MELBOURNE best and fairest winner Nathan Jones has described 2013 as the most difficult season of his career, admitting there were times he was so depressed about the club's results, he found it hard to turn up and play.
The tough midfielder had a strong season on an individual front, averaging 23 disposals a game despite being tagged most weeks, to win his second straight 'Bluey' Truscott trophy.
But the Demons' heavy run of defeats, particularly in the first half of the season in the lead-up to coach Mark Neeld's sacking, took a heavy emotional toll.
In an interview on melbournefc.com.au, Jones described the year as, "The worst I'd been involved in."
"Just the weight of numbers, in terms of some of the defeats, were pretty demoralising," Jones said.
"The rollercoaster of emotion a day or two after the game, when you're down in the dumps and almost depressed to the point where you need to dig yourself out of the hole.
"But eventually, the ledger has got to turn and we've got to take advantage of those opportunities."
The lowest of low points came in round two, when Melbourne players were booed from the MCG after a 148-point loss to Essendon.
"There were times within the 24 to 48 hours after that game [where I thought] 'I don't want to go back to the 'G and play again,'" Jones said.
"But the courage of the group was there to face up to it [the next week], and yet we got beaten by 94 points.
"It's such a huge amount of emotions that you have to pull together to get the group working.
"But I think we made some inroads towards the end of the year."
Melbourne has had a busy off-season, luring Paul Roos as senior coach, and adding Dom Tyson and Bernie Vince to a midfield that was desperately in need of support for Jones.
The 25-year-old is excited about working under Roos, and optimistic there are better times ahead.
"I think the future is still really bright," Jones said.
