MELBOURNE'S major off-season recruit Steven May almost certainly won't play again this season after damaging his left hamstring again on Saturday.

May's first year in red and blue mirrored his new club's in some ways, with three separate hamstring issues – the first back in February – a suspension and a serious groin setback ruining any hope of an impact.

The 27-year-old former Gold Coast co-captain was playing his first match since straining the same hamstring against West Coast in round 18.

May limped off in the last quarter of the 17-point loss to Collingwood, capping a disappointing day for the Demons, who led by 11 points early in the second term but trailed by as many as 42.

He's played only eight games in 2019 since effectively being swapped for ex-Melbourne spearhead Jesse Hogan, who's also endured a difficult season at Fremantle.

"It's really frustrating for Steven, first and foremost. He's put in a lot of work, and got himself in some really good condition physically to play some really good footy," coach Simon Goodwin said.

"We've got to assess. We don't know for sure the damage, but it's looking more likely he'll miss the remainder of the season now.

"He's (27), he's done a lot of work on his body throughout the season to get in some really good shape, and he's played some really strong footy for us in the five or six games he's played.

"We're really confident in what he's going to be able to deliver for our footy club (next year and beyond)."

Angus Brayshaw started the match without his trademark helmet, which he's worn since sustaining a series of concussions a few years ago, but it wasn't an attempt to shake out of his form slump – he just forgot.

The helmet was eventually brought out to him before quarter-time, with the lack of goals delaying the process, and he went on to win 26 disposals in an encouraging display.

Brayshaw had averaged only 14 possessions in his previous five games.

Goodwin also swung usual-defender Oscar McDonald forward with minimal success, but he was pleased with his second-from-bottom team's start and fast finish, including the final four goals.

"I thought the game was looking good early. There are some things we're trying and implementing within our game style and system, and early it looked really solid," he said.

"Defensively we were pretty tight and the way we were moving the ball helped that, so that was the positive early.

"We probably didn't quite get the reward we were looking for, but all in all we still kept them to five points in the first quarter, so that was pretty positive.

"But the middle part of the game, we just strayed away from some of those things for too long and then we got punished on the scoreboard."

Collingwood punished the Demons on turnover during a stretch of seven unanswered goals either side of half-time that killed the match as a contest.

"We're still adjusting on the run with a few of those things and trying to implement some things moving forward as a club," Goodwin said.

"So, there are some things there, obviously, people can see that we're trying, and they were pretty positive, but we went away from it for too long in those second and third quarters, and we suffered.

"We got burnt on turnover again in those quarters and that was where the game was, really."