YOUNG-gun Jesse Hogan has played down his outstanding four-goal performance against the Brisbane Lions, which helped the Demons to a 24-point win at the MCG on Sunday.

Hogan played down his outstanding first quarter, when he kicked three goals, which helped put the Dees up by 26 points at the first break.

“I don’t think it [was just] me … I finished it (kicking the goals). As a team I think the way the midfield was moving it, they (the Lions) couldn’t defend us and it was just awesome ball movement,” he told Dee TV.

“It was [tough] to defend, the way we were moving the ball and that’s the standard we are trying to set. We are showing that we can do it in patches, but we just need that consistency.

“If we can slowly improve, we still have patches of 15 to 20 minutes when we go away from what we are doing, but I think we are getting more consistent and that’s the most important thing.”

Hogan landed his fourth goal in the final quarter, which happened to be Melbourne’s only major in the last term. It was also the red and blue’s first goal since the 26-minute mark of the second quarter.

The 20-year-old conceded the game was in the balance when he effectively sealed the win.

“We were only three or four goals up and they (the Lions) were coming hard, so we just tried to really restrict them in the last quarter and just clog it up,” he said.

“I think we did that, so whenever we got a shot, you were taking your full 45 seconds, trying to milk it.

“Roosy (Paul Roos) said to us [after the match], it was an ugly win, but we’re at that stage where we’ve got to take ugly wins – and four points are four points.”

With just 12 AFL matches under his belt, Hogan said his body was feeling “really good” in the latter part of the season.

“I have been managing my body really well,” he said.

“I played six or seven games then had a rest, but I’m going really well. Every week’s different and every week I am playing a team I have never played before so it’s a different mental challenge.

“But I am really looking forward to the last seven games of the year.”

Looking ahead to next round’s clash against St Kilda, Hogan said it was a great opportunity to bounce back from its two-point loss to the Saints in round 11.

“[This match] means a lot to us,” he said.

“I think they are the first team that we are going to play twice in a row, so we can really compare ourselves to the first time we played them. They are playing some really good footy – I think they are similar to us and they are trying to develop the same sort of brand as us. They are playing good footy and taking it up to the best.

“I think it’s going to be a really good challenge for us, but I think the boys are up to it – if we go in confidently and play the brand of footy we want to play, [then] we can get the four points.”