Western Bulldogs youngster Easton Wood says the experience of his first AFL finals campaign will drive him to play a bigger part next season.

While the Dogs exited at the preliminary final stage for the third straight year, the 21-year-old was one of five Bulldogs to play finals for the first time this season.

Dylan Addison, Jarrad Grant and Tom Williams were also part of the side that fell to St Kilda in Saturday night's preliminary final, while Andrew Hooper made his AFL debut against Sydney last weekend.

Wood, who has just 13 senior games to his name, said that taste of September action would be a huge motivator.

"To play in finals is a massive thing and a massive privilege at a young age," he said.

"It's certainly going to keep that desire there for the rest of my career and for next year, just to keep pushing.

"Because you know how hard we worked to get here and we'll have to work that extra bit harder to get a bit further."

Wood said the playing group were confident they had a lot of improvement left in them and it was up to the youngsters to drive it.

"We have to take it up to the older players and have to challenge each other, that's the only way we're going to take that next step - with a good rivalry within," he said.

"Things like this galvanise us together, we all feel the same hurt, we can use that to take the next step next year."

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