ON THE BACK of Melbourne’s opening win of the season, co-captain Jack Grimes says his side must back up with a strong performance against the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba this Sunday.

Speaking at AAMI Park on Monday, Grimes said after his team couldn’t just rest on the fact it had produced a 41 point win over Greater Western Sydney at the MCG on Sunday.

“We know that it’s only one win to start the season,” he said.

“We’re definitely not thinking that’s the one result we wanted, and now we want to relax.

“We really want to build on that, and it’s not going to mean much if we go out in a week and put in a poor performance. [We] really need to back it up and take that belief into next week.”

Grimes said the win over GWS was a strong reward for the Melbourne supporters, who have endured a tough start to the season and in recent times.  

“To see their faces after the game was awesome. They’ve stuck with us and the turn out on the weekend was amazing,” he said.

“Even during the week, the support [was great]. Lots of them came down to training and they sent messages to the club. It’s really been amazing, the support we’ve got from them.

“That win, we were as rapt as anyone for the fans, as we were for us and the coaches.”

But Grimes was equally happy for coach Mark Neeld, who has had to contend with an inordinate amount of challenges since he took over in September 2011.

“It was massive. We were rapt that he got that win and to see his face after the game was priceless, because he has been through a lot and credit to him, the belief that he’s kept with us players,” he said.

“What he’s got through personally - he gets up and instills his positivity in the group.

“He keeps us together and it’s a real credit to him and I think it’s been pretty clear, the support from us players towards Neeldy and what he’s doing at the moment and that’ll continue in the future, because we just love the way he’s going about it, and it was great to see him get the reward on the weekend.”

Grimes said Neeld was delighted with the way Melbourne responded – it kicked 12.2 to 2.2 in the final term.

“He was rapt with the way we responded, because our backs were against the walls in the third quarter and at three quarter time,” he said.

“Looking up at the scoreboard and seeing that we were 19 points [down], there would’ve been some nerves. But to come out and finish the way we did in the last quarter and run away with it, the way we did, we were absolutely rapt.

“That was the main message and we should take confidence from that and that we can come from behind and steal a victory like that. Moving forward, that’s the main message, to know that we can do it.”

A second rendition of the club theme song was belted out with gusto following the win, Grimes said. 

“Neeldy brought us into the little meeting room at the back. We got everyone involved in the song that’d been involved in the start to the year and helping us get that first win,” he said.

“It was really good to do it as a big group, with all of the players that weren’t playing and all the staff and the coaches.

“It was definitely belted out – that’s for sure.”

Grimes conceded it had been tough for the club, dealing with a host of issues, but the players and coaches had stuck together tightly through it.

“It wasn’t just the on field performance – there was a bit going on off field as well. It was tough at times and we weren’t expecting to start this year the way we have,” he said.

“But the main message to the group was just to stay together, because I think the easiest thing to happen would be the boys to splinter off into their little groups.

“Guys would start doubting different things, but it didn’t happen and credit to the boys, we stayed together really well. It makes the victory on the weekend a little bit sweeter, because we did stay together.”

But he said the relief on the players’ faces was evident on Monday morning. 

“It’s really good to see the guys walk in with big grins on their faces,” Grimes said.  

“Unfortunately, the last few weeks, the boys have been pretty flat coming into these sessions.”

“It was a bit of fun towards the end as well.”

Meanwhile, Grimes said key forward Mitch Clark would have precautionary scans on his foot on Monday.

“He’s getting precautionary scans this morning, and I spoke to him after the game and this morning and he’s pretty optimistic about it,” he said.

“He’s waiting for the scans, but he’s pretty optimistic that the results will come back all clear and he’ll be right to go.”