SOMETHING in the Western Bulldogs' psyche changed after their last finals experience involving Geelong.

It was the third week of the 2008 series. The Dogs had recovered from their qualifying final disappointment against Hawthorn, and responded with a convincing win over the Sydney Swans to keep their campaign alive.

After missing the finals altogether in 2007 and falling to West Coast in a semi the year before, the anticipation of the club's first preliminary final since 1998 was enormous.

Then, a 29-point loss in front of a 70,000-plus crowd at the MCG cut deeper than most outsiders thought.

"I saw a mental shift in the culture of the club," coach Rodney Eade said.

"It's obviously a club that hasn't had a lot of success, and in 2006 we beat Collingwood in the final and then got thrashed by West Coast, and there seemed to be an air of contentment around the club that we'd achieved more than we thought we would.

"We were able to just be satisfied.

"I saw at the end of last year that there was a real feeling of desolation. They were really gutted by the opportunity they saw slip through their hands.

"On the night Geelong deserved to win, but I think the players could taste they were pretty close."

This year, the Dogs will enter their first final in much better shape.

Robert Murphy won't have a torn patella tendon, and Adam Cooney hopes he isn't on the verge of an injury similar to the cracked kneecap he sustained against the Hawks.

Eade believes they won't be the only changes to the side's structure.

"[Liam] Picken, [Callan] Ward and [Jarrod] Harbrow have added hardness and toughness, apart from their footy traits," he said.

"Players have matured. I think there is still improvement for the players in our mid-range age group, the 26, 27-year-olds.

"They're starting to improve, so I think there are a whole range of reasons why we're entering this finals series better off."

They'll also field more players who know what to expect when the game goes up a gear.

With the exception of Picken and Ward, and sometime-inclusion Sam Reid, all the Bulldogs within the selection frame have played finals before.

The combination of that experience, Brad Johnson's leadership, the Bulldogs' almost non-existent injury list and their determination to atone for last season leaves Eade believing at the very least, a two-year window is wide open.

"If you look at this group and their form line, except for seven games at the end of 2007, it has been on the up every year," he said.

"That from a whole coaching perspective, from all of us, has been great for development. We've had a plan, we've put plans in place and stepping stones, and we're certainly getting over those stepping stones.

"That's the most pleasing thing, and it gives us a real good chance if not this year, certainly next year, because I think we can improve again."