Victoria will need to strike early on Tuesday to give themselves every chance of winning first innings points against South Australia at the MCG, according to all-rounder Andrew McDonald.
The Bushrangers recovered well to post a respectable 220, after it was all doom and gloom when they slumped to 7-118 midway through day one.
In reply, South Australia wobbled to 4-81 at stumps and McDonald suggested it was make or break on day two.
"The best we can do now is do some damage (Tuesday) morning, and if we're about even at the turn (after the first innings) then we'll think about building a sizeable third innings total," McDonald said.
"If we can come out tomorrow morning and take a couple of early wickets we'll probably give ourselves a bit of momentum."
McDonald was a key factor in the Bushrangers revival, notching 71 with the willow, combining with Peter Siddle for a much-needed 95-run partnership.
"I think we got ourselves out of a pretty tricky situation and got ourselves a half decent first innings total in difficult conditions," he said.
"We've fought back well and I think it's about even after day one, so it's shaping to be a pretty good game."
He was impressed with the bowling of Joe Mennie, who finished with figures of 5-43 from 21.1 overs.
"Mennie bowled exceptionally well, stood the seam up, and got his just desserts in a nice five-wicket haul"
McDonald, who also made a solid contribution with the ball with figures of 1-13, said his team also utilised the conditions of the seaming pitch to their advantage.
"We had our chance in the end to bowl well, and I think we did a reasonable job."
"There's a little bit in it for bowlers, and it's good to see some trying conditions for batting."
Victoria sit fourth on the ladder, four points adrift of Tasmania and McDonald said his team were approaching every game with vigour.
Although, he also warned that it was important not to look too far ahead.
"We can only control what we're doing, so if we can get through this game (that's our aim)," he said.
"First things first if we don't win this Shield game, or don't get the two points then we're probably dead and buried."
"The job is to concentrate on this game and make sure we get the two points first of all and then obviously build towards the six points."
"If we don't win this game then we're probably out of it, so we've sort of got our destiny in our own hands."