Bulldogs end Sydney's season

The Western Bulldogs have ensured the first all-Victorian AFL grand final since 2000 by eliminating the last remaining non-Victorian club left in this year's finals series in Sydney at the MCG on Friday night.

The Dogs' 16.10 (106) to 9.15 (69) victory in front of just 42,000 fans - the smallest crowd for a final at the MCG this decade - sets up a preliminary final showdown against reigning premier Geelong at the MCG next Friday night with Hawthorn awaiting the winner of Saturday night's other semi-final between St Kilda and Collingwood in the other preliminary final.

But the Bulldogs still face a gigantic task if they are to reach their first grand final since 1961 next week against a side that has won 41 of their past 43 matches and thrashed the Dogs by ten goals in their only meeting this season back in round 16 at Geelong.

The Bulldogs will have to improve ten-fold on this performance to even get close to the Cats but at least long-suffering Dogs' fans can tonight celebrate only the club's 12th finals victory in their entire history.

Rodney Eade's side at least got itself back on track after six losses in the past eight games - including last week's 51-point mauling at the hands of Hawthorn in the second qualifying final - which had been threatening to see them become only the third side to bow out of the finals in straight sets since the current finals system began in 2000.

Perhaps the Bulldogs' form, combined with the low-drawing power of these two teams and the fact the winner appears to face 'mission impossible' against the Cats next week, explained the poor attendance and certainly those fans that did bother showing up got very little entertainment in a dreadful first half.

The first half was summed up by the fact that just seven contested marks were taken as both teams seemed content to chip the ball around, with the match lacking the usual intensity and atmosphere associated with an AFL final.

But all that changed in the second half as the Bulldogs, who had beaten Sydney twice this year, gave everyone a reminder of just why they had finished in the top four and recorded their best home and away season since 1992 in winning 15 games during the regular season.

With Matthew Boyd dominating in midfield and Lindsay Gilbee the architect of every attacking move with his pinpoint kicking out of defence, the Bulldogs suddenly exposed a Swans side that was appearing in its sixth successive finals series as old and tired.

Two early goals to promising youngster Josh Hill in the first 13 minutes gave the Dogs a three-goal lead and when full-back Brian Lake and Ryan Griffen, another of the Dogs' best, then kicked team-lifting goals on the run - the match was as good as over.

The Swans - who had star pair Ryan O'Keefe and Adam Goodes well held in attack by unsung Bulldogs pair Dale Morris and Ryan Hargrave - were held goalless for the third term as the Dogs slammed on five and trailed by 32 points at the last change.

And despite the Swans, through Barry Hall who was easily his side's best, booting the first goal of the final term - the home side quickly finished off the Swans through a goal from Jason