MELBOURNE coach Dean Bailey says he thought his team had defeated Richmond at the MCG on Sunday when he left the coaches' box with just seconds remaining in the match.

Bailey left the box to meet up with his players on the hallowed turf, and did not see Jordan McMahon kick the match-winner for Richmond.

"When I got up, I thought we won the game with five or six seconds to go," Bailey said post-match.

"I heard the roar and McMahon's kicked their goal. I thought we won the footy game, so it's not often you get beaten with three or four seconds to go."

In what turned out to be an intriguing match, Bailey said he experimented with several players in different positions to create flexibility for the long term throughout his team.

He defended such moves as ruckman Paul Johnson playing in a key defensive post, saying Stef Martin's injury forced his hand.

Bailey said any perception that the Demons were tanking was going to happen regardless of the moves he made as coach.

"Those stories are going to be written, so there is not much that we can do about that," he said.

"I've said since last year, when Colin Sylvia was playing half-back last year from round two or three, that since then we're trying to develop flexibility in players."

Two players to earn praise from the second-year Melbourne coach were Ricky Petterd and Jack Grimes, both among the red and blue's best.

"In his last couple of years, he's (Petterd) had OP (osteitis pubis) and the situation on the ground a couple of years ago, when the doc almost saved his life," Bailey said.

"He had a terrific pre-season and we're just starting to see some of Ricky's ability as a midfielder. I think that was part of the reason why the club got him, so he's had good experience in the last two or three weeks.

"He (Grimes) missed his first three weeks with a back injury, coming off the pre-season. He's going to be a good player. We've seen him play well often during the year and those two players in particular have been pretty good in the last two or three weeks."

Bailey also said Sylvia was likely to return for Sunday's match against North Melbourne at Docklands.

"He got suspended for three weeks and we decided as a match committee that to reward Colin and picking him wasn't the right thing to do".

Meanwhile, Melbourne's injury woes continued against Richmond, with Martin (corked calf), Matthew Whelan (foot) and Jamie Bennell (knee) suffering setbacks.

It remains unclear at this stage if the trio will be available for round 19.