The Kangaroos handed the Demons their biggest loss of the season when the two sides met in Round 2 under the roof at Marvel Stadium, running away 59-point winners on the back of contest and clearance dominance.
Melbourne's once-heralded engine room lost the clearance count by 12, while the side lost the contested possession count by 19, on a dirty day for the Demons.
โThey've (North Melbourne) come a long way,โ Demons veteran Jake Melksham offered.
โThey're playing a nice brand of footy, with good spirit, and they got our measure earlier in the year.โ
Conceding that finals are a โstretch' from here, the 241-game veteran insists the season still offers plenty.
โThe reality is there are seven more opportunities to keep building on what's been a decent month, apart from the Port game,โ he said.
The Demons have indeed been largely competitive at different stages of this season. Memorably, they toppled the Lions in Brisbane, punished the Swans and slipped to Collingwood by a solitary point. More recently, they provided the Gold Coast with a nervy final term, and pushed the rampant Crows in Adelaide.
โWe were dominant in that first quarter (against Adelaide), but didn't capitalise, which would've given us a bigger buffer when momentum shifted,โ Melksham said.
Finding consistency in-game remains a focus for the Dees in the final seven rounds of the season, after lapses, including one against Collingwood, have cost them premiership points.
โIt (inconsistency) is definitely a focus. We should've won that game โ we lost that game, rather than them (Collingwood) taking it from us,โ Melksham said.
โIt's inconsistencies in our behaviours throughout four quarters. We're putting good periods together, and getting good momentum, and then sides are arresting that back through them executing their game plan.โ
In a vote of confidence for long-time coach Simon Goodwin, Melksham offered that he 'can see the direction' the club is trying to take.
โGoody's been my coach nearly my whole career, I've nearly spent half my life with him, we have a great relationship,โ he said.
โ(Our) brand is looking strong. We're right behind him, he's coaching well.โ
Now in his 16th season, the Calder Cannons product is enjoying a rich vein of form, booting nine goals in his last two matches, taking his season tally to 20 from 12 games. Melksham has also provided value that doesn't always show up on the scoreboard, with multiple outstanding performances as a defensive forward to his name this season.
It is arguably career-best form for the Demons hardman, who bizarrely finds himself without a contract beyond the next seven matches.
โI'm just focusing on enjoying my footy,โ he insists, with conversations with his family, and the club, on his future to come in the coming weeks.
Melksham credits the side's youth with โkeeping him invigorated', and says he's โplaying with a little bit more freedom', late in his career.
The Demons are hoping for increased attendance at the MCG come Sunday, with the AFL's โKids Go Free' initiative returning for another season, running from Round 16 to Round 19, inclusive.
