The Demons coach lamented his team’s inability to do the basics in loss to North.
Melbourne coach Paul Roos said his side looked fatigued during its 41-point loss to North Melbourne on Sunday.
Speaking post-match, Roos said although he was unhappy with the result, it wasn’t a step backwards after recent good performances.
“It’s certainly not as good as we’ve been playing, so we analysed the game and there’s reasons for it, but we’re certainly disappointed,” he said.
“I thought some of our guys looked really tired tonight. Some of the young guys are getting to the middle of the year and that’s the mental challenges for teams for where we are – is getting up week in, week out.
“I thought we just went away from some of the real basic things we’ve been doing really, really well. That’s what happens when you play against a team that gets the ball on the outside and runs and they make you pay.”
Roos said consistency was the key if his team are to continue making inroads in a season where the Demons have improved beyond sight.
“Definitely for us, we can’t have bad patches and we got to within seven points in the third quarter and then it dropped off again,” he said.
“We’ve got to be consistent with our effort because there’s a reason why [we’re] down that lower end of the ladder.
“You see those bottom five or six teams that when they compete, like the Giants did today and the last couple of weeks [they can win], but you have to bring effort for 120 minutes and you can’t afford to drop off, because the talent level is not as great as the top five or six or eight teams.
“Definitely for us [coaches] and a reminder for our players – as hard as it is – it’s got to be every minute of every game.”
The Demons currently sit 15th on the AFL ladder, winning four of its 13 matches.
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