THE WESTERN Bulldogs believe the time has come to end the AFL's longest premiership drought, emerging superstar Marcus Bontempelli insists.

After knocking over the three-time reigning premiers Hawthorn, the Dogs have now steamrolled both of last year's grand finalists to set up a mouthwatering preliminary final clash with Greater Western Sydney.

The Dogs will most likely start outsiders to upset the Giants, who won the only clash between the teams by 25 points in round nine, on their home turf at Spotless Stadium.

But Bontempelli declared the Dogs fear no opponent as the young group seeks to win the club's second premiership after 62 years without any major silverware.

"We have been underdogs the last two weeks and it's probably something that sits well with us as a group. We do have an incredible amount of belief and it came to fruition on Friday night," Bontempelli told Channel Seven.

"We carry that same belief and motto with us, that 'why not us?' and 'why can't it be us?'.

"I don't have any real answers for you now but hopefully the answers will come out on the field."

The Dogs' stirring 23-point triumph over Hawthorn on Friday night was played in front of 87,823 fans – the biggest-ever crowd to witness a Bulldogs victory – and Luke Beveridge's side was far from overawed at the MCG.

"It's certainly a different feel out on the ground on the biggest stage in Australia really," Bontempelli said.

"To play in front of that many people, for all of us as a young group, was quite fantastic.

"As a young player and a young group you feed off that energy going into the game."

Bontempelli, 20, produced a stunning finals performance against the wily Hawks midfield, racking up 27 touches, winning eight clearances and booting two goals in a best afield display.

Meanwhile, star forward Jake Stringer crucially returned to form with a bang, slotting three team-lifting majors in his second game back after sensationally being dropped.

"He's a bombastic player, Jake, so he does draw attention when he's playing well and when he goes a bit quiet he tends to get himself in the media," injured captain Bob Murphy said.

"He went back into reserves footy for a couple of weeks, we just want more of what he can bring. We know what he's like when he can get to a contest, he's so destructive to the opposition and he's timed his run beautifully.

"He's worked hard on his game and he was sensational the other night."