Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin says loss to St Kilda a bump in the road

MELBOURNE didn’t play well but only went down by two points. Despite dropping a game many had penned in as four points, coach Simon Goodwin says Sunday’s loss to St Kilda won’t cost his side a finals berth.

Max Gawn starred but it wasn’t enough. Pic: Getty Images

MELBOURNE coach Simon Goodwin is adamant his side’s shock loss to lowly St Kilda is not the kind of defeat that will cost the Demons a finals spot.

Despite one of the great ruck efforts from Max Gawn (seven contested marks), the Demons fell to a Saints side that had won only two games this year.

Goodwin identified his side’s inability to defend when they lost the contest as the main reason behind the two-point defeat.

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Seemingly coasting to September a month ago, a trio of losses to Collingwood, Port Adelaide and the Saints have now thrown Melbourne back into a race for the eight.

The Demons still haven’t found the answer to replacing ACL victim Jake Lever, first-gamer Harrison Petty battling away as the Saints had 29 scoring shots.

They managed seven scoring shots from their first 10 inside 50s, but Goodwin said the back six weren’t all to blame.

Demons coach Simon Goodwin says there’s a fine line between good and bad. Pic: Getty Images

He said the loss was a bump on the road to September, full of “belief” his side is still good enough.

The Demons take on Fremantle in Darwin next week, Goodwin aware of the fans’ frustration at failing to take care of business.

“I understand the narrative about that. We have played really strong footy against sides below us on the ladder (before this),” he said.

“So I understand their feeling but we are still building into the team we want to become. We have lost three in a row, we need to start playing better.

“I am really confident as a playing group and as a club we will be able to do that.

“We still have a lot of belief as a club and team (that) we can fix a few things. It’s only small margins between good form and being out of form.”

Goodwin challenged his players to play with the kind of defensive pressure exerted by premiers Richmond when they don’t have the ball.

“We need to work as a club harder when we don’t have the ball and that’s pretty simple,” he said.

Jesse Hogan struggled early before finding touch. Pic: Getty Images

“For me clearly it’s our ability to work hard when you don’t have the ball that will be the defining reason when we have a look at the tape.

“It takes 22 players to defend well. You saw some easy goals in our defensive 50. The Saints moved the ball well and scored easily from those transition plays.”

Hogan was unsighted in the first half but eventually worked into the game with three goals in the second half.

“I thought Jesse started to get back into the form we have seen so that was another positive to come out of the day,” said Goodwin.

The Demons were penalised by two 50m penalties that cost goals from players encroaching into the protected areas, with Goodwin believing the AFL cracked down this weekend.

“Clearly something has happened this weekend. There have been a lot, so we will keep reinforcing it and keep getting better at it.

“Everyone knows the rule, clearly it was officiated strongly this weekend.”

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Originally published as Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin says loss to St Kilda a bump in the road