Melbourne believe the changes made during the bye have given them a fresh outlook on the remainder of 2019, with Saturday's win against Fremantle a step in the right direction.
Although the victory was far from perfect, the Demons did not let the frustration that has crept into their performance in the first half of the season overwhelm them, and they were able to overpower the undermanned Dockers in the final quarter.
Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin said he was pleased to snap the four-game losing streak that saw them enter the bye in 16th spot on the ladder.
Demon Tom McDonald (centre) has worked his way back into form and booted three goals against the Dockers.Credit:AAP
"We've had a pretty torrid first half of the season and the bye came at a good time and enabled us to reset a few things internally at the footy club, but also for the players to look at the opportunities that we can create and how we can get back to playing our best footy," Goodwin said.
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Despite the loss, Dockers coach Ross Lyon was relieved to report after the game that star forward Jesse Hogan had not re-aggravated the navicular injury that kept him out of last year's finals series, as was feared when he sat out the game from midway through the first quarter.
"It is not his navicular but we are uncertain exactly what it is, so hopefully that is on the lower range," Lyon said.
Lyon admitted he feared the worst when he saw the 24-year-old grab his foot after a marking contest and leave the ground, and said Hogan was concerned also. However, the relatively positive diagnosis in relation to the injury was heartening to Hogan.
"He seems OK," Lyon said. "He had a good conversation with me and he is in good shape."
The Dockers also lost veteran Stephen Hill after he sustained a hamstring injury, with the club uncertain whether he had suffered tightness or actually nicked the soft tissue. It was Hill's second game for the season.
Fremantle's Jesse Hogan limps off the MCG on Saturday.Credit:AAP
But Melbourne took advantage of the Dockers' woes, with Tom McDonald's celebrations after he kicked a goal in the final quarter to extend the Demons' lead an opportunity for him to release pent-up emotion.
Goodwin said it was encouraging to see the forward begin to take marks forward of centre after struggling in that area for the first half of the year.
"I was really proud of Tom. He's been under a lot of pressure, obviously externally (but) internally we've got a lot of faith in Tom," Goodwin said.
"The first half, he was touching the ball but it just wasn't going his way, but he worked … to get himself into the game and he started marking the ball forward of centre and it makes a massive difference to our teaRead More – Source
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