NOTHING to lose. You're going to be hearing that a fair bit over the next week. In fact, we've heard it plenty already in the couple of days since the Western Bulldogs won their way into their first preliminary final for 10 years.

That's the populist view of the task confronting the Dogs when they take on Geelong on Friday night, a line echoed in the aftermath of the semi-final victory over Sydney even by the likes of Bulldog defender Tim Callan.

And it's a way of thinking the Dogs simply cannot afford. In fact, arguably the biggest challenge for coach Rodney Eade this week is to dispel from his players' minds any notion of just "having a crack and seeing how we go".

That will not be easy. Not with the whole football world reaching for the David v Goliath metaphors. Not with many of their supporters saying already "at least we didn't go out in straight sets".

And certainly not with TAB Sportsbet yesterday offering just $1.13 for a Geelong victory and the Bulldogs an amazing $5.25, the shortest and longest prices for any preliminary finalists in living memory.

But if the Bulldogs are to be any sort of chance, it must be done. And you could certainly see a shift in the public line from the players themselves the longer the weekend went.

Callan's remark came in the dressing rooms immediately after last Friday night's game. By Saturday morning, skipper Brad Johnson was effectively saying "bring on the Cats". By the same evening, Jason Akermanis was throwing down the gauntlet, branding Geelong a little too cocky for its own good.

Such provocation has backfired spectacularly in the past come finals time. Just ask Port Adelaide coach Mark Williams, who has had a couple of September needlings come back to haunt him.

But the last thing the Western Bulldogs want to take into a preliminary final is an inferiority complex. And nor should they be doing so.

While the scoreboard from the Bulldogs' round-16 loss to Geelong showed a 61-point drubbing, the reality was far more competitive. Scores were level at half-time, the Dogs having matched the Cats for intensity, and the difference was still only 15 points at the final break before the dam burst in the final quarter.

Of course, Geelong was without Gary Ablett and Cameron Ling that afternoon at Skilled Stadium. Like everyone else, it's the Cats' amazing midfield depth that is going to stretch Eade and his coaching panel.

But it's how the Bulldogs cope with the presence of Ablett and Ling this time that will say a lot about to what extent the underdog is prepared to back its own game to beat Geelong rather than attempt to shut down the Cats' brand.

Ling will be expected to take his excellent run-with capacity straight to the side of Adam Cooney. To which the positive counter will be to send Cooney to stand alongside Ablett. An Ablett-Cooney midfield duel is mouth-watering stuff, a challenge to which the young South Australian can rise.

Cooney doesn't lack confidence, a quality you could see flowing back to a lot of Bulldogs who had looked strangely hesitant of late the longer Friday's semi-final went.

The back-to-back third-quarter goals of Brian Lake and Ryan Griffen were typical of the sort of running, attacking mindset that had carried them to 13 wins and a draw from 15 games before the rot set in.

That's the sort of strike-rate that cannot be delivered by a team that isn't highly capable. Indeed, it's remarkable a side that dominated the first two-thirds of the season to that extent could go into any final as rank outsider as the Dogs will be on Friday.

Not that St Kilda wouldn't be worth a nibble either this week at $3.55. That's despite a pretty impressive performance against Collingwood. Despite the sensational form of skipper Nick Riewoldt. Despite the likely return of Luke Ball.

And, significantly, despite the Saints having fixed up Hawthorn by 30 points the same day Geelong trampled over the Bulldogs, hauling back a near six-goal deficit in the process.

Even some Collingwood insiders admit privately that the Saints will probably serve up stiffer opposition to Alastair Clarkson's team than their own side would have.

While the Magpies have had plenty of trouble against teams that zone and play spare men behind the ball, St Kilda hasn't coped that badly at all. In the head-to-head battles between Ross Lyon and Clarkson these past two seasons, it's 2-1 to the St Kilda coach.

Lyon's own tactical chicanery worked a treat on Saturday night, the Saints dropping an extra man into defence, Collingwood manning him up and playing a seven-man forward line. The result was oodles of space for Riewoldt to take most of his 15 marks.

The Saints are entitled to go into their preliminary final with confidence. But so should the Western Bulldogs. Along with due recognition of what's at stake — a spot in what would be their first grand final for 47 years.

Nothing to lose? You've got to be kidding.