The Western Bulldogs' new-look forward line is about to receive its first serious test in a NAB Cup grand final that could well prove a great form line when it comes to sorting out the contenders from pretenders in 2010.

While the pre-season competition may have its detractors - and indeed the clubs themselves don't help the credibility of the competition by constantly playing it down - this year's decider shapes as more interesting than most.

Not only because it pits together Victoria's two least successful clubs historically in the Bulldogs and St Kilda - who have won just one premiership each - but also the two teams considered most likely to end the three year dominance of Geelong this season.

The Cats' of course have won two of the past three premierships (and should have won the other) as well as two of the past four NAB Cups as last year they became the first club since Essendon in 2000 to complete the NAB Cup/AFL premiership double.

But the Saints, who lost last year's memorable grand final to the Cats by just 12 points, and the Bulldogs - beaten preliminary finalists the past two years - enter 2010 as the teams seemingly best equipped to knock the Cats off their perch.

For the Saints, who are aiming for their third NAB Cup win in seven years but whose last premiership was way back in 1966, a victory on Saturday night would send out a timely reminder that they are determined to no longer play the role of perennial bridesmaid and remain the team most likely to challenge for the silverware.

It will also be an indication that the pain of such a heartbreaking grand final loss as last year is well and truly behind them.

For the Bulldogs, who are appearing in their first grand final in any competition since 1970 and whose one and only premiership win was in 1954, the clash against the Saints is vital to giving the club the self-belief it needs that its own days of 'close but no cigar' are also behind it.

Despite the NAB Cup seemingly being taken less seriously by clubs and therefore fans by the year - leading to the competition's future being far from guaranteed in coming years - it has often been a good form line when it comes to the real stuff.

While it's true Carlton won the competition in 2005 and 2007 and then finished last and second last in those two seasons, several other clubs have used it as a springboard to a premiership.

Not only did Essendon (2000) and Geelong last year complete the double but several other clubs first tasted premiership success at NAB Cup level before using it as foundation for ultimate success.

These clubs are North Melbourne, Port Adelaide and Geelong, which won its first trophy for 43 years in the pre-season in 2006 before ending its premiership drought the following year.

So a Bulldogs' win on Saturday night would do wonders for the belief of the players and their fans that the club has what it takes to win silverware.

But to do that the Dogs' new-look forward line - led by boom recruit Barry Hall - will have to find a way to conquer the powerful St Kilda defence.

The Dogs were the highest scoring team in the competition last year while the Saints easily conceded the least points and in their four meetings it was the Saints' defence that prevailed.

In fact in those four meetings last year - one in pre-season, two during the regular season and the preliminary final - the Dogs kicked a total of just 32 goals and lost all four games.

But they are counting on Hall to give them the kind of marking target so lacking in the big games last year.

And if the former Sydney bad boy - who has starred in the pre-season to date - gets the Bulldogs home on Saturday night, then their long-suffering fans will be entitled to genuinely believe it might just be their team and not the Saints that end the Cats' dominance this season.