Forwards’ pack mentality turning into a roadblock for Dees

MELBOURNE’S quest for a long-awaited finals berth could come down to how well its forwards stay out of each other’s way.

The Demons are blowing their chances in attack and it’s become a big focus heading into the business end of the season. Melbourne broke a three-game losing streak with last week’s comfortable win over Fremantle, but the team kicked a woeful 13.24.

The Demons also had more inside 50s in the previous two matches, when they lost to Port Adelaide and St Kilda.

Key forward Tom McDonald noted it wasn’t a problem earlier this season, when Melbourne kicked 100 points per match in their six-game winning streak.

“The midfield and backline are doing their job and getting the ball into us,” he said.

“We probably have to do a better job of giving each other some more one-on-ones, making some more space, because it’s very crowded in there when it gets kicked in.

“Me and Jesse (Hogan) and Max (Gawn) and some other guys have been working on not all jumping for the same ball, so we’re not having five or six guys in a pack.

“We know it can work because we had it working for six or seven weeks ... it’s just a work in progress.”

McDonald is wary of the Bulldogs, who were presenting a threat to Hawthorn at halftime of their game last Saturday.

The Hawks then went on a seven-goal rampage in the third term to kill them off — precisely the sort of forward line potency that the Demons need.