JEREMY Howe's move to the backline came about because he and coach Paul Roos recognised he was struggling.
The Demons forward, turned part-time defender, gathered a season-high 23 disposals in miserable conditions against Greater Western Sydney last Sunday, enjoying the freedom the move to defence afforded him.
In the two games prior, against St Kilda and West Coast, he managed just 23 touches combined.
Roos approached Howe in the lead up to the game against the Giants suggesting the switch, with the Demons also keen to move James Frawley and Lynden Dunn into attack.
"The move came about more so because of my form," Howe told AFL.com.au.
"The last couple of weeks it was dry up forward, we weren't getting a lot of entries, but I wasn't making the most of the opportunities I did get."
Forced to play as the key target inside 50, due to Melbourne's decimated tall stocks, the 190cm Howe found it hard to impose himself on the game.
"In the past when I played up forward, we usually had some bigger frames down there which obviously makes my role a lot easier," Howe said.
"At the start of the year, I was drawing one of the bigger guys and I struggled to deal with playing on them.
"I had to take a look at that and work out a strategy around that."
With Chris Dawes to return against Carlton on Saturday, and Jesse Hogan nearing a senior call-up, Howe is unsure how long the move will last.
Regardless, he plans to use the experiment to understand how his opponents want to play him – closing down space and making contact at the right times.
But that's not to say his high-flying abilities will disappear completely.
"With me, if I feel like I can grab the ball I'll have a crack. It was a bit difficult on the weekend (against the Giants), given the wet conditions," Howe said.
"If I have a crack at it, all well and good, as long as I don't get caught halfway in between."
Frawley's contract situation is something that continues to dominate the headlines at Melbourne. The key defender has decided to put off contract talks until the end of the season.
Howe has a close friendship with Frawley and is open to having a discussion with him about his future if his mate asks him to do so.
"We don't really push him into any decisions, he'll make the right decision by the end of the year. But around the club he's not focused on it," Howe said.
"If the pressure was maybe getting to him and he was struggling to deal with it, I'd be more than happy to have a chat with him.
"At the moment I think he's coping pretty well. If he's struggling and wants to talk to someone there's no doubt he'll pipe up and I could be one of the boys he speaks to."
