Fresh off a 22-point loss to Brisbane on Thursday night at the MCG, Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin admitted his "frustrations" with how his side performed, but won't use the short turnarounds as an "excuse".

Playing "three games in 13 days", including two hard-fought battles at Adelaide Oval against Port Adelaide and the Crows, Goodwin chalked it up to the Lions being too good but will welcome the first of their two byes as an opportunity to tinker with the game plan.

"Frustrating is one word," Goodwin said post-game.

"But we just got beaten by a really good team. They beat us in all phases of the game. They were stronger, they were cleaner, they transitioned the ball better and defended better. So that makes the game pretty tough.

"We walk away and we've got work to do.

"We've noticed a few weeks now that we're not playing to the level we think we're capable of even though we sat 4-1 before tonight but got exposed.

"3 games in 13 days is a lot with some travel involved. I wouldn't want to put that out there as an excuse for us and take anything away from the Lions.

"Every team goes through those challenges within their season and the fixture you're provided with and you can't use those things as excuses."

With a chance to freshen up, the Demons have a host of key players that are limping to the bye, headed by Christian Salem.

The rebounding defender was subbed out of the game in the first quarter with a hamstring issue and is likely to miss a few weeks.

"Once again, an experienced player in your back half (goes down) so we'll get that scanned but he'll be out for a little bit of time," Goodwin said.

"Obviously a hamstring, so we'll get a good idea of what that looks like."

Clayton Oliver (hand), Steven May (ribs) and Jake Lever (knee) have all battled bravely through injuries but a week off will give them and the club a chance to renew.

The trio were down on their typical form and it showed against the slicker, quicker Lions outfit.

Kysaiah Pickett will return after the bye following his one-game suspension for his bump on Adelaide midfielder Jake Soligo.

Melbourne unveiled debutant Koltyn Tholstrup in his place but acknowledged the absence of the small forward was evident.

"He's a good player that wasn't playing," the 2021 premiership coach lamented.

"I think we all see what he gives our footy team, his pressure, his tackle, his inside 50, ability to hit the scoreboard and no doubt when you take a Kysaiah Pickett out of your team you're going to have some challenges and he's an important player for us."

The AFL could ask for a "please explain" from Lions defender Noah Answerth, with vision showing a 'crybaby' taunt directed at Harrison Petty during the fourth quarter.

Petty was unseen up until that point, having not registered a disposal and with the game done, former captain Dayne Zorko doesn't want to see that.

The simmering feud between the two clubs has boiled at the surface since late in 2022, when Petty copped a sledge from Zorko, which is believed to be about the former's mother, leaving him with tears.

The experienced Lion said post-game last night on ABC:ย "I'll probably go have a word to (Answerth). That's obviously not the way we want to win.

"Heat of the moment, stuff happens. I'm sure he'd have fixed it up after the game."

Melbourne defender Jake Lever commented on the act, saying it has no place in the game.

โ€œI don't think it's part of the game now,โ€ Lever told Channel 7.

โ€œHe (Petty) had a tough time up there a few years ago (when Zorko made the comments) and as a player, you don't know what others are going through.

โ€œI think footy's cleaned up that sort of act.โ€

While the AFL may look to question Answerth's intention, they will almost certainly look at Charlie Cameron's dump tackle on Jake Lever.

In the first quarter, Cameron is seen lifting his former teammate off the ground, driving his head into the ground.

The umpire awarded Lever the free kick and he played out the remainder of the match.

After the resounding win, Brisbane makes it two on the trot, sitting 2-3 and ninth on the ladder, with a Geelong challenge next week.

Melbourne's loss opens up their position on the ladder, potentially falling from fifth to seventh.