NEGATIVE feedback on social media has become an "industry-wide" problem, Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin says.
Goodwin spoke out after Crows-turned-Demons defender Jake Lever publicly revealed he had deleted his Twitter account after copping heavy criticism following his slow start with the club.
Lever told News Corporation that social media "does more harm than good".
His coach supported his stance.
"I just think it's a great story around social media and the impact it can have on people. Nobody's immune to it," Goodwin told reporters on Saturday.
"I'm sure social media's got a great place in society for a whole range of different reasons, but (it) is certainly not a place where players should be receiving the sort of feedback that they get.
"It's a great lesson also for players, and I guess for everyone, to block out the noise.
"He made this decision a while ago and I think he's come back in some terrific form, so full credit to Jake."
Goodwin revealed the Demons had been forced to address the perils of social media with players.
"Without question, the last two years we've had a number of players in a similar position and I think that's a concern industry-wide around social media and the effects that it can have," he said.
"So I think it was a really brave decision by Jake to put that out there and clearly he's making a stance."
Goodwin said his players were "in great spirits" in the lead up to Sunday's clash with Essendon after making "some progressions" in the Anzac Day Eve loss to reigning premiers Richmond.
With just a five-day turnaround, the Demons made five changes, two of them forced with Christian Petracca (infected finger after being bitten by a dog) and Dean Kent (hamstring).
The big inclusion is swingman Tom McDonald, who will play his first game of the season after overcoming a toe injury.
"He had a fantastic pre-season – we trained him up all summer as a forward," Goodwin said.
"He's an important part of our team and he's an experienced player (and) he provides a real contest aerially for us and a real predictability about how we play.
"It's great to get him back. I know he's been really looking forward to this opportunity.
"It's just a great thing for the Melbourne footy club to get an experienced player back."
Goodwin said McDonald would help the connection between the Demons' midfielders and forwards.
"We're doing well in terms of our contested ball and our ability to turn the ball over through the middle of the ground – it's now (about) our ability to connect and obviously be more efficient going inside 50, and (McDonald) will certainly add to that," he said.
"He understands how they move together and the way we want to move the ball."
Goodwin said co-captain Jack Viney was still two weeks away from returning from a foot problem that has sidelined him for the opening rounds.
