WHILE Western Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade has conceded his side is better placed on the injury front than this time last year, he believes all that could change in the blink of an eye.
In 2008, the Dogs entered the finals series with Robert Murphy and Adam Cooney under serious duress owing to knee injuries, with the latter playing out September with a cracked patella.
Young gun Tom Williams also missed the finals with a persistent quad injury, but the key defender had barely taken to the field all year owing to shoulder and thigh problems.
This time around, it appears as though Williams will be the only Dog in the kennel in the first week of finals, as he works his way back from a foot injury. He is expected to play in the second week, possibly in the VFL.
Daniel Giansiracusa and Shaun Higgins will go in with two games under their belts after returning from knee and hamstring injuries last weekend, while Daniel Cross (ankle) and possibly Ryan Griffen (hamstring) will come back against Collingwood on Sunday.
And, Murphy will go in with three games after returning from his hamstring problem against the Brisbane Lions.
Eade agreed his side was starting to come together after it looked to be in dire straits only a few weeks ago.
"You can have everyone available and then you can lose three very quickly, so you never take anything for granted," he said on Wednesday.
"We're better off physically [this year]. Williams is the only one that won't play the first week of the finals, touch wood, and Griffen will certainly play that week so we'll just about have a full list."
Eade said it was a relief to have a top four spot sewn up, having fulfilled their requirement of winning two of their last three games of the season already.
"I don't know if the pressure is off at all; there's pressure every week," he said.
"We're still a chance to get third, but that's not our main focus. Our main focus is to have a good performance this weekend."
He said the Dogs wouldn't be trying anything outrageous against Collingwood this weekend, despite the fact that neither side can fall out of the top four.
"It's more about us trying to maintain the momentum, because this is a game where you know if you flirt with your form or it deserts you for whatever reason, it can stay away for awhile," he said.
The game could determine who finishes third and who takes fourth, as Collingwood currently lead the Dogs by just four points and 2.82 percentage points.
However, Eade isn't concerned about which way the positions fall, or who has to face ladder leaders St Kilda in week one of the finals.
"The only minute thing is with third you get a six-day break, and with fourth you get a seven-day break," he said.
"That's not a big issue."
