MISSING out on last year’s finals series still burns at co-captain Jack Viney.

Viney, who is set to play his first match of the season against Carlton at the MCG on Sunday, after being sidelined with a foot injury, said it was still at the forefront of his mind.

“It was a very important time for this footy club,” he said.

“We were on the verge of finals football and we just had to win and we were through.

“To have that not eventuate, certainly burned pretty hard and it still doesn’t sit too well with me.

“So, that was a tough few weeks and month after.”

Viney said missing out on last year’s finals – and helping Melbourne to play its first finals series since September 2006 – was driving him.

“I think so, definitely,” he said.

“Every goal [scored against] hurts at the moment.

“When you miss out on finals by a couple of goals, it’s quite easy to reflect on the season and look at all of the things that you could’ve done and changed, and done better.

“I’ve certainly got that mindset at the moment, where every goal [against] is hurting and every goal [for] is celebrated, because come the end of the year, you know how much it can really matter.”