RETIRED Western Bulldogs star Luke Darcy has strongly backed his old club to defeat the Sydney Swans in Friday night's do-or-die semi-final, but says progressing past the preliminary final stage is another matter altogether.

Minor premier Geelong awaits the winner of Friday's clash and Darcy, who retired last year having played 226 games for the club, fears none of the remaining teams are going to come close to tripping the Cats up on their way to back to back flags.

"I don't know if anyone's got a [playing] group that can beat Geelong," Darcy said.

"I've got the feeling that you could combine the rest of the 15 sides and it might be a bit of a struggle the way they're going at the moment."

Darcy's fears appear warranted given the disdain with which the Cats dispatched fourth-placed St Kilda to record their 41st win from 43 matches and advance to the preliminary final with the added benefit of a week off.

But Darcy feels the near-absolute dominance of Mark Thompson's men, who will quite rightly go into the match as raging favourites regardless of their opposition, might just allow the Dogs or the Swans to play unencumbered by the burden of expectation.

"In some ways, winning this and then taking on Geelong, it's a bit of a free hit really," Darcy said.

"I don't think anyone expects whoever wins this game, or not too many people at least, to knock off Geelong. Their focus will be on winning this and then you just front up and play your heart out and see what happens."  

Click here to read the full Q&A with the former Bulldog champion.