MELBOURNE coach Mark Neeld says out-of-favour onballer Brent Moloney has struggled to adapt to the changing way the game is being played, with fewer midfield stoppages and quicker restarts diluting his greatest strength.

Moloney, last year's club best and fairest winner, has played VFL with the Casey Scorpions in the past two games after being subbed off at three-quarter time against St Kilda in round 20. 

The 28-year-old is a restricted free agent and likely to attract interest from opposition clubs, with Port Adelaide reported to be showing interest.

On Saturday he had more than 20 touches against Sandringham and was tagged for part of the game by St Kilda's Clint Jones.

"Brent's work ethic to try and get into form has been really good. Unfortunately he's just not in great form," Neeld said.

"There has been a whole lot of change in the way people see footy, so I might see footy a bit differently than his previous coach. That is not a negative, that is a reality.

"The rules have changed, stoppages are down, restart times are up, the game is played differently (and) the speed of the game certainly increased. So there are a whole range of things that are changing."

Neeld said Moloney was up for selection this week and he would sit down with the club for an in-depth review post-season.

Moloney's teammate Colin Sylvia has impressed Neeld with his leadership on and off the field and his consistent form in the second half of the season.

"Colin played one of the best games of his career last week and that goes missing when you get beaten by so much," Neeld said.

"He has been particularly consistent which is great for him. We know last pre-season he did not have one so that will be great, to get him a pre-season and see what he can take on. Although he is not an official member of the leadership group, the way Colin conducts himself around the club and the way he has been on the footy field … [he] has shown great leadership."

Neeld confirmed the club had not made an offer to Collingwood forward Travis Cloke, although he bemoaned the Demons' lack of marking power inside 50.

Melbourne faces an in-form Fremantle in its final game of the season on Saturday night at Patersons Stadium, a venue the Demons have not won at since 2004.

Neeld said the Demons would use the game as another opportunity to develop the style of play being implemented.

"We'll try a couple of different things perhaps, but we're fairly keen to keep a similar structure forward of the ball and teach our inexperienced midfield a certain way to play," Neeld said.

"I don't think the right thing to do is stick 17 people in the back 50 and just leave it in there and create an arm-wrestle with mass numbers."