The injury-ravaged Western Bulldogs have completed their finals preparations with a comfortable, if unspectacular 29-point win over Essendon at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night.
But in more bad news for the Dogs, dashing midfielder Ryan Griffen limped off early in the third quarter with a knee injury and struck a forlorn figure as he strode the boundary line at the three-quarter-time break.
He joined the likes of Adam Cooney, Dale Morris, Brad Johnson and Shaun Higgins who all missed the 17.5 (107) to 11.12 (78) victory, as the Dogs' preparations for next week's qualifying final with Collingwood sunk to a new low.
On a night the Bulldogs were expected to regain some much-needed confidence, instead they lacked a clinical edge against the Bombers, who were decimated by injuries themselves with just one game to run in a bitterly disappointing season.
It was hardly the perfect tune up for next week's clash with a Collingwood side seething after a three-point loss to the Hawks, and although the margin was convincing, the performance was far from it.
The result never looked in doubt but with the Bombers missing almost a third of their playing list, they were hardly ever going to challenge.
The young Bombers were in the match for fleeting periods but could never bridge an often five-goal gap.
Jarrad Grant proved an awkward match up for the Dons' defence and had four goals to half time, upstaging Coleman Medal hopeful Barry Hall who couldn't manage the huge bag needed to reel in Jack Riewoldt's six-goal advantage.
Grant finished with six goals, 22 touches and 12 marks in a starring role and was joined by Robert Murphy (28) whose rebound from defence was a feature throughout.
Daniel Cross (31) and Matthew Boyd (33) were the major ball winners for the Dogs while Daniel Giansiracusa (25 and two goals) and Nathan Eagleton (18 and three goals) were also handy contributors.
Youngsters Leroy Jetta, Ben Howlett and David Myers flew the flag for the Bombers without their captain Jobe Watson.
Jetta backed up a superb game against the Lions last week with 31 disposals, Howlett was tireless with 25 while Myers showed he has dash and athleticisim in abundance with 29 touches playing off the half-back flank.
David Hille played a hand for the old stagers with 19 touches and 21 hit outs, with Heath Hocking (22) putting in a typically honest performance and getting his just rewards with two goals late on.
The Bulldogs needed to atone for a horror fortnight that included losses to Sydney (44) and Geelong (101) and convince themselves, if no one else, that the season wasn't a lost cause.
The Bombers on the other hand, had nothing to play for, just one last chance to end the season on a high and inadvertently hand under-fire coach Matthew Knights a lifeline.
And indeed, there were signs of life early for the Bombers as Patrick Ryder booted the first two majors of the game, the second a rather fortuitous ricochet off his leg.
Jarrad Grant answered for the Dogs with back-to-back goals of his own and soon it was the Bulldogs that had scored six unanswered goals to stroll into the first break with a healthy 20-point lead.
Nathan Eagleton, a relative discard early in the year, looked to be relishing his chance back in the side and found the goals with two pinpoint left-foot shots in the opening term.
Essendon's defence, as has been the case all year, was becoming like a thoroughfare.
Michael Hurley was quelling the influence of Barry Hall but there was little cover through the midfield as the Dogs surged forward in numbers.
Despite that it was something of an arm wrestle in the second quarter.
Brody Moles broke the deadlock in the 19th minute with a miraculous soccer-goal from all of 35m and at that stage it was the Dogs by 29 points.
Both sides traded goals, with Travis Colyer keeping the Bombers in touch late on with an opportunistic snap that reduced the margin to 30 points at half time.
In the third term, the Dogs' lack in intensity seemed to almost invite the young fly-weight Bombers back into the contest, provided they were good enough.
That they weren't meant the Bulldogs could maintain their four-to-five goal buffer virtually without breaking stride.
Grant roved the pack to perfection and snapped his fifth from 35m out before Eagleton jagged his third a minute later to stretch the margin out to 36 points, 20 minutes into the term.
With the game seemingly in the bag, the Dogs were hoping for no further injury damage rather than some icing on a pretty bitter tasting cake.
The Bombers, who scored an impressive nine-point win over the Bulldogs in Round 10, looked to end the season on a positive note and started the final term the better.
Heath Hocking goaled after three straight behinds and it was the Bombers doing all the running late on as their season inched to a close.
The atmosphere was almost non existent until Grant strolled in with a second remaining to boot his sixth.
It was a nice touch for the youngster who has improved significantly throughout the year, but the Dogs have major concerns.
WESTERN BULLDOGS: 6.2, 11.4, 15.5, 17.5 (107)
ESSENDON: 2.4, 6.4, 9.6, 11.12 (78)
GOALS: Western Bulldogs: Grant 6, Hall 4, Eagleton 3, Giansiracusa 2, Moles 2
Essendon Ryder 2, Colyer 2, Hocking 2, Hille, Howlett, Marigliani, Prismall, Slattery
BEST: Western Bulldogs: Grant, Murphy, Cross, Giansiracusa, Ward, Boyd, Harbrow
Essendon: Jetta, Howlett, Hille, Hocking, Myers
INJURIES: Western Bulldogs Griffen (knee)
Essendon: Nil
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Western Bulldogs Nil
Essendon Nil
UMPIRES: Schmitt, Armstrong, Mollison
CROWD: TBC