WHEN Melbourne broke through for its first win of the AFL season earlier this year, the relief was there for all to see.

But one Demon, midfielder Nathan Jones, was simmering.

While all those in Melbourne colours celebrated the six-point win over Fremantle, Jones took some time to get his head around what had just occurred during his nightmarish 120 minutes.

While thrilled at the final siren that his side had registered its first four points for 2008, the 20-year-old didn't feel like he'd pulled his weight.

"I had a shocking day that day," Jones recalled.

"It was a great win by the boys but I pretty much played no part in it."

Jones's modest stats of two kicks and two handballs were a career-low.

On top of that, he laid just one tackle and gave away four free kicks as Fremantle's close-checking tactics ate away at his mental state.

"I played on Ryan Crowley," Jones said. "He played on Gary Ablett the week before and kept him to 14 possessions I think, and when I saw him come to me I was just like 'oh no, I've got a long day ahead here!'.

"I just couldn't find the footy."

But that day might turn out to be just as significant for Jones's career as his team's breakthrough win, or any four points the Demons come up with for the remainder of the season.

Jones, along with young midfielders such as Brock McLean, is the future of the club so his ability to become a top-line on-baller will be paramount to coach Dean Bailey's plans of lifting the Demons up the ladder in coming seasons.

The match against Fremantle was one of the first times the man who finished third in last year's NAB Rising Star award had been tagged.

"It was a bloody hard experience but it's helped since then," Jones said.

"I've been tagged a little bit in a couple of games since that day and just from that game, being able to put that experience into play, I've been able to do little things to stay in the game."

Now better equipped to handle an opponent being at his hip every step throughout a game, Jones says much of overcoming taggers is above the shoulders and not how hard he runs.

"You've got to try to get involved in the game a different way I guess. You're not going to get as many handball receives or pick up as many loose balls, so you've got to try to think of ways around it."

The week after facing Freo, Jones bounced back with 25 disposals.

And in his team's second win of the year, against the Brisbane Lions last week, he gathered 22 touches and was among the leading possession winners in the middle.

Jones credits his ability to hit back from that tough day at the office to a couple of senior figures at Demonland.

"I spoke a lot with our midfield coach, Paul Williams, and I had a good talk with Bails (senior coach Dean Bailey)," Jones said.

"At the start of the year they said I'm going to get a bit more attention and teams are going to work out how to try to beat me … Willo gave me a few pointers about what to do if it happened again."