Clays coach Richard Szerszyn said his players were running above the waterlogged ground in the final term, taking the honours over a tired Highett by 18 points at Jack Barker Oval, Cheltenham.

"Those were the worst conditions I have played in for at least 15 years," he said.

"At one end we were in ankle-deep water but I was always confident in our fitness.

"Highett was playing its second straight week on this ground so I thought they would tire at the end."

The Clays struggled to convert in the opening three terms before kicking three crucial goals in the final term. The Clays dominated the stoppages, creating 20 scoring chances to just 12 from the Bulldogs for the match.

Szerszyn kicked three of the Clays' five goals and said he was proud of his players.

"Last year was a pretty tough season so I'm glad we are in the grand final," he said. "We haven't got any injuries so unfortunately a few of our players will have to miss the grand final."

Bulldogs coach Trent McMicking said his side was second best on the day but was confident it could recover in time to win the preliminary final which will be at Ben Kavanagh Reserve, Mordialloc this Saturday.

"They won the stoppages all day," he said.

"They had a lot of set shots and could have sealed the game much earlier."

Dale Tormey, Mark McHenry and Szerszyn were the best players for the Clays while Jake Mounsey, David McLaren and Greg Hoskin put up a strong showing for the Bulldogs.

McMicking said he believed the Bulldogs would have a big advantage over their opponents in the preliminary final.

"We will get an extra day of rest which could make all the difference," he said.

Oakleigh Districts and South Yarra played off on Sunday for a spot in the preliminary final.