Melbourne coach Paul Roos has warned club supporters of even more changes to on-field personnel over the off-season.
The Demons lost to Fremantle by nine goals at Domain Stadium on Sunday after the Dockers kicked the first 10 goals of the game.
While Roos said he was proud of the way his side bounced back after a slow start, it's difficult to tell how much of the "even" second half was due to the Demons' play - or the Dockers' self-preservation.
The 10-goal start cemented top spot for Lyon's men and they took the chance to send skipper Matthew Pavlich to the bench early. And the intensity dropped considerably after half-time.
With injuries hurting the Demons in the latter stages of the season and the finish line to 2015 in sight, recent performances haven't been great.
In the past three weeks they have lost by an average of 58 points, including a 23-point loss to bottom side Carlton.
And games have been over early as the Demons have managed 1.5 in combined first terms over those three weeks, giving away 19.6. By half-time the Western Bulldogs, Blues and Dockers had kicked a combined 35.10 to Melbourne's 8.9.
"If you look at the scores over the weekend; clearly the top teams are ramping up before the finals," Roos said after the loss to Fremantle.
"We're sort of looking at trends in the season and when we do get a contest, we are a good side and we proved that again today. But when the backside falls out of our game, it falls out of our game.
"We're certainly not a team at the moment to have so many players out of the team. We actually also need to make some decisions in the off season and get some new players in.
"I want to finish the season off really well next week. I said to the players come ready to play like you did today – that's what we want next week.
"I am really excited about having another pre-season with these guys – (Christian) Salem coming back, we see what a talent he is. I thought (Jesse) Hogan, the way he fought back, it shows what a competitor [he is].
"So some really, really good signs from the footy club, it's just going to take time and people do get impatient. I do understand that."
The Demons host Greater Western Sydney at Etihad Stadium on Sunday searching for a possible seventh win and 13th spot finish on the ladder.
If they manage that, it will be the club's best finish since 2011 when they managed 8.5 wins and finished 12th.
The Demons are likely to recall Angus Brayshaw and James Harmes, who were rested in round 22, and Chris Dawes is likely to return to the forward line.
But they are likely to be without skipper Nathan Jones who was subbed out of the game against the Dockers with an ankle injury. He appeared from the rooms on crutches and in a moon boot. Jack Spencer also missed a lot of the game due to concussion.
