melbourne on Sunday.
Irrespective of whether Footscray ends up with a double chance, it is one of the form teams of the competition, even with the Western Bulldogs injury woes putting pressure on their VFL team, and will go into the finals full of confidence.
The Bulldogs have won five of their past six games, including two against top-four clubs.
The experience of Jed Adcock and youthful energy of Mitch Honeychurch and Bailey Williams came to the fore for the Bulldogs. Jake Stringer made his much-publicised appearance for Footscray. The young forward worked hard with his pressure acts to have nine tackles to go with 21 touches and a goal.
Meanwhile, Williamstown has locked up third spot on the ladder and cannot be dislodged when it has the bye in the final round this weekend. Only the Seagulls’ slipshod kicking for goal – 13 goals from 33 scoring shots – prevented the Northern Blues from suffering an even bigger loss than 55 points at Ikon Park.
Lance Jenkinson
