"You only have to talk to some of the older guys who have been around a while, like Boydy [Matthew Boyd] and Bob [Murphy]," Hunter said.

"They know how hard it was to get there, and went through so much stuff before - 16 years of not being there. The hunger is definitely still there for the younger fellas."

If so, it's now time to show it on the scoreboard.

Coach Luke Beveridge has lamented how his side has "stagnated" this season. Some would say they regressed after a 46-point thumping from the Swans in Sydney in their first clash back from the bye.

Beveridge has reacted by making three forced changes (five including injury) ahead of Sunday's clash against Melbourne. Has there ever been a premiership side undergo more weekly changes than the Dogs of this season? The latest cull includes Boyd. No-one would suggest the resilient defender has lacked hunger, rather his kicking efficiency has become an issue, slipping from 75 per cent to 68 per cent in his rebounding role.

Midfielder Tom Liberatore returns, having averaged a modest 15 disposals from his five games before he was dropped after the round-eight clash against West Coast.

The Dogs have not been afraid to axe established talent, perhaps a sign some have been suffering from what legendary NBA coach Pat Riley dubbed the "disease of more". That being players - in his example, the 1980 championship-winning Los Angeles Lakers - wanting "more" of everything, and not sublimating their individual games as they once had.

It may be unfair to identify one player from that loss to the Swans, but Jason Johannisen's inability to have an impact on a night he was physically targeted by the Swans was symptomatic of where the Dogs are at. Much of their drive is fashioned from half-back, with Johannisen, the reigning Norm Smith medallist, responsible for this.

He would have only nine touches while being blanketed by George Hewett. As Simon Goodwin said through the week, the Demons had noted this, heading into Sunday's clash at Etihad Stadium.

Just how Johannisen responds will be as much a test of the man himself as it will be for Beveridge. There is little doubt Johannisen will be seething but do the Dogs back him in his customary role or do they, initially at least, tweak their plans?

There are problems aplenty for the Dogs. Their disposal differential has slipped from the best in the league last year (+42) to eighth (+9.3). That's still respectable but it means they are not getting their hands on the ball as much as they would like. They have slipped from first to 10th in contested possession differential. It's no surprise then that they have dipped from second to sixth in uncontested possession differential.

There are also issues at clearances or what clubs like to call the "source". Where they were first in differentials last year (+6.2), they have slumped to 14th this year (-3.5). The return of Liberatore should help in this regard. Scores from clearance differentials have dropped from fourth (+7) to 14th (-2.8).

They have also struggled on the scoreboard, averaging 83.7 points per game (14th). This includes the 6.6 (42) against the Swans, their lowest in the Beveridge era. Match-winner Marcus Bontempelli has one goal from his past four matches, admitting his "erratic" form exemplified his team's wider issues. He had 11 goals from his previous seven games. That his 12 is behind only Jake Stringer (20) highlights their lack of potency inside attacking 50.

Put simply: since round six, they sit last on Champion Data's form ladder, with two wins and an average of 71.2 points per game. Travis Cloke hasn't provided what they had wanted (six goals in six games), while Stewart Crameri (hip) has been missed. These woes have at least been balanced by boasting the second-best defence in this period.

While Beveridge is rightly concerned, it shouldn't be forgotten they began this round outside of the top eight only on percentage. That's a solid platform to build from. They were in fourth spot with three more wins at the same time last year. They would have another six wins during the home-and-away campaign, including three of their last four, with that loss coming against Fremantle in round 23 when hit by injury.

The Dogs, of course, would create history by storming to the flag from seventh spot. Now the bye a week out from the finals is in place, officials from several clubs spoken to by Fairfax Media believe there is no reason not to think the Dogs - or another club - could not to do the same again this year, for that week's rest is crucial in evening the ledger between the top four and those clubs who scrape into the eight.

Alastair Clarkson points out his Hawthorn sides weren't necessarily the best through the home-and-away rounds of their premiership years of 2013 to 2015. That's arguable. A quick check shows they finished on top of the ladder in 2013, second when separated by just two per cent from the Swans in 2014 and third, a game behind leader Fremantle, a year later.

However, his overall point was the need for teams to enjoy their top form come late August - although there is a caveat.

"I don't know the ins and outs about what is going on at the Bulldogs but this is a tough competition. Anyone of about 10 or 12 sides are right in the running to challenge seriously at the end of the year," Clarkson said.

"You just have to make sure you are playing your best footy at the right time. That is what the Dogs did in September. They weren't the best side in 2016 but they were the best side in September of 2016. That has happened to us before as well. We haven't always been the best side throughout the course of the year but we have been able to play some good footy in September.

"Just because they [Bulldogs] are not playing great footy right now, they weren't outstanding throughout the course of last year, they were probably playing a little bit better, but their best patch of footy came in September. That's what they will be gearing themselves towards but you need to win enough games to be able to qualify. That's where they were would be a little bit concerned at the moment. They would like to be perhaps one or two wins more."

If the Bulldogs can rediscover their groove against the Demons, and injuries subside, there is no reason to suggest they cannot gather momentum against North Melbourne (Etihad Stadium) next week and the travel-sick West Coast Eagles (Etihad) a week later, before heading to Adelaide to face flag fancy, the Crows.

It's time for the Dogs to show their bite.

WHY THE DOGS HAVE LOST THEIR BARK:

2016 2017

Disposals diff: +42.7 (1st) +9.3 (8th)

Kicking eff % diff: -4.7% (18th) -0.8% (11th)

Disposals Eff% diff: -1.2% (14th) +0.4% (8th)

Contested poss diff: +16.5 (1st) +0.2 (10th)

Uncontested poss diff: +25.5 (2nd) +10.3 (6th)

Points for: 86.2 pts (12th) 83.7 pts (14th)

Points against: 72.9 pts (3rd) 81.7 pts (3rd)

Clearances diff: +6.2 (1st) -3.5 (14th)

Scores clearances diff: +7.0 pts (4th) -2.8 pts (14th)

FORM LADDER ROUNDS 6 TO 12:

Club Points %

GWS Giants: 20 101.3

Sydney Swans: 16 137.4

Adelaide Crows: 16 133.6

Melbourne: 16 119.2

Collingwood: 16 113.6

Nth Melbourne: 16 104.4

Hawthorn: 14 82.6

Port Adelaide: 12 126.9

Essendon: 12 106.5

West Coast: 12 97.5

Geelong: 12 95.8

St Kilda: 12 94.3

Carlton: 12 94.3

Fremantle: 12 78.6

Gold Coast: 10 82.1

Richmond: 8 92.8

Western B'dogs: 8 92.6

BULLDOGS IN THIS PERIOD:

Worst attack (averaging 71.2 points) but second-best defence (76.8).

Rank 18th for goals and goals per forward 50 entry.

Rank 14th in scores from clearance differentials.

* Source: Champion Data