IT WAS a frustrating night for Melbourne on Thursday as it hosted Brisbane at the MCG.

The Dees welcomed the Lions to their home soil and despite being on a four-game winning streak, bowed out to the travelling team by 22 points.

Simon Goodwin joined media following the loss and was frank with his review of Melbourne’s performance.

“We got beaten by a very good team,” Goodwin said.

They beat us in all phases of the game, they were stronger, they were cleaner, they transitioned the ball better, and they defended better.

“So, that makes the game pretty tough.

“For us, we walk away, and we’ve got some work to do but we’ve all acknowledged internally for a few weeks now that we’re probably not playing to the level that we’re capable of.

“And tonight, we got exposed.”

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RD 5 | Post-Match Media Conference | Simon Goodwin

Watch Melbourne’s press conference after round five’s match against Brisbane

Many naysayers highlighted a potential change in energy levels within the Melbourne side, the Thursday game the third for the Dees within a 13-day period.

But Goodwin refused to use fatigue as an excuse, instead mentioning the adaptivity required within football.

“It probably didn’t look like us tonight, in all phases of the game,” Goodwin said.

“Three games in 13 days, it is a lot, with some travel involved as well.

“But I wouldn’t want to put that out there as an excuse for us and take anything away from the Lions, I thought they were terrific.

Every team goes through those little challenges within their season and their fixture, and you can’t use those things as excuses.

“When you rock up, your job is to perform as a footy club.”

One key positive from the game was Melbourne's never-give-up attitude seen in the last quarter.

Despite being down by 43 points at the final break, having only kicked three goals up until that point, a late surge from the Dees reduced the final margin to just 22.

The five-goal fourth quarter was spearheaded by Ben Brown, Jacob van Rooyen, Bayley Fritsch, Jake Lever and Max Gawn, with the skipper putting together an impressive display of 23 disposals, 51 hit-outs and eight clearances.

“To the players’ credit, they responded,” Goodwin said.

“You can never doubt that about this playing group, they’re a proud group, they’re competitive and they want to have success.

“They had their best quarter of footy for the night in the last quarter, which was pleasing to get something out of the game.”