When the Bulldogs run out onto Domain Stadium at 2:40pm next Sunday, WA time, they will know exactly what they’ll be playing for, and if a few results fall their way, it could be a spot in the top-four.

It would be a remarkable result considering the toll injury has taken on the group, but these Bulldogs are nothing if not resilient and Bulldogs fans could be forgiven for looking ahead.

The maths is simple. 

A win over Fremantle and the Dogs will finish with a 16-6 record, and if results fall a certain way elsewhere, a spot in the top-four is still a possibility for Luke Beveridge’s men.

Collingwood would need to beat Hawthorn, North Melbourne would need to overcome the Giants and the Crows would need to take care of the Eagles.  And that’s before we talk about margins.

At worst the Bulldogs remain in seventh place, regardless of results this weekend.

A Bulldogs win over the Dockers, and either a Giants or Eagles loss, will see the Dogs jump into fifth or sixth place and earn the right to a home elimination final.

Luke Beveridge though, isn’t interested in looking too far ahead, he’ll be focused squarely on beating Fremantle on Sunday afternoon..

Speaking to media post-match on Sunday afternoon, the Bulldogs’ coach said it can be dangerous thinking beyond the opposition in front of you on any given week.

“If you start thinking too much about outcomes before you run out on the field, it can get to you, it can be your achilles heel ultimately, so we’ll need to process whatever happens before we play, Beveridge said.

“We’ll travel to Western Australia with a team intent on finishing the home and away series on a positive and making sure we’ve got some momentum going into the week off, and who knows how the cards might fall.”