As Melbourne pursues their first flag in 53 years, ruckman Max Gawn​ has revealed the Demons have taken inspiration from Cinderella sports stories at home and abroad.

Buoyed by four straight wins for the first time since 2006, the Demons now host the Sydney Swans, another surging side, at the MCG on Friday night in what will be their first and only clash this year in the marquee timeslot.

Flagless since 1964, the Demons would appear to have the tools required for success this year. They are top four in terms of points scored, have a strong defence, an All-Australian ruckman now healthy after hamstring surgery, and a relentless midfield with depth.

That their first win against the West Coast Eagles in Perth in 13 years on Saturday came without Jesse Hogan (testicular surgery), Jack Watts (hamstring) and co-captain Nathan Jones (quad) reinforced the resolve this club now has – eerily similar to what the Bulldogs boasted in their drought-breaking premiership of 2016.

While Gawn is a funny man, and had the media laughing on Monday, he understands what is possible in the serious business that is hunting for an elusive premiership.

"I still think there are no expectations, really. Obviously, we want to play finals and the members want us to play finals, but we are coming off a gap of 10 years of finals. There are still no strong expectations from outside – we are probably more looking from within. Hopefully, we do play finals. We are in a position to," he said.

In what is another even season, with three wins separating fourth from 16th, Gawn said the Demons would have been firmly in the finals hunt regardless of whether they had won in recent weeks.

"There would have been a chance if we had lost the last couple as well. That's how even it is. We are in a pretty good position now ... We saw the Doggies last year, they finished seventh and you just had to be the form team of the finals to go the whole way," he said.

"Also internationally as well, Leicester City [in the EPL in 2016] and a couple of other teams ... apparently there was a good American sports story as well [baseball's Chicago Cubs]. There are stories of that happening at the moment – we touched on that a little bit [in the pre-season]."

The challenges will continue this week, for the Demons will be without rebounding half-back Christian Salem (hamstring) while Jeff Garlett​ (hamstring tightness) is doubtful.

Jack Viney​, who had the sole captaincy responsibilities against the Eagles, hurt his shoulder but played out the game. Viney was crunched by Shannon Hurn​ in the third term, left the field for treatment behind closed doors in the dressing room, then dashed back out into battle. He would finish with 38 disposals. At 23, he is a physical force.

"It's going to take a lot to keep Jack Viney down. He would need his shoulder to be hanging off the bone to stay off the ground. That contest with Shannon Hurn in the last quarter, it was almost a momentum changer for us as well. He is leading from example. We had no Jonesy out there, so he was probably sole captain for the first time and he played really well," Gawn said.

Watts is in line to return for what will be his 150th match but Hogan appears at least a fortnight away.

The Eagles had attempted to curb midfield bull Clayton Oliver (28 disposals) and the robust Christian Petracca (21) but that did not work.

Gawn revealed that Petracca, in only his third season, was the source of much inspiration for the team.

"Christian Petracca is a pretty happy and confident man, and he gives us a nice belief to a lot of us. I suppose you have to play well to get belief as well. Obviously, four wins on the trot, including Perth, Adelaide, gives you that little bit of self-belief," he said.

Gawn, taken with the 34th pick in the 2009 draft, is clearly enjoying the Demons again having on-field relevance.

"It was, obviously, a painful start. I missed a lot of those games as well. I was sitting back and watching, which is almost harder, watching the guys lose by 100 points in a lot of those games, especially Perth," he said.

"We would just come back from Perth ... it (Saturday) was the first time I had come back on a winning bus. It has been a long time. My first game, debut, was a Friday night. Now 70 games later, I get to play my second one. It just shows how much Melbourne were off the radar for a little bit. It's exciting times."