MELBOURNE will be looking to rediscover its mojo after dropping two of its opening three games, coach Mick Stinear says.
Handed a reality check by Brisbane and North Melbourne, the Demons are gearing up to get their season back on track when they make the trip west to take on Fremantle on Saturday.
The 2022 premiers, 14th on the ladder with a 1-2 record, could be in real danger of missing out on finals for the first time since 2019 if they fall short of victory on the weekend.
Stealing a two-point win over Geelong in round one, Melbourne hit its first speed bump when the Lions secured an 18-point triumph at their Casey Fields home before the Kangaroos thrashed them by 50 points.
Banking early wins is crucial for finals aspirations in a campaign that is only 11 matches long.
Stinear, who has coached the Dees since the League's 2017 inaugural season, is confident his team can rediscover its flow before entering a compressed fixture.
Melbourne will play four matches between October 9 and 24 with the introduction of mid-week fixtures this year.
"This next period gives us a chance to get our set-up right, make sure individually we can limit our opponent's impact on the game, but then still be able to play our own way as well," Stinear said.
"Next time we meet teams like (Brisbane and North Melbourne), we want to be much stronger and much more even with our midfield in terms of our accountability and ownership.
"We haven't been able to get into flow at the moment, and we've got three weeks now where we get a chance to actually build before we go into that compressed fixture.
"It presents a great opportunity for us. The more footy, the better for us.
"Footy is the best thing for us at the moment to find that connection, to find that flow, and find that formula for hard work and getting rewarded."
