DEFENDER James Frawley says his team wasted a golden opportunity to upset the Adelaide Crows on their home turf.

Although the Demons went down by 68 points at AAMI Stadium on Saturday, they led at quarter-time and trailed by just 23 points at the three minute mark of the final term. Frawley said it was a missed chance to post a rare win in 2013.  

“I thought even after three quarter-time we were still in with a shot,” he told melbournefc.com.au.

“In the last quarter we were only 20-odd points down, so we were still a fighting chance.  A few undisciplined acts from a few of the boys let us down and it probably cost us in the last quarter.

“It’s very frustrating for us players, everyone involved in the footy club, especially the supporters as well. You could see the boys having a go and it was pretty good for three quarters, except the last quarter let us down.”

Frawley said the Demons went into the match upbeat that they could gain the points on the road. 

“Definitely. We came into the game and we were pretty confident. All the boys were confident and thought we were a good chance to win the game or at least be in the game right until the siren goes,” he said.

“We just let ourselves down in the last quarter.”

Frawley, who returned against the Crows after three matches on the sidelines with a hamstring injury, said he came through well, although he found the going a bit tougher towards the end of the match.

“I thought I was OK for three quarters,” he said.

“I was a bit sore in the legs and a bit heavy after three weeks [sidelined]. You start to cramp up a bit in the groin, but I got through it and I’ll look forward to next week against the Bulldogs.”

With just one more match remaining for the Demons in 2013, Frawley said it had been a tough season to endure, but he was optimistic about finishing the year strongly against the Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium next Sunday.

“It’s been a pretty average five or six years – it hasn’t been great,” he said.

“Hopefully, it can turn around sooner than later, and you remain optimistic and positive and we’ll see what happens with the new coach next year.

“We’re not sure how that’s going to turn out. Hopefully, the new coach or Craigy – we’ll have a different style and structures and we’ll take that into next year, and have a bit of confidence and play some good footy.”