Against the Giants on Sunday, Melbourne hit the front late in the third term before going down by 32 points. 

The Demons lost the disposal count 92-56 in the final 29 minutes of the game and had five players fail to manage a disposal in the last quarter. 

Melbourne was also out-tackled 115-70 in wet conditions and had 17 fewer scoring shots for the game.

 

Since taking over as Melbourne coach, Roos has preached the need for positive reinforcement to a squad low on confidence.

However, Roos' frustrations overflowed on Sunday when he gave Dean Terlich a tongue-lashing at three-quarter time after the defender failed to follow a specific instruction. Roos was captured on camera giving the 23-year-old a spray as the team went to the huddle.

"[We need to] focus on the things we are doing wrong so we can correct them to make sure we can get better," Roos said on Monday.

  

"Dean and I had a bit of a discussion when he was on the bench about making sure we kick it long to the rucks and the centre-half back and then he kicked it short to 'Fitzy' (Jack Fitzpatrick) and they kicked a goal," Roos said. 

"They are just reminders. Sometimes [they are] a bit stronger than other times but given I had a direct discussion with him, I just thought he didn't hear me quite loud enough, so I had to say it a little bit louder."

 

It was an indication that the same attitudes that have frustrated previous Melbourne coaches - delisted midfielder Cale Morton was once on the receiving end of a similar 'reminder' from Mark Neeld - are getting to Roos too.

However, he was quick to emphasise it was an isolated incident and that Terlich has been very good for most of the season. 

 

He revealed he has turned to Essendon coach Mark Thompson to learn about the fellow premiership coach’s experiences rebuilding Geelong, as he grapples with the tough job of lifting the Demons from the bottom.

 

Roos – who appears on Fox Footy's AFL 360 with Thompson – said it was useful to understand the path clubs such as Geelong and Hawthorn took as they tried to become competitive again after a falling in a hole in the early part of the last decade.

 

He said the main advice he gleaned was to hold fast to the game-plan but don't hesitate to change the personnel and roles within the team in order to find a spark.

 

"We are not going to change the game-plan; you change the personnel within the game-plan," Roos said.

 

On Sunday he moved full-back James Frawley up forward and played Jeremy Howe in defence. Both moves seemed to work despite the Demons failing to notch a win.

 

He doesn't have many alternatives at VFL level with ruckman Mark Jamar still underdone after a 70 minute hit-out for Casey on Sunday and Colin Garland, Chris Dawes and Jesse Hogan yet to play at all this season.

Roos also revealed Jack Trengove was sent back to the VFL last week purely to enjoy his footy again after an extended battle for form.

 

Roos said the club would not compromise on selection and players had to perform well consistently at VFL level to earn a senior spot. The best performed player in the VFL was rookie Neville Jetta. However, the club does not intend to elevate him to make him available for senior selection.

Roos said it was too early to say to what extent list changes were necessary, adding coaches and football staff would have a better handle on how dramatically things needed to change midway through the season.

 

At the moment, he was focused on teaching the players and trying to find ways he could get his message across.

 

The coach said he was still unsure what might happen when Mitch Clark's management met with the Demons this week but he remained supportive of the club's approach.

 

"Our concern is for him and his health and that is getting better," Roos said. 

"If that involves football, fantastic, if it doesn't well I'm supportive of that as well."