Jack Viney says Melbourne can get on with it or sulk after 0-3 start to 2019 season

Melbourne is winless and after starting the season as one of the premiership fancies, the Demons have been left searching for answers. See the stats that show why the Dees are so easy to score against.

Melbourne is winless to start season 2019.

Jack Viney says the character of Melbourne’s players will be tested by their disastrous 0-3 start to the season.

Melbourne takes on Sydney at the SCG next Thursday night with Tom McDonald (ankle) under a fitness cloud and Jordan Lewis (hamstring) still another week away from returning.

Viney refused to write off the season, adamant the Demons could mount a finals charge.

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But the Demons co-captain conceded Melbourne had to urgently arrest a shocking defensive record that has seen it cut apart in consecutive weeks — Essendon scored 30 times from 53 inside 50s on Friday night after Geelong scored 20 goals from 48 entries the week before.

“There is still a long way to go in the season and we are in a bit of a rut, but very confident and positive we can find our form soon,” Viney said.

Melbourne is winless to start season 2019.

“We were pretty poor defensively. While we were still able to score we allowed them to score too easily. Once they had momentum they were able to capitalise on it.

“It’s a team thing, a whole team system. (Steven) May would certainly help but it’s not our issue. We have to be able to do a lot better with who we have.

“We were poor defensively and we won’t get too far this season if we don’t improve in that area.”

Jake Lever (ACL) is set to ramp up his training this week but is still set to return only around the Round 13 bye, with May set to miss several more weeks with a groin injury.

Lewis confirmed in a pre-match interview on Friday night that May had turned up in poor shape in his first weeks of training.

Jack Viney in action during the loss to Essendon. Picture: Michael Klein

But while May suffered a hamstring injury over summer, the groin injury from the Geelong game was from a sudden change in direction attempting to defend Gary Rohan.

“We can go two ways. We can sulk about it and (say) woe is me or we can get on with the job and I am pretty confident in the character of this group,” Viney said. “We look forward to the challenge ahead.”

Viney was adamant the Demons were not distracted by the negative headlines around the club’s 2009 tanking season.

“Nah, that was a fair time ago,” he said. “I doubt there are too many people here involved in that. I didn’t hear one person talk about it today. Not even locker room chat.

“It hasn’t affected how we have gone about our football.”

DIRTY DEES

Stats that show Melbourne is the easiest team to score against this season

* IN three games the Demons have conceded 343 points.

* THEY have allowed 32 uncontested marks in their defensive 50 (average 10.7 per game). The AFL average is 8.4.

* MELBOURNE’S opponents are scoring a goal from 27.4 per cent of their forward 50 entries, the worst result in the league. The competition average is 21.6 per cent.