Best four sides still alive in race for AFL premiership

Adelaide: The best four sides of 2008 are still alive in the race for the AFL premiership after St Kilda and the Western Bulldogs rebounded from disappointing first finals to win through to this week's preliminary finals.

They'll play Hawthorn and Geelong for berths in the Grand Final, meaning the top-four teams after the minor round have made it through to the last two weeks of September.

Many experts had questioned the Bulldogs' physical hardness and mental strength after they'd been brushed aside by Hawthorn in week one of the finals, but they showed plenty of both against Sydney.

After going goal-for-goal in the first half, the Dogs kicked 10 goals to four after half time to win by 37 points. Their pressure was a real feature and they laid 12 more tackles than the Swans.

"We proved we should at least be in the top four. I think the players didn't want to let that slip," coach Rodney Eade said.

Decorated career

St Kilda kept alive dual Brownlow Medallist Robert Harvey's dream of a fairytale finish to his decorated career with a convincing 34-point win over the Magpies. The game's longest-serving player will play his 383rd game in this week's preliminary final against Geelong. A premiership is the only thing missing from his resume.

The win over Collingwood was also vindication for Saints coach Ross Lyon, who dropped stars Nick Dal Santo and Stephen Milne for one match midway through the year. Since then St Kilda has won nine out of 12 matches - both players have returned to the side and played key roles in the Saints' resurgence.

Against Collingwood, Dal Santo picked up a game-high 32 possessions and Milne chipped in with three goals.

"It was important, as it would have been for the Bulldogs, that we didn't go out in straight sets," Lyon said.

"The heat would have been on the club. So it was pleasing for a lot of people who worked hard that we go a little deeper into the finals series."

St Kilda's preparation for the Cats has been made more difficult by a report for rough conduct against key forward Justin Koschitzke but they may regain midfielder Luke Ball, who's missed seven games with a hamstring injury.

Strong favourites

While both the Saints and Dogs have gained a great deal of confidence from their wins, Geelong and Hawthorn will go into this week's games as strong favourites.

The Bulldogs will take some heart from the fact they pushed Geelong at Skilled Stadium in Round 16, before being over-run in the last quarter.

The Saints beat Hawthorn in their most recent clash. Skipper Nick Riewoldt starred in that win and is in top form again, after kicking five goals against Collingwood. However, it would be a brave tipster to not predict a Geelong-Hawthorn Grand Final.

Results

Western Bulldogs 16.10 (106) def Sydney 9.15 (69)

St Kilda 17.4 (106) def Collingwood 9.18 (72)