‘Everyone can feel it’: Dees face now-or-never moment against in-form Bulldogs

Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin says it would be too dangerous to label Friday night’s clash with the Western Bulldogs as an eight-point game, but he knows a loss could have dire consequences.

Two losses on the trot - including last week’s heartbreaking two-point defeat to GWS - have left Melbourne’s finals hopes hanging by a thread.

With just four rounds remaining, the 11th-placed Demons (10-9) sit a win and a whopping 18.6 per cent behind the eighth-placed Bulldogs.

Melbourne Demons coach Simon Goodwin. Credit: Photo Paul Jeffers

The competition is so tight, only two-and-a-half wins separate 12th-placed Collingwood from second-placed Brisbane.

Friday’s match against the Bulldogs looms as a must-win clash for the Demons, but Goodwin isn’t subscribing to the ‘eight-point game’ theory.

“It’s dangerous,” Goodwin told reporters on Tuesday.

“Clearly it’s around you, everyone can feel it, everyone can see it, everyone can hear it.

“You’re going to ride the emotion of these types of games as you get towards the back end of the year.

“I think every game at this time of the year is heightened. Winning becomes accelerated, and the thought of losing becomes a bit more dire.

“But that’s the reality we live in. We try not to hold that space internally, because it’s not a good place to be.”

The Bulldogs have won five of their past six games to shoot back into premiership contention, with the move of forward Rory Lobb into defence proving a masterstroke.

Rory Lobb of the Bulldogs has proven to be an asset in defence.Credit: Getty Images

“There’s no question, the Bulldogs are in the best form I’ve seen them for a long, long time,” Goodwin said.

“They’re defending to a high level, their midfield is in great form, and they’ve got a pretty dynamic front half of the ground.

“It’s not just Rory (who is strong in defence), it’s their aerial game in general, their intercept game.

“They’ve got that up to a really high level, and it’s something our forwards have done a lot of work on - how to nullify opposition defenders in taking aerial contests.”

Goodwin spent several nights in hospital to treat an infection last week in the lead-up to the loss to GWS.

The premiership-winning coach still needs more treatment, but says he’s feeling healthy and is relieved to be back at club land.

“I feel really healthy and fine,” Goodwin said.

“Obviously when you think about having a week in hospital, people probably think the worst.

“It was just an infection that needed to be treated. Untreated, it can be quite dangerous.

“The hospital was fantastic, in having me in there but also the ongoing treatment I’ll get.”

Melbourne ruckman Max Gawn pulled up well from his first game back from an ankle injury, but he will have a quiet week on the track.

AAP

Keep up to date with the best AFL coverage in the country. Sign up for the Real Footy newsletter.