Sylvia missed the opening three rounds after suffering a broken jaw against West Coast Eagles in the final NAB Challenge clash in the pre-season. Bailey said Sylvia showed enormous courage.
"I don't think he looked tentative at all, coming back from a broken jaw, first game back, so I take my hat off to him to attack the game," Bailey said in his post-match media conference.
Bailey was pleased with Melbourne's forward line, which created 20 goals from 33 scoring shots, particularly with the likes of Liam Jurrah and Austin Wonaeamirri injured on the sidelines.
"I don't think we're going to be a high-marking Fevola/Brown-type forward line, where you've got two gun players this like Saturday night," he said.
"As long as our workrate is up and we create opportunities, then hopefully we'll have a number of goalkickers, rather than just rely on a couple."
On the back of two wins and a gallant defeat against Collingwood, Bailey said it was too early to say if the round-two loss to the Pies was a turning point.
"The players were really disappointed after that game and you could have argued that they should have walked in feeling good, but they were really dirty on themselves that they didn't get that game," he said.
"The turning point? It was only two games ago … so we'll wait and see and hopefully it'll reflect at the end of the year."
Although happy for the players and supporters, Bailey was particularly pleased for president Jim Stynes.
"I reckon it's exciting Jimmy Stynes is here to be honest," he said of the 1991 Brownlow Medallist, who is battling cancer.
"I always knew he probably would turn up anyway, because he always goes against doctors' advice Jimmy, but it is good for the supporters.
"He's a remarkable bloke."
