It’s been almost 30 years since the Western Bulldogs have toppled St Kilda in a final.

It’s a small sample size, given only four of the 162 games between the sides have been finals, dating all the way back to 1925.

That last finals victory came in 1992, as the Dogs marched into a preliminary final with a comfortable win over the Saints at Waverley Park, on the back of a match-winning performance from Chris Grant.

Footscray had finished second on the ladder that season, and had got the better of St Kilda in their two home and away season clashes at Moorabbin and the Western Oval.

The Saints finished sixth (in a top-six finals system) and toppled Collingwood in the Elimination Final, while the Dogs were thrashed by minor premier Geelong and were on the verge of a straight sets exit from the finals.

The Bulldogs shot to an early lead in the Semi Final, booting five goals to one to lead by 27 points at quarter time, and the lead stretched out to 37 by half time.

The Dogs had one foot in the preliminary final when a dominant third term saw them 55 points to the good with a quarter to play, before they eased off to eventually triumph by 29 points.

In a superb performance, Grant booted a game-high five goals, collected 25 disposals and took 11 marks.

Simon Atkins won 29 possessions and kicked two goals, while Doug Hawkins finished with 23 touches and three goals.

Tony Lockett kicked four for the vanquished Saints, whose side that day included current Bulldogs AFLW coach, Nathan Burke.

The Bulldogs’ 1992 season ended at the hands of Geelong in the Preliminary Final the following week at the MCG. 

1992 SEMI FINAL – FOOTSCRAY VS ST KILDA

Footscray            5.3          9.3          15.5        19.5 (119)
St Kilda                 1.0          3.2          6.4          14.6 (90) 

GOALS

Footscray: Grant 5, Hawkins 3, Del-Re 3, Atkins 2, Wallis, Macpherson, Liberatore, Toohey, Frost, Kolyniuk.
St Kilda: Lockett 4, Devonport 3, Vidovic 2, Loewe 2, Harvey, Bowey, Kickett. 

LEADING DISPOSALS

Footscray: Atkins 29, Grant 25, Wallis 24, Coleman 24, Hawkins 23, Macpherson 23.
St Kilda: Harvey 27, McAdam 27, Greig 23, Devonport 20, Dwyer 20.