FOUR wins, three losses, fourth on the ladder.

Melbourne had a seemingly positive AFLW season in 2019 but still have plenty to work on after failing to qualify for the finals for a third consecutive year.

Heading into the last game of the competition the Demons were within striking distance of the top-two in Conference A, but a 60-point loss to Adelaide knocked them out of premiership contention in devastating fashion.

“Adelaide certainly took things up a few notches,” senior coach Mick Stinear told Melbourne Media.

“We were definitely disappointed because our final game didn’t reflect improvement from our team from the start of the program to the finish, and that’s something we have to live with.”

While the Demons had their sights set on ultimate glory this year, Stinear knows exactly where the club is at.

“Adelaide showed we weren’t ready to play against the best in the competition, so we deserved to finish where we did,” he said.

“We want to be a team that wins those big games and grabs ahold of those opportunities.”

Despite a disappointing conclusion to the campaign, Stinear is proud of his side’s development over the summer.

“Considering we introduced 10 new players into the team from the previous year, the growth across the individuals amongst our team on and off the field was brilliant,” he said.

“Ultimately, we want to be a team that performs on the big occasions and in the big moments, so that’s an area we’ll focus on.

“I’m pleased with where we’ve got to, but there’s still a hell of a lot of work to do and we know we’ve got more to offer.”

The girl’s growth was evident in 2019, as the Dees played a free-flowing brand of footy for fans to enjoy.

“The work that the girls have put into their skills, their fitness, their strength – they’re improving daily,” Stinear said.

“The standard of footy took a big step forward and that attracted more fans to the games and made the games more entertaining.”

Aside from the on-field performances, Stinear acknowledged the strength of the club’s culture and the passion among the group.

It is clear that the girls love playing for Melbourne and are working together to improve as a collective.

“We’ve got 31 quality girls a part of our program and obviously we’re really selective on who gets to wear the red and blue and who comes through the doors,” Stinear said.

“We’re proud of the people in our program and now that we’ve got those good relationships, we need to challenge ourselves to be better and … be there for each other when it matters most.

“There’s a lot to be excited about and I know this group is determined to be the best in the competition and that’s where we want to get to.”

With four new teams entering the AFLW in 2020, it is important for Melbourne to keep its core group together next season, and Stinear is confident of significant improvement across the board.

“We’ll have a really consistent group moving forward – there won’t be a lot of change from our list from year to year,” he said.

“It is a great opportunity now to work on those areas and put it all on display when February comes around next year and season four kicks off.”