MELBOURNE players are performing with a new freedom underinterim coach Neil Craig, co-captain Jack Trengove says. 

He said the former Adelaide coach had brought a freerplaying style to the team after 18 months under Mark Neeld. 

"Coming from Neeldy, he probably took the moredefensive approach and really tried to put a strangle on the game, and there'sno doubt we've learnt some great principles from that, which we showed on theweekend as well," Trengove said on SEN radio. 

"Craigy's probably brought more of a freedom and whenwe have the ball in our hands, really trying to test the opposition offensivelyand make them defend us. 

"There's no doubt this year we've done a lot of chasingtail and it's now our turn when the ball gets in our hands to really make themdefend us. 

"That's probably what Craigy's brought." 

Trengove said "the freshness of a new voice" couldhave been behind the lift in performance at the weekend that led to athree-point win over the Western Bulldogs, but conceded it was up to the players"to maintain that and keep it going forward". 

He also said teammates believed Jack Watts had thecapability to consistently play the way he did against the Bulldogs. 

The often-maligned former No.1 draft pick was crucial in thenarrow win over the Dogs, with four goals and a key role in defence when thegame was up for grabs. 

Trengove said the Demons hoped Watts could build on hisperformance. 

"Wattsy did have a great game; it was probably one ofhis best all-round games or four-quarter efforts. 

"Hopefully he can just keep building on that. All theplayers and his teammates know he's capable of it; it's just a matter of doingit more consistently, which I'm sure he will." 

Jennifer Phelan is areporter for AFL Media. Follow her on Twitter @AFL_JenPhelan.