A mounting injury toll at the kennel has left a resurgent Jindera's top-two aspirations hanging by a thread ahead of a must-win clash against Holbrook at Holbrook on Saturday.
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Bulldogs skipper Dan Middleton is the latest casualty to join the injury list after suffering a fractured arm last weekend against Lockhart.
The Bulldogs went into the match without coach Joel Mackie, prized recruits Luke Garland and Zach Bye alongside Will McGrath, George Flanagan and Alex Rowe.
With the general bye next weekend the Bulldogs will take a cautious approach with Mackie, Garland, Bye and Middleton no chance of returning against the Brookers.
Mackie said Middleton broke his arm against the Demons while attempting a tackle and had surgery on Sunday to give himself the best chance of returning to the side as quickly as possible.
"Dan has a broken arm and had surgery to have a plate inserted on Sunday," Mackie said.
"So it is a bad enough injury and Dan did it when he went to lay a tackle and collected their elbow with his forearm.
"I'm not sure how much footy he will miss yet, we will know more later in the week.
"We expect him to get back before finals but I don't know when.
"You can't sugarcoat the loss, Dan is our captain and he can play a number of roles for us.
"The timing is not ideal because we have a mounting injury list at the moment but that's footy and we just have to deal with it the best we can."
Mackie said hopes were fading fast that Bye could form part of their flag assault.
Bye has been missing since the opening round after injuring his knee.
The Albury premiership ruckman is on a waiting list for surgery but is fast running out of time to be fit again this season.
"I would say Zach is pretty much done for this year," Mackie said.
"I can't see him getting back to be honest."
The Bulldogs were touted to be a genuine flag threat this season after the arrival of Mackie as coach and lived up to the hype in the first eight rounds, winning seven matches.
But two consecutive losses to RWW Giants and Lockhart and the prospect of a third straight loss against Holbrook this weekend has left the Bulldogs' top-two hopes in tatters.
Mackie felt the Bulldogs have been disappointing the past fortnight, regardless of injuries.
"We just haven't come to play for the past couple of weeks," he said.
"The competition has proven this season that if you don't come to play and have a crack, chances are you will get rolled.
"Holbrook are starting to build some momentum at the right stage of the season and they are starting to play the sort of football they are capable of.
"We will have to bring a four-quarter effort to be any hope against them."
