DEFENDER Tom Williams will be the only Western Bulldogs player unavailable for Saturday's qualifying final against Geelong, coach Rodney Eade says.

Ryan Griffen will return from a three-week hamstring strain while ruckman Ben Hudson is expected to play after being a late withdrawal from Sunday's win over Collingwood.

Williams will miss again with a foot problem, but Eade expects his young defender to still play a part in the finals series.

"There is no-one in any sort of doubt, which is good," he said on Tuesday.

"There's a few little niggles which every team carriers, but there is no-one who will have to have a fitness test.

"Tom started running yesterday, which is two weeks post-op. He won't play this week at Willy, but he probably will next week to give himself a chance."

Eade said Mitch Hahn had a sore plantar fascia but should be able to train this week, and confirmed Daniel Cross "pulled up well" after his first game since round 19.

He also said the players had recovered well from their clash with Collingwood, and were unconcerned about having one fewer day to prepare than the Cats.

"It was a great running game, and there were big periods where we had to chip the ball around, which gave the players as rest," he said.

"[Despite] playing a good, hard, tough side that has been in great form, the way the game was played for recovery couldn't have been better.

"Our players have recovered exceptionally well. There's worry going in with six days if the bodies are banged up and you've got players that are sore and sorry.

"But from our point of view, players were running yesterday. They felt really, really good."

The Dogs beat Geelong just two weekends ago, with the 14-point win the first time they had defeated the Cats since round one, 2007.

Eade said the Dogs would draw belief from the round-21 triumph, but would largely face a different opponent this weekend.

"They'll have the three players back that didn't play last time – [Tom] Harley, [James] Kelly and [Brad] Ottens. Obviously [Paul] Chapman you would think would get a full game rather than half like last time," he said.

"The whole dynamic has changed. We know they're an extremely talented side, and probably the most talented team in the competition.

"The personnel will change. We'll have Cross and Griffin in, and they'll have three or four in they didn't have that night.

"We've had some good contests against Geelong, but they'd won the previous four, so from our point of view it was good to get over the line."

Eade said the Dogs' recent form line that included wins over the Brisbane Lions, the Cats and the Pies had re-established their confidence after their season had threatened to collapse.

"Coming off the West Coast game where we were poor and most people had written us off, including probably our supporters, to then face up to the challenge of those three games and then be able to win them cements belief," he said.

"The way we won them as well, the guys got some confidence and good form, which was the most important thing."