MELBOURNE coach Simon Goodwin is arming himself for the "greater challenges" to come as the Demons prepare for the most important six weeks in their past decade.
Geelong is the next stumbling block at GMHBA Stadium next Saturday night, ahead of clashes with Adelaide (interstate), Gold Coast, Sydney, West Coast (interstate) and Greater Western Sydney.
Melbourne, which last played finals in 2006, will start a resounding favourite against the Suns and possibly the Giants, but arguably an underdog in the other four matches.
The Demons need to at least split their final six games to put paid to the AFL's longest September drought, something they failed to do after a final-round defeat in 2017.
"We understand there are greater challenges coming," Goodwin said after Saturday's 50-point victory over the Western Bulldogs.
"We've got Geelong next week and that's the game we'll focus in on, so it gives us the chance to play against a quality side and try and be at our best and continue to improve as a team.
"We feel like we've still got huge growth and improvement in us as a team, and with six rounds to go … that's still a long time to continue to improve."
Melbourne's ability to take the blowtorch to the Bulldogs in the third quarter – a period the latter has been vulnerable in for the past two months – excited Goodwin.
An unanswered seven-goal stretch in 12 minutes not only snatched back the lead for the Demons, but effectively killed the game as a contest.
Brownlow Medal contender Max Gawn, the All Australian ruckman in 2016, was at his devastating best in that term to spur his side into action in another best-on-ground display.
"(Gawn)'s having an outstanding year. I guess the umpires will decide that (whether he can win the Brownlow Medal)," Goodwin said.
"But he's been unbelievable for us in terms of his work; not only in his ruck craft but his ability to help us around the ground with his marking and just his desire to lead and win."
What also impressed Goodwin was that Melbourne led by three points at half-time despite trailing significantly in clearances, disposals, contested possessions, tackles and inside 50s.
And after being woefully inefficient in recent wins and losses, the Demons' eight-goal third quarter came via just 15 inside 50s.
"It was probably our defence in the end that kept us in the game," the coach said.
"That's been something we've been working on; that when things aren't going our way with our fundamentals and execution and contest work, that we can hang in games.
"I thought we were really sound defensively in the first half and that enabled us to really be in the position we were at half-time.
"That was probably the growth in the group over the last two or three weeks … we have had a bigger buy-in to the defensive element of the game and that's got to remain strong."
