Greater Western Sydney coach Leon Cameron was "flat and shattered" after Saturday's AFL preliminary final, but a small part of him was proud of the opposition.
Cameron started his playing and coaching career at Whitten Oval and knows the heartbreak Western Bulldogs' supporters and players have endured.
Cameron played in the Bulldogs' 1997 and 1998 preliminary final losses, and he was working as a Bulldogs assistant coach in 2008, 2009 and 2010 when they fell one win short of the grand final.
The 44-year-old remains friends with Luke Beveridge, having played alongside him at the Bulldogs, and would love to see his former club celebrate their first premiership since 1954.
"I take my hat off to Bulldogs supporters who have been (waiting) since they've been in a grand final," Cameron said.
"Part of me is proud of the footy club - that they've actually got there.
"They're very well coached by Luke and I'm sure the grand final will be a fantastic spectacle."
Cameron wasn't ready to give a tip for the season decider, saying it could go either way.
"The Swans finished on top for a reason. They're clearly one of the best sides in the competition," he said.
"The Dogs have come 100 miles an hour after dealing with an enormous number of injuries so look, it's going to be a great spectacle and one I'll be watching closely.
"I'm flat and shattered by the way we've exited ... that I'm actually not participating in it."
Cameron said there were no guarantees for his own club in 2017, noting they had plenty to work on during the off-season.
