Luke Beveridge's team managed to keep their top-eight hopes alive on Saturday, surviving an almighty scare from rivals GWS to prevail by five points at Marvel Stadium.

Trailing until young gun Jamarra Ugle-Hagan slotted his first goal of the game with 10 minutes remaining, the Bulldogs outlasted the injury-hit Giants 9.8 (62) to 8.9 (57).

The fatigued Giants, who sit 16th on the ladder and are enduring a horror season, continued to press hard and squandered opportunities to reclaim the lead in the dying stages.

It leaves the Bulldogs (9th, 11-10) having to defeat Hawthorn in Launceston in their final regular season game and rely on Carlton and Richmond faltering to be any chance of playing finals.

A relieved Beveridge admits the Bulldogs would fancy making another strong finals run if they are able to qualify for the post-season but knows it is out of their control.

The Bulldogs have to rely on the title of Daft Punk's 2013 hit song Get Lucky to play finals for a fourth straight year.

"If we manage to get lucky, then we'll have a twinkling in our eye," Beveridge said.

"We've got an appreciation we haven't earned that right.

"We're not that emotional about it because we've accepted we haven't quite been consistent or good enough (this season).

"If you're 12-10 and that's good enough to get you a look, then we'll come together and see what we can do."

Beveridge described the victory against the Giants as a "challenging day" as captain Marcus Bontempelli battled through an adductor injury.

The Giants came in with a slow, kick-and-chip game plan, frustrating the Bulldogs by playing keepings off in a low-scoring scrap with a combined tally of just six goals kicked in the first-half.

However, the match opened up in the third term as both teams traded blows.

GWS tall Lachlan Keeffe slotted a miracle goal from the pocket late in the third quarter as the Giants pinched the lead back by the final change.

Keefe (groin) was unable to finish the match and was subbed out for Xavier O'Halloran early in the final term.

Bulldogs defender Zaine Cordy will face a nervous wait ahead of the match review officer's finding after bumping Tanner Bruhn off the ball, dazing the Giants youngster as he staggered to the bench and was placed into concussion protocols.

The incident led to Bruhn's teammates remonstrating with Cordy, sparking scenes that have become trademark in games between GWS and the Bulldogs.

Interim coach Mark McVeigh will likely lead the Giants for the final time next Saturday as they head to Canberra to host finals-bound Fremantle.

"I was extremely proud with our effort, and you could argue we had some chances to win the game," McVeigh said.

"We didn't quite execute those, but I wasn't surprised with how it panned out (in being a close game)."

Australian Associated Press