After being the substitute last week against Richmond, Moloney was last night dropped to the VFL after a series of below par performances.
Neeld said Moloney was simply not getting enough of the football in the AFL and everyone hoped he would be able to find some touch playing with the Casey Scorpions.
"Brent is working really hard," Neeld said
"[He's] just not in good nick. We can't ask him to work any harder. [He's] just unable to find as much of the footy as what everyone would like."
Out-of-contract at the end of the season and a restricted free agent, 28-year-old Moloney's future will be the subject of much speculation as the year progresses.
However, when asked whether he still saw Moloney as an important player at the Demons, Neeld's response was "yeah sure."
"Brent is a quality player," Neeld said.
He said Moloney's contract status was irrelevant and the timing of the form trough could be considered either way when such matters were considered.
"What I could also say is that if he gets back into really good form and plays out the year and plays out the year [at a] great standard, then that is a great timing for players to be in great nick and be out of contract," Neeld said.
While the pressure on Moloney builds, the Demons were able to announce some good news after naming first-gamer Tom Couch, following a series of good VFL performances.
Couch, the son of 1989 Brownlow medallist and Geelong midfielder Paul Couch (a former teammate of Neeld's), will make his debut.
Neeld said it was a credit to Couch's persistence and his ability to develop parts of the game throughout the year.
"Tom is a really good stoppage player and over the last month in the VFL he is starting to get into his game the ability to get out and get away from the stoppages to compliment his work at the stoppages," Neeld said.
Finding the ball away from the congestion is one of the challenges being set for the club's co-captain Jack Trengove as he continues to develop during a lean year.
Neeld said Trengove was working hard with the coaching staff to develop his game further so he won his fair share of uncontested possessions.
"He is a very in-tight player in terms of where his capabilities lie," Neeld said. "We are coaching him and encouraging him. He has got a really good engine but get out a little bit more and get some uncontested possessions."
Neeld has been faced with selection dilemmas is recent weeks as another series of injuries hit the club, however he said players would be picked on form rather than giving games to young players for the sake of it.
"[We are] not giving games away. They have got to earn [them]. [I] don't think that is the way to go," Neeld said.
Neeld said Jack Watts should only miss a week with an ankle injury, while the one positive from Aaron Davey missing the season was that he would be in a good position to have a strong pre-season leading into 2013.
Neeld said the pre-season shaped as critical for the 2009 best and fairest winner. "It is going to be an important pre-season for Aaron to make sure he completes a full one to give himself every chance of playing well next year," Neeld said.
