Skipper Michael Ennis says Canterbury must dip deep into their well of NRL finals experience to have any chance of beating Melbourne in Sunday's sudden-death clash at AAMI Park.
The Bulldogs slumped alarmingly in the final eight weeks of the regular season, having topped the table in mid-May on the back of seven successive wins.
At a time of the year where momentum rules, the Bulldogs have won only two of their last eight matches and head to Melbourne for their elimination final on the back of a morale-sapping 19-18 loss to struggling Gold Coast after leading 18-0 on Sunday.
Ennis acknowledged on Monday the Bulldogs have been nowhere near their best but he believed having 11 of the 17 players from the side that contested the 2012 grand final was a big advantage, as was having two-time premiership winner Des Hasler in the coaching box.
"It's always good to have that experience," said Ennis.
"We know we're capable as a group, it's one of our strengths.
"He is a hard task master Des. But when it comes to this time of year, he knows exactly where he wants to take us.
"If we can execute what he's put in place we can get the success we've worked so hard for. It's up to us know."
Ennis said the return of playmaker Josh Reynolds from suspension was a big boost against the Titans, but it was one of the few reasons to be cheerful on a hugely disappointing day at Cbus Stadium.
"I would take a fair bit out of the first half and learn a bit from the second," Ennis said.
"We need to control the football. When we do that we are a good footy side.
"You turn over the footy, you take our halves out of the game, you lose momentum and it becomes an uphill battle.
"We've shown at stages throughout the year in these big games that we're capable of that and we need to get make sure we're in that mindset."
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