ASSISTANT coach Daniel McPherson says Melbourne conducted a thorough review following its disappointing 68-point loss to Fremantle at the MCG on Sunday.

Speaking to Dee TV, McPherson acknowledged the team was still learning, but added that it was “not acceptable to play really well one week and then so poorly the next”.

“We went through pretty fine detail, as coaches on the [Monday] morning and then we got the players in [on Monday] afternoon and then went through it again,” he said.

“We got them to individually assess their game in front of the whole group, which was pretty good. Most of them were pretty accurate we think and honest with their assessment.

“It was a really disappointing performance overall – right from the start. To let Fremantle kick four goals in the first 11 minutes set the scene for the rest of the day.

“We tried pretty hard for the next two and a half quarters to balance things up and then went in at three quarter-time only five goals down, so that wasn’t a bad result. But it was just disappointing in the last quarter not to offer a yelp.”

But the forward line coach was pleased with the effort of Jeff Garlett, who kicked three of Melbourne’s six goals against Fremantle.

“He was outnumbered a lot, but worked pretty hard and was able to kick three goals and he probably got burnt a couple of times, up on a lead, so he probably had the opportunity to kick five or six,” he said.

“But he was good.”

With a handful of injuries to Melbourne’s forward line in recent weeks, including Sam Frost (toe), Dean Kent (hamstring) and Chris Dawes (calf), McPherson said it was an opportunity for others to step-up in attack.

“We’ve changed through necessity in the last couple of weeks and you’ve got to be prepared for that,” he said.

“Good teams are able to replace guys, so it’s more about the role than the individual. We’re trying to get to that stage, but we’re not at that stage just yet.

“The guys that came in tried pretty hard [like] Pedo (Cameron Pedersen), who tried pretty hard in the ruck and up forward. With Kenty out, Jay [Kennedy-Harris] and Jeffy [Garlett] have had a bit more responsibility in that crumbing role.

“Angus Brayshaw and Benny Newton have rolled through half-forward as well, so it’s been good.”