Missing piece of puzzle identified as Demons missing golden opportunity

Melbourne simply had to beat Collingwood on Monday.

That's the view of Luke Hodge who felt Simon Goodwin's Demons just needed to bounce back from their 92-point flogging at the hands of Fremantle last weekend.

Given the Magpies still have several key players out due to injuries, Hodge felt the timing was perfect for the Dees to breathe life into their stuttering season.

However, they simply weren't good enough at the MCG on King's Birthday, losing to the Pies by 38 points to slump to a 7-6 record.

The Dees had a golden opportunity to beat an understrength Pies side, but Hodge was disappointed with the way they played.

“Melbourne had to come out and win just to sort out everything that's going on,” Hodge said on SEN sports day.

“The form they produced (recently), the game finished against West Coast – Melbourne should have been able to handle that.

“It's no big deal, they had a little slip-up, but they followed it up last week against Fremantle and it wasn't like Melbourne. Everyone has almost forgiven them for this performance given their consistency over the last four years.

“Unfortunately, after what we saw (Monday), they made Collingwood (look good) – and that's all down to Collingwood as well with the depleted injury list they have.

“Melbourne should have taken care of Collingwood. There is no doubt in my mind. I know Christian Petracca was injured, but the game was a concern for Melbourne.

Hodge says Angus Brayshaw's premature retirement may have been underestimated by many outsiders.

He believes that Brayshaw's absence hurt the Demons due to his ability to galvanize those around him.

“I feel like Angus Brayshaw was a bigger piece of this puzzle than we really thought,” Hodge added.

“We always watched him and even if it was Max Gawn or Christian Petracca or Clayton Oliver, they were the main ones.

“Brayshaw played halfback for a year, then he played midfield, he hit where he needed to. He may have been the glue that held them all together, because since his departure, they just haven't looked like the team we've seen consistently over the last few years.

“We still know they've had their center forward problems, but now they're getting beat on saves and turning the ball over. In the last four games their turnover scores have been terrible. It's some ball usage, but it's also a setup behind the ball. They normally have Jake Lever and Steven May together.

“It seems like there are too many problems at once.

“With Petracca injured, no Brayshaw and Alex Neal-Bullen having a sacrificial role (on Nick Daicos), they just had too little to be able to turn the tide against Collingwood.”

The result places the Dees in 10th place in the table, tied on 28 points with eighth-placed GWS, but below with a lower percentage.

They enjoy a bye on Matchday 14 before returning to action against West Coast at Marvel Stadium on Sunday, Matchday 15.