JACK Watts says it’s difficult to know how Saturday’s match against Essendon at the MCG will pan out, as the Dons are coming off a 110-point loss to St Kilda last round.

Speaking to Dee TV, Watts said the Demons were also desperate to bounce from their 54-point loss to the West Coast Eagles in Darwin, but were fully aware that the Dons will be just as determined to atone for last round’s thrashing.

“You don’t know how to [treat this round]. You speak to your friends and you say ‘we’ve got the Bombers’ and they say ‘that’s good’, but you never know [what will happen] coming off a 100-point loss,” he said.

“They could come out absolutely firing and on top of their game, so we’re going to have to prepare really strongly and look at what they do well and how to stop them.

“We’ll look at the game from last weekend and see how St Kilda did it. We’ve had a quick look and the way they defended with their intensity and pressure was probably the key point, so we’re going to have to bring that.

“If we don’t, then it will be a real contest and if we do, we think we can get on top.”

Watts said it was a great opportunity for Melbourne against Essendon, given it hadn’t been in many positions like this in recent years.

“Mentally it’s a bit of a challenge. We’ve got to prepare well and I’m sure we’ll do that. We’re not taking anything for granted in our position,” he said.

“We’ll be coming out and giving it everything we’ve got with intensity and at the contest, and we’re really looking forward to it – Saturday at the ‘G, what a great opportunity.”