Down on numbers and with their backs to the wall, the Western Bulldogs will draw on new-found depth when they face Collingwood.
The Bulldogs are determined to celebrate 100 years in the VFL/AFL in style in Friday night's clash at the MCG.
"It's going to be really exciting," defender Bailey Dale told AAP.
"We've obviously got our 100th-year game, so that's going to be really exciting. The crowd's going to be huge.
"It'll be another hot contest. They're a good team, so we're going to have to bring our best footy again."
The Bulldogs will again be without Marcus Bontempelli (calf), Adam Treloar (calf), Liam Jones (hamstring) and Cody Weightman (knee), among others.
Jamarra Ugle-Hagan is also sidelined indefinitely after spending time away from the club in pre-season for personal reasons.
But against North Melbourne, a wave of players stepped up, most notably emerging gun Ed Richards and young midfielder Ryley Sanders.
"It's good to see the next crop of players coming through and playing different roles," Dale said.
"We knew when we lost Ads and Bont we were going to get some opportunities for the midfield, for the younger guys like Ryley and Ed even to step up into a more senior role in there.
"So for them to have the impact they did, it's great for us we've got that depth."
Richards in particular has his teammates excited after glimpses of his midfield potential in 2024.
"He's just so powerful and so fast, and he just hunts the footy," Dale said.
"He's going to be a real weapon, especially when we start getting a few guys back as well, might free him up a little bit more.
"He's going to be massive."
The Bulldogs defenders are wary of the Magpies' plethora of attacking options, especially small forwards Bobby Hill, Jamie Elliott and Beau McCreery.
"They're very nippy down there," Dale said.
"They get the ball in fast, and they love to get it out the back.
"So we've just got to put the heat on in the mids and the forwards, and us backs, we've just got to defend when we have to, and hopefully we can hurt them on the offence when we get the chance as well."
The Bulldogs have high expectations after an elimination final exit in 2024.
"Finals footy is obviously what we want to achieve, and go a few steps further than what we did last year," Dale said.
"So we're going to have to win some games early, hopefully. There's a couple of people out.
"But look, we think we've got the list. We think we're good enough, so we've just got to rock up every week and play our best footy."
