MELBOURNE’S 2016 season has already been a success – given where it was three years – according to coach Paul Roos.

Roos, who took over Melbourne in September 2013, inherited a team that had won just two matches. In his first year, he took the red and blue to four wins and claimed seven in 2015.

This year he has guided Melbourne to nine wins – its best effort since its most recent finals series in 2006 – and with three rounds remaining, Roos is looking for more victories.

“You’ve got to be careful – and we all get a bit excited – about not judging the season on one game,” he told reporters at AAMI Park on Thursday.

“The next three weeks – how much is it going to change? We want to keep playing well, but I believe that the body of work that we’ve put in and the players have put in and the coaches have put in is really significant.

“To get from two wins [when I arrived at the club at the end of the 2013 season] to nine wins [so far in 2016] with a percentage over 100, with three games to go has been a terrific effort – and we are very young.

“The off-season is important and pre-season next year is really important, but there is some real growth clearly and we’re not going to lose any players. We’re still young and our older players, [like] Bernie [Vince] still looks really good. He played a great game last week, so it’s really exciting for the Melbourne footy club.”

Asked if he thought this year had been a success, Roos was adamant in his assessment.   

“I think so. It’s not finished – let’s be really clear on that, but absolutely [I see this year as successful],” he said.

“I think the steps along the way – last weekend was a great result on the back of the two-point win the week before, which was maybe a game we would’ve lost in the past.

“There have been enormous strides – the coaching group has done a fantastic job, and Goody (Simon Goodwin) and all of the assistants have been outstanding.

“The players are learning and getting better, and I think sometimes we forget, particularly on the back of last week that we’re still the youngest team in the competition at the moment. To be able to do that is pretty important, so there is still a lot of improvement in the group.”

Roos reiterated that he wouldn’t get involved in any post-season off-field trades, unless asked.  

“From my point-of-view, I’ve bowed out of all of those discussions, which is appropriate at this time of the year for me,” he said.

“I said to Josh [Mahoney] and Goody (Simon Goodwin] if you want any help, just knock on the door or give me a call or walk into my office.

“At this stage, I really don’t really know too much about what’s going on.”

Pressed if Melbourne was set to chase Essendon key defender/forward Michael Hurley, Roos said plenty would have to play out for that to happen.

“The first thing [that’s needed] is a phone call to the manager, just to see where he’s at,” he said.

“Sometimes that’s a quick phone call – ‘no, look, he’s going to commit to Essendon’ or it’s a longer phone call. The initial one, I would suspect most clubs would make to the manager.

“How far it goes from there is based on the answer from the manager really.”

Roos said the re-signing of the McDonald brothers – Tom and Oscar – were critical for the club.

“[They’re] important. Those [backline] ends are hard to find. You can get a good centre half-back and a good centre half-forward – it’s really, really important,” he said.

“I think what we do know is that it’s the whole make-up of the team that eventually gets you to become a premiership team.

“All parts are really important and the club was always confident he (T.McDonald) was going to stay. Tommy, as he said yesterday, was really keen to stay and it was just a matter of it dragging on a little bit longer than we thought. But that’s not a big deal and it’s all got done now and Oscar as well, who has turned into a really good young defender and there is some real improvement in him as well.”

Meanwhile, Roos said there was no chance he would coach any other AFL team next year.   

“No, definitely not,” he said.

“I’m looking forward to the three weeks and [I’m] really excited about where the club’s heading and [I’m] excited about Goody (Simon Goodwin) taking over and the coaching group that’s been assembled.

“I’m equally excited about riding off into the sunset.”