MELBOURNE was unable to match last year’s grand finalists on Queen’s Birthday, leaving it with just three wins from 12 games in 2019.

Following the 41-point loss at the MCG, the Dees sit in 16^th position on the ladder, and midfielder James Harmes says next week’s bye provides an opportunity for the group to reset.

“It’s a good time for the boys to get away, go see some family and really have some time alone and just freshen up,” Harmes told Melbourne Media.

“[We’ll] come back in the second half of the year and we can see what happens.”

The Magpies used their leg speed to advantage early on Monday afternoon, gaining control of the game and booting the opening three goals.

“We knew they were going to bring their pressure,” Harmes said.

“The first half we probably played into their strengths a little bit.”

While the scoreboard didn’t reflect a major shift in the contest after the main break, Harmes felt as though his side began to play their brand of footy.

“I thought in the second half we started to open the game up a bit – hit some longer handballs, test the tackle,” he said.

“[We] probably let ourselves down a little bit with our fundamentals, but we’ll keep working hard.”

It was a similar tale for the red and blue on Monday, lacking class in the forward half of the ground.

The Demons were not only wasteful with their entries inside 50, but they butchered their chances in front of the sticks.

“Missing goals doesn’t help, and efficiency going forward with the ball,” Harmes said.

“That’ll probably be our main focus going into the next few weeks.”

Although the Dees continue to work on the basics of their game, Harmes is fully aware of what is causing his side's downfall.

“We win the contested ball, but we just can’t hit up forwards," he said.

"Our fundamentals essentially just let us down.”

Melbourne will look to freshen up over the next week and get back on the winners list when it returns to the MCG to face Fremantle in Round 14.