The Western Bulldogs have maintained their last-ditch push for an AFL finals berth with a thumping 88-point win over the GWS Giants at Marvel Stadium on Thursday night.

And while the Giants’ remain a good chance to play in September the disappointing performance without suspended skipper Toby Greene was compounded by apparent concerns for star forward Jesse Hogan.

The reigning Coleman medallist went to the bench with eight minutes remaining in the loss and was clearly emotional.

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Channel 7’s Mitch Cleary reported GWS said Hogan was “a little bit sore” with an ongoing foot injury, as well as from a knock early in the game, but Brian Taylor questioned that assessment based on the forward’s reaction.

“The Giants saying he’s a little bit sore and him looking like he’s almost a little bit teary, to me, doesn’t quite equate,” he said.

Nick Riewoldt said it was fair to put Hogan on ice.

“He has had some issues with the body in the past, Jesse,” he said.

All Australian defender Sam Taylor, who endured a disappointing night with his midfield failing to halt the Bulldogs’ attacks, also finished the match on the bench with a left knee issue.

“I think Hogan and Taylor are just so important to them, the bookends. Put the cue in the rack for the night, live to fight another day,” Riewoldt added.

Toby McMullin had already been substituted out with a nasty ankle injury before half-time.

GWS star Tom Green had earlier described his team’s performance as their worst in three years — and that was at half-time when the margin was ‘just’ 61 points.

Bulldogs pair Sam Darcy and Aaron Naughton kicked five goals apiece for the hosts in further proof they can thrive together against the better teams.

Naughton found form while Darcy was out injured and they have now combined for 60 goals in their last eight games.

“We obviously haven’t played a lot together,” Naughton told Channel 7 of his partnership with Darcy.

“We’re starting to really feel other’s patterns, getting some good isolation for the both of us. He’s pretty dangerous up there with his pure length. It’s great fun playing with him.”

Marcus Bontempelli was at his best with nine clearances and two goal assists from his 27 disposals, only just shading Tom Liberatore (eight clearances, two goal assists from 26 disposals).

“(Beating a finals team) definitely helps in the context of the season — it’s critical for us to keep winning,” Bontempelli said.

“They’re a super team, they’ve been in some really great form. Clearly it was an important game for us, we built it up like that and obviously nice to walk away with a good result again.”

Victories over Melbourne and West Coast in the next two weeks could set up a winner-plays-finals clash with Fremantle in the last round.