COACH Neil Craig says Melbourne has progressed in the second half of the season, simply as some of its younger players have added games experience to their status.

Craig highlighted Jack Viney and Jimmy Toumpas as examples of players who had developed in the second half of the season by simply gaining further game time.

“Just by [our] players playing another 10 or 11 games – that is important for a young group,” he said post-match

“For Jack Viney to play another 10 games is really important for his development and for [Jimmy] Toumpas to play another eight to 10 games is important, so just by playing at this level is important for the group.

“In terms of more advanced? I think the job Mark Neeld did was fantastic for the group in terms of setting standards and the competitive nature. I know Mark would have been proud watching guys in the third quarter because that is what he brought to the footy club. 

“But in general … another draft and some other picks over the pre-season will add some more depth to the midfield, which would be the key area for Melbourne.”

Reflecting on a tumultuous season, Craig said he was optimistic about Melbourne’s future and highlighted some of the talent that had emerged and would continue to come to the fore in 2014 and beyond.

“There have been a lot of changes, and there will be more changes now. The supporter base would say we're going to have more changes. What I would say to the supporters is this – I understand their impatience because they are being asked to go through another cycle and newness and hope,” he said.

“I have seen the way that Todd Viney has recruited and the quality of player he has recruited this year with [Dean] Terlich, Jack [Viney] and the supporters will see Jesse Hogan next year, who I can assure you, is a real talent up forward. Matt Jones [had a good year] and no one knew of Dean Kent, but you saw him [against the Bulldogs impress] and [Jimmy] Toumpas, you saw some of the things he did.

“There is genuine high performance talent there – that should give them a lot of hope. The Melbourne Football Club is not a quick fix, but it’s developing enough talent in the squad to be what I call genuine hope, not false hope.”