MELBOURNE coach Simon Goodwin insists the Demons took "a step forward" on Tuesday night despite another fadeout resulting in a 46-point defeat to Richmond.
The Anzac Day Eve clash has become Melbourne's biggest home and away fixture since its 2015 origin and it made a bright start before the all-too-common lapses came back to haunt the Demons.
The Tigers snatched the ascendancy before quarter-time and probably should have led by more than 20 points at the main break, but they didn't put Melbourne to the sword until the fourth quarter.
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The loss follows a 67-point capitulation to Hawthorn nine days ago, when Goodwin's men humiliatingly conceded 16 of the last 17 goals.
"The effort and intensity and the way we want them to play was better, but it's got to be sustained for a longer period of time," Goodwin told reporters post-match.
"We're probably more looking at it as a step forward from last week. I thought last week didn't resemble anything of the way we wanted to play.
"This week was a step forward for three quarters. I thought the effort and intensity was strong all night until the last quarter, but there are clearly some things we have to work on."
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A surprisingly buoyant Goodwin was rich in praise for his defenders, particularly Jake Lever – who played his best match for his new club – and Oscar McDonald.
They were swamped in the early stages of the second quarter, when the Demons lost 10 of 11 clearances and conceded nine of the first 10 inside 50s.
"We hung in there. I think that's what the game sometimes needs you to do," the coach said.
"I thought our defenders were really good for that quarter … our second quarter wasn't our best footy, but sometimes you're not going to play your best footy.
"I can't fault the boys; I thought Richmond were very good for the whole game.
"They're a strong footy club, they play a really strong brand, they absorbed our pressure incredibly well and they clearly used the ball better going inside forward 50."
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Lever's much-improved performance, which was kick-started by an early contested intercept mark, was one of the night's positives, as was the returning Sam Weideman's effort.
Weideman was the No.9 draft pick in 2015 and has taken time to develop, but provided a presence up forward and supported Max Gawn in the ruck in just his 11th game.
"Promising signs for 'Weids'," Goodwin said.
"He's had a really strong five or six weeks, getting himself fit and ready for AFL footy.
"I think you can see his body shape's changed a lot and he looks like an AFL player now, so he moved really strongly for us – he was really promising."
The Demons, who slipped to a 2-3 record, will complete two light training sessions ahead of Sunday's match with Essendon, which faces Collingwood on Anzac Day.
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They will have at least one selection change, with Dean Kent sustaining a left hamstring injury just before half-time.
"(It's only) five days (away), so we've got to recover really strongly," Goodwin said.
"We've got to learn a little bit out of the game, but obviously prepare for Sunday as best we can.
"(We'll) freshen our boys up, have some great learning and education around what the game should look like next weekend and get out there and play four quarters of strong footy."
