MELBOURNE is sweating on scan results after 2024 first-round pick Xavier Lindsay injured his knee early in Saturday's 58-point loss to Gold Coast at the MCG. 

The 18-year-old exited the game in the opening minutes after landing awkwardly in a marking contest, before being helped off the ground by two trainers. 

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Lindsay will undergo a scan on his left knee on Sunday to determine the severity of the injury, after suffering a poster cruciate ligament injury last August. 

The Demons were unable to rule out a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament on Saturday, but are hopeful the Gippsland Power product has escaped a long-term injury.

"It's not quite clear from a medical perspective," Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin said.

"Normally you get pretty good information on that straight away. We need to go and get it scanned.

"We'll have to get a scan on that. Hopefully it's not too bad. It's too early to tell."

Lindsay has made an impressive start to his AFL career, collecting 22 disposals in his debut against Greater Western Sydney, before finishing with 20 against North Melbourne last Sunday, showing why he was selected at pick No.11 last November. 

After a narrow round one loss to Greater Western Sydney at the MCG, the Demons are now 0-3 for the first time since 2019 after two consecutive 10-goal losses, conceding triple figures in both fixtures. 

Goodwin still believes Melbourne can recover from a winless start to 2025, but acknowledged the Demons have to fix their fundamentals after being soundly beaten in the contest (-18), clearance (-16) and in territory, losing the inside 50 count by 25.

"We are three weeks in and we acknowledge where we sit right now isn't where we want to be. It's not the level. We need to fix it," Goodwin said.

"We've got to get to work. We acknowledge that we've got too many players at the moment that aren't in the form they need to be in.

"As coaches we need to fix that. We need to help them. We need to get them in form. That's the first step to fixing your fundamentals. You could see the basics of the game weren't to the standard required. 

"We got punished by a team playing really strong footy. They look like they are full of confidence and are playing the right way. That's where we want to be. I certainly feel we have the potential to be there."

Gold Coast coach Damien Hardwick lauded the stunning performance of Matt Rowell after the 23-year-old produced one of, if not the, most dominant games of his career, at a time when the out-of-contract star is contemplating where to play in 2026 and beyond.

The 2019 No.1 pick amassed a career-high 36 disposals, 19 contested possessions, 13 clearances (nine centre clearances), eight inside 50s and seven tackles against a midfield stacked full of All-Australian superstars. 

"You look at this guy and what he means to our footy club, our fans love him, our coaches love him, he is just an incredible player. We are very, very fortunate to have him," Hardwick said in his press conference.

"We understand how important he is to us. We have to make sure we hold up our end of the bargain, make sure we win games of footy. 

"He is a winner – that's what he wants to be a part of – so we've got some work to do. We know that. We'll back ourselves in, but he has had an incredible start to the season. He is a wonderful player."

After ending an unwanted run of 16 consecutive losses on the road, Gold Coast has now won its past four away from Carrara, including the first two of 2025. 

Hardwick said winning on the road early – and at the MCG – helps reinforce the belief the group has in a year where the Suns are expected to play finals for the first time since they joined the AFL in 2011. 

"The narrative last year where we couldn't win away, we probably rectified that a little bit towards the back end of last year," Hardwick said. 

"To have pretty good wins against West Coast, who granted are learning a new system, and then also Melbourne who were under the pump. 

"For our guys to set the tone was really, really important. They will gain confidence from that. They've got this inner belief of what we can do and how far that can take us. It's always good to put performances on the board that validate that."

Gold Coast will return to Queensland on Saturday night ahead of the club's first home game of 2025 next weekend against Adelaide. 

Melbourne now faces the unenviable task of trying to ignite its season down the highway at GMHBA Stadium next Friday night.