CO-CAPTAIN Jack Grimes says it’s imperative the club remains united and doesn’t fragment on the back of two shocking losses to start the 2013 season.

Speaking after Melbourne’s 148 point loss to Essendon at the MCG on Saturday night – the club’s third greatest ever loss – Grimes said coach Mark Neeld demanded his group stay tight in trying circumstances.   

“To be honest, there wasn’t much said at all about the game [from Neeld]. It was about how we respond as a group now,” he told melbournefc.com.au.

“The main message was that we can’t fracture off into our little groups or go off by ourselves – we have to get through this together, including the coaches and staff, [and] as hard as it is, including the supporters. We want to get through this as a club.

“That’s the last thing we’ll be doing as a footy club – splintering off into our little groups.”

On the back of Melbourne’s 79 point loss to Port Adelaide at the MCG in round one, Grimes said he never would’ve thought the situation would worsen a week on.

“It was the last thing I was expecting, to be standing in this position after the game,” he said.

“There was such positivity around the group after last week, and the focus was kept very simple to just go at the game and really take it on, and just compete.

“We haven’t done that, so to be honest, I can’t believe I’m standing in the same situation again. I honestly felt like this group was ready for this game and just ready to have a crack at it, but we weren’t.”