LUKE Beveridge still believes in the "glimmer" of hope that his Western Bulldogs side can make the finals this year.
However, he warned that the club's surprise premiership success in 2016 had set unrealistic expectations of success throughout the competition.
The Dogs slumped to their third straight defeat with their 49-point loss to Melbourne on Saturday at Etihad Stadium and they go into next week's bye with just four wins to their name.
DEES ROLL ON Full match coverage of WB v Melb
The club looks set to miss the finals for the second consecutive year following their brilliant flag success, but Beveridge has not given up on his side tasting September action.
He also said he wasn't shocked at his side's predicament, describing it as "the real world".
"In the back half of this season I still believe there's no reason why we can't pick it up and have a run at it. There's still a glimmer there," he said after the loss to the Dees.
"People will say 'What are you talking about?' but it's the way I think. It's not really a surprise thing [to be facing another year out of the finals] because the competition's getting tighter."
The Bulldogs again struggled to score, managing just six goals for the game. It takes their tally to only 17 majors for the past three weeks. They have also been particularly poor in second halves, kicking 4.14 (a total of 38 points) in the three-week period.
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It has meant a sharper focus on the Bulldogs as questions continue about their fall after their stunning triumph two years ago.
"What we did in '16 hasn't done anyone a favour. It probably hasn't done us a favour, because everyone just thinks they can win it every year. Richmond were extraordinarily good last year and people just expect the Bulldogs can win it this year," he said.
"Whether we can or we can't remains to be seen but that's where other clubs are under pressure when they shouldn't be. The expectation around some of the clubs who have been down and how quickly they should climb may be because of what we did in 2016
"Maybe that's not possible or even practical. Within our list I believe we'll put it together. I'd just rather be doing it sooner rather than later."
WATCH Luke Beveridge's full post-match media conference
Beveridge also said that despite some suggestions the drop-off was expected within the club after the unforeseen success, it wasn't something he believed.
"My focus has always got to be to get the best out of our list and our players. Some might have thought that way when you consider how we won it, why we won it and how it was a bit unusual," he said.
"If you attempt to be a realist and think about whether that's sustainable, then I can see how the notion was there that maybe it was going to be tough. I always see things as glass half-full.
"There's a number of other factors [behind the drop], whether it's players not being able to quite handle themselves after the heights of winning that. It's also a pretty significant injury toll on our harder contested players who haven't been able to front up."
Beveridge said it was important the Dogs made the most of their mid-season break before returning to kick off round 13 with a Thursday night clash with Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval.
