SATURDAY'S match between Carlton and Melbourne was always going to have a little extra spice thanks to the 'bruise-free' fallout from their round 10 clash, but the tumultuous week that the Demons have endured has conspired to make it a powder keg ready to blow.

A 186-point thumping and the loss of coach Dean Bailey has overshadowed the Demons' indignation over the perceived slight on their character delivered by Carlton players in the media after their last meeting, which ended in a 47-point win to the Blues.

Brett Ratten still maintains that was a misunderstanding, but agrees his players will need to match the intensity that will surely be shown by the Melbourne team in caretaker coach Todd Viney's first match in charge.

"Knowing Todd and having played against him I think he'll demand one thing off them and that will be about their approach to the football and the man," Ratten said from Visy Park on Wednesday.

"He was a tough competitor and I daresay he'll demand that from the playing group.

"I daresay there will be a real single focus for their team and they'll probably approach it that way.

"One challenge for our group will be to make sure that we maintain our focus as well.

"They might have the direction they want to go as a football club, certain themes, but we have a lot to play for and our expectations have lifted internally and externally so we expect our focus not to change."

Dennis Armfield rolled an ankle in last Friday's 18-point win against North Melbourne, but ran well on Wednesday along with Andrew Carrazzo, who is still trying to shake a calf strain that has sidelined him since round 15.

Both will need to report minimal soreness on Thursday to be considered for selection in the match that Carlton must win to keep fifth-placed West Coast at bay.

Key forward Jarrad Waite was a 50-50 chance to play against the Demons, but will need another week to recover from a hip injury, with ruckman Shaun Hampson (knee) also another week away.

Full-back Michael Jamison hasn't played since round 14 when he suffered damage to a medial ligament that required surgery and is still listed as two weeks away from resuming.

Club officials were reluctant to attach estimate the number of games the important defender would miss at the time of his surgery, but if he does return in a fortnight, that will be round 23 when the Blues have a bye.

"He's about right or probably a fraction slow," Ratten said of Jamison's recovery.

"But I think everything is going pretty well."