Melbourne midfielder Brock McLean believes the Demons' resilience and honesty will hold the side in good stead in Saturday's bid to upset the Western Bulldogs at the MCG.

Speaking ahead of training at the Junction Oval on Tuesday, McLean conceded that with just one win to show from their seven outings this season, times are tough at Melbourne.

But he said the players have been doing all that's been asked of them and, after coming close against Adelaide and West Coast in recent weeks, they believe a win is not far away.

"We're (not) just going to sit down and say 'poor bugger us' and feel sorry for ourselves," said McLean.

"The boys have been great, we came back mid-October and I haven't heard any of them whinge at all."

"We come out each week, we train hard, we want to get better, we want to improve and it showed on the weekend - we're just having a crack."

"If you don't have a crack and your attitude's not right, you don't give yourself a chance to be in the game."

McLean said the Demons were pleased for the better-than-expected diagnosis on defender Jared Rivers' ankle injury sustained against the Eagles at Subiaco on Sunday.

But he revealed the players have been giving Rivers hell for his agonised writhing while being stretchered from the field which was not unlike video of a former Demons star that gets a regular run on 'The Footy Show'.

"The boys this morning have been referring to him as Garry Lyon on the stretcher, so he's copped more stick than he would have liked," said McLean with a chuckle.

"But that's good news for us and good news for him because he hasn't had the greatest run with injury of late."

With a six-day turnaround and coming off the trip to Perth, McLean said the Demons would have a quiet week on the training track to maximise their chances against the Dogs.

"We've shown throughout the season that we can match it with any side, so if we constantly keep doing the right things and keep having a go and doing what the coach asks then I'm sure a win's around the corner," he said.