COACH Paul Roos says he’s yet to decide who will have first crack on the player he deems the best in the business, when the Demons host the Gold Coast Suns at the MCG on Sunday.

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Roos said co-captain Nathan Jones, who produced a fine performance on opposing Carlton skipper Marc Murphy on Saturday at the MCG could be given a crack at Ablett. Although Jordie McKenzie’s brilliant effort on Ablett last year could give him the nod.

“We just felt Nathan’s game was exceptional on the weekend and the way he worked through that – which is a new role for him,” Roos said from AAMI Park on Monday.

“Every player’s different and Gary’s a different player to Marc Murphy and Murphy’s a super player, as is Gary, so once we get to the middle of the week, we can start looking forward.”

Roos said Ablett now had several teammates that needed to be carefully monitored. 

“The biggest thing you notice is that they’re less reliant on Gary,” he said.

“He’s maintained his enormous standards, but the development of their other midfielders around him has been really good. [Dion] Prestia has become a good player, [Jaeger] O’Meara obviously and [David] Swallow has gone back in the midfield again and started to play some really good football also.

“You’ve really got to keep an eye on all of them, because they’re developing a quality midfield group. I consider Gary the best player in the competition, so you’re really got to have a good look at him as well.” 

Roos said Melbourne needed to produce a strong effort against the Suns on the back of its first win of the season. 

“We’ve got to give effort every single week. I don’t think it matters whether we play home or away – when you finish 17th as we did last year – you know every team is very, very difficult,” he said.

“If we play 100 per cent we’re in the game and hopefully we can stay in the game for as long as we possibly can for the weekend.

“They’ll (Gold Coast) be disappointed with their performance on the weekend, but they did play a great team in Hawthorn. They’ve (Hawthorn) been in fantastic form and they belted Freo the week before as well.”

Meanwhile, Roos, who sang the Melbourne theme song for the first time in a home and away match against the Blues, said he would be better versed next time around.

“What I’ll say is that the Beverley Hills junior footy club have the same song and there are two different lines,” he said with a smile.

“I was actually singing the Beverley Hills one – not the Melbourne. I’ve just got to get those lines right.”