WITH one round to play in the 2020 season, Melbourne sits in ninth position on the AFL ladder.

And while fate is out of the Demons’ hands, their hope still remains.

“I’ll be a lot happier if we’ll be able to play finals, but I suppose we have to wait for a few more results, and get another win,” defender Steven May told SEN Breakfast on Tuesday morning.

After Collingwood claimed a 22-point victory over Gold Coast on Monday night, just two spots are left ajar inside the top eight.

So, for the Dees to qualify for finals, they need to defeat Essendon at Metricon Stadium on Saturday and hope for one of two results to fall their way.

The first game to keep an eye on is Friday night’s clash between St Kilda and GWS at The Gabba.

If the Saints are to lose, Melbourne will then need to make up the 5.2 percent gap to leapfrog them (assuming the Giants’ percentage doesn’t increase dramatically) and secure eighth spot.

But the second, and possibly more likely option, would be for the Western Bulldogs to lose on Sunday night, as the Demons’ percentage is already superior.

So, May and his teammates are ready to get on the Dockers’ bandwagon, hoping they can upset the Dogs at Cazaly’s Stadium in the second-last game of the home and away season.

“I really hope Freo come to play,” May said.

“I think they’re going a lot better than their ladder position suggests.

“They’re a very good young side – very good young midfield.

“Now they know the Cairns ground, they know the deck – we’ll be cheering for them like crazy.

“We’ve got to get the job done first of course, but after that, that Sunday night will be an anxious wait.

“Hopefully they really turn it on.”