PROVING former skipper Ryan Griffen wrong for walking out on the club won't be a motivating factor for the Western Bulldogs in Saturday's preliminary final against Greater Western Sydney.

Griffen demanded a trade to the Giants at the end of the 2014, with rumblings the captaincy was a burden and he had a strained relationship with then Bulldogs coach Brendan McCartney.

The Dogs secured key forward Tom Boyd as part of the deal on a multi-million dollar contract.

Veteran defender Dale Morris said the chance to play in the club's first Grand Final since 1961 was what would be driving the Dogs at Spotless Stadium. 

"Obviously (the Griffen trade) was a big event when it happened, but that's not our motivation," Morris told reporters on Monday.

"The (Grand Final) is our motivation, it's not about an individual.

"It's about what this club can do and produce as a team and that's going to keep us going."

As the Dogs prepare for their fourth prelim in a decade, Morris said the return to the penultimate week of the season was reward for the poor seasons the club endured since it's prelim appearances of 2008, '09 and '10.

Morris, Matthew Boyd, Liam Picken and injured skipper Robert Murphy are the only members of the Dogs' current list that took part in those ultimately unsuccessful finals campaigns.

"Being here during the prelim times and then during the tough times, I think it makes these moments even more sweeter," Morris said.

"The drive is definitely there (because) a lot of (our) players were here during those hard times, so we want to make the most of the opportunity that's in front of us.

"We're not going to look back (prelim losses) because history isn't going to dictate our future, we're in control of that."

Morris was confident the club received a clean bill of health after it's semi-final win over Hawthorn.