WESTERN Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade believes Friday night's encounter with Collingwood at Docklands looms as one of his side's toughest tasks for the season so far.

Eade said there was no time for his players to suffer a letdown after their commanding performance against Hawthorn last week, and called for them to be switched on to face the fourth-placed Magpies in two days' time.

"It's a massive game. It's going to be close to our toughest game for the year," Eade told afl.com.au on Wednesday.

"I know we talk about the Geelong game, which we played well in, but this is probably our biggest game for the year.

"We need to perform on the stage on Friday night. We're coming off two six-day breaks but the guys have trained well this week and we're looking forward to it.”

Eade said he wasn't subscribing to the theory the Bulldogs needed to beat a top-four side in order to be considered genuine contenders, despite the fact they've beaten just one side in the current top eight this year.

"That's a by-product – you can only beat who you play. I'm not too concerned about that," he said.

"I think it's more important, and for Collingwood as well, to win and get a top-four spot.

"Credibility is what other people think. You don't live and die by what other people think of you.

"It would be nice to beat a top ranked team, but the main focus is to get the four points because we want to finish in the top four, which is why it's such a big game."

Eade said young midfielder Sam Reid was likely to miss the blockbuster after pulling up from his second senior game with groin soreness.

He also said Tom Williams was a chance to come into the side for his first senior appearance since round nine, while Dylan Addison was not far away from a recall.