Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge is expecting emerging key forwards Jamarra Ugle-Hagan and Sam Darcy to thrive in the environment of an elimination final.
The pair enter Friday night's clash with Hawthorn having both only had one previous taste of September action.
Ugle-Hagan and Darcy played in the Bulldogs' 2022 elimination final when they were over-run by Fremantle.
It was only Darcy's fourth game in his debut season, while Ugle-Hagan was 20 and still finding his feet as an AFL player.
Two years on, the future of the Bulldogs' forward line are more confident and accomplished players.
"We hope they'll handle it well. They're our young guys who have an inner confidence and belief in themselves," Beveridge said.
"I asked Sam (Darcy) the other day how he's feeling because his first final was against Fremantle a couple of years ago - he's really looking forward to it.
"In that game (in Perth) he was very young … a couple of years on he's probably better prepared and a little more seasoned for a young guy, so we're hoping for some influence from our key forwards."
After injury, health issues and form impacted Darcy's first two seasons, the son of former Bulldogs champion Luke has emerged as one of the AFL's brightest prospects this year.
The 21-year-old has booted 37 goals this season, including a bag of seven against North Melbourne three weeks ago, to become a key part of the Bulldogs being the second-ranked attack in the AFL.
Darcy was in serious contention to win the Rising Star award, but was ruled ineligible after being suspended for making rough conduct against Collingwood hard nut Brayden Maynard.
That match against the Magpies was the making of Darcy, putting aside the early incident and becoming a target for opposition players and supporters to have a match-winning role.
