AT THREE-QUARTER time on Saturday afternoon, Melbourne coach Mark Neeld stood before his players at Etihad Stadium and told them they had just produced a term of football that wasn't up to AFL standard.

The message came after the Demons conceded six goals to North Melbourne - five of which came in a row in the opening 10 minutes - and managed to nail just two themselves.

It resulted in the team trailing by 53 points at the last change after being within 25 at the main break.

"It was a blunt message. He basically put it to the boys and said that it was about time this club stood up and be counted for something," veteran forward Brad Green said after his 250th AFL game in which he booted three goals.

"To their credit, they sort of responded a little bit in that last quarter.

"As he said, the third quarter wasn't to AFL standard and he bluntly told us that at three-quarter time.

"You can look at our pressure. North Melbourne just moved the ball too easily. There's indicators we look at as a club, and those indicators showed that we didn't put pressure on them."

Potential lethargy caused by playing in Darwin's heat last week wasn't an issue, with Neeld and Green vehement in not using that as an excuse

Neeld's strong words seemed to resonate with his players, with the Demons losing the last quarter by just one point - and the game by 54.

He was happy with quarters two and four, and the performance of Brent Moloney (29 disposals) and Nathan Jones (32).

Moloney was playing his first senior game since round 15, after spending one week in the VFL and last weekend sitting out with the Casey Scorpions on a bye.

He responded to the omission with what Neeld called his best game for the year.

"There's never been an issue with Brent's attitude or work ethic. He was out of the side because he couldn't find the ball," Neeld said.

"He's come back today and did some really good things.

"It was nice; one of the conversations we had with Brent, for a few weeks there, it looked like he was carrying around the Southern Stand on his shoulders ... it was just about him going back and playing without it, and I thought he did that today."

The Demons will face Gold Coast, St Kilda, Greater Western Sydney, Adelaide and Fremantle in their final games of season 2012.

Despite finals being out of the club's reach for the sixth consecutive year, Neeld said it wasn't a matter of putting the cue in the rack and more an opportunity to ensure the players poised to take the group forward maintained standards.

"We're adamant we're not just going to let the last five rounds peter out," Neeld said.

"There's always things to play for at elite level AFL footy.

"We've got a predominantly young group and they're very clear with how they want to conduct the Melbourne footy club's business, and their role is on the field.

"It's very important we all keep driving those standards, and AFL clubs we know are fluid with regards to the people that play each year, and it's really important they keep driving those standards.

"As they become more experienced themselves, they become ingrained, and when people join the group, they're really clear with them as to what those standards are."

Jennifer Witham is a reporter for AFL Media. Follow her on Twitter @AFL_JenWitham.