Speakingpost-match after his first home-and-away match as Melbourne coach, Roos saidhis team showed some genuine promise, although it failed to capitalise on thescoreboard, booting 6.15 to 10.8.
“Wetalked about being competitive and all of the stats indicated that we wereright in the game. They (St Kilda) just took their chances and you’ve got totake your chances,” he said.
“They(St Kilda) had mids out and we had forwards out, so it was probably a game likethat.
“Ourmids played well and their forwards played well and [St Kilda captain Nick] Riewoldtmade the difference in the end. We couldn’t kick straight and we lost a coupleof talls, so it certainly wasn’t an ideal start.”
Roossaid the players were desperate for a round one victory, but still needed tolearn how to win, after several dismal years.
“Playershate losing and I remember watching them last year – they genuinely want to win,”he said.
“It’sjust learning how to win and learning how to put it together … they don’t wantto go out and lose, and they don’t want to perform how they did last year.
“Ithink they’ve made significant improvements, but they’ve just got to understandthat it is hard. They’ve got to keep working hard and be disappointed, but dustyourself off, get back to training and work even harder.”
Roossaid he was pleased with his new-look midfield – overall Melbourne had 408disposals to 348 – but it still needed to make the most of its opportunities.
“It’sstill the ability to translate a whole game plan and do it continually over andover again,” he said.
“We’reunder no illusions and we’ve had the boys for three or four months, so it’sgoing to take a lot longer than that. My position – and our coaches – is thatwe’ve got to be prepared to be teachers.
“We’vegot to try and teach them as quickly as we can and the only way we can learn isby [playing] 22 games. You’ve got to dig in – that’s just the way the competitionis.”
Roossaid Jack Watts’ game, when he had the ball in his hands, as “outstanding”, andhe commended defender Tom McDonald for his ability to battle on, despite beinginjured 15 minutes into the first term.
“He(McDonald) got two corkies, so it was just a great effort to stay on the fieldto be honest,” Roos said.
“Hewas just taking a [key] post, so we could give someone a rest, and we had totake him out of defence and just plonk him to full-forward.
“Itwas just good [for him] to be able to stay on, but we were just buying some time… to give some other guys a rest.”
ForwardJack Fitzpatrick also suffered concussion and had to be subbed out of thematch.
“Noone really saw it or what happened … but the doctors have got to be sensible inthose situations,” Roos said.
Meanwhile,ruckman Max Gawn is a strong contender to be called-up for next Sunday’s clashagainst the West Coast Eagles at the MCG, after some impressive form for Caseyin a VFL practice match.
“MaxGawn played really well in the seconds today (Saturday), so he gives you a big[target] and someone who can ruck as well,” Roos said.
“Youmake do with what you’ve got and that’s what we’ve got to do – we can’t makeexcuses.
“We’vejust got to keep teaching and keep being as positive as we can.”
