The Dogs were found out by Hawthorn last weekend, and on Friday come up against a hardened finals unit in Eade's old team the Sydney Swans.
Only two top-four teams have gone out in straight sets since the current finals system came into being in 2000, and the Bulldogs are desperate to avoid joining that list.
Eade won four flags with the Hawks in his playing days, and said the finals provided the opportunity for players to make a name for themselves on the big stage.
"Teams and individuals, over the years, they make their names when the heat's on, and other people fall away," he said. "I don't think you can gloss over that, and talk about people being positive and make it all fluffy and nice.
"It's a fact of being able to look that straight in the eyes and meet that challenge head-on.
"It's being able to perform when the heat's on, and that's what we've got to be able to do on Friday night."
The Swans have been vanquished twice this year by the Bulldogs, but Eade said that wouldn't help much once the game started.
"I think the players will take a bit of confidence from that. We certainly know the way the Swans are going to play – they showed that on Saturday night, they were fantastic at the contest and terrific in tight and that's what they value themselves on, and we've obviously got high regard for them in that area.
"So we need to match them in that area – more than match them in that area. We have in the previous two games, and I think the players can take some confidence from that, but that's not going to lessen the task at hand.
"Obviously the supporters would be disappointed with Friday night, but hopefully they'll be able to get there en masse on Friday night and give us the home crowd as well as the home ground advantage."
