AFTER arguably Melbourne’s best performance of Season 7 with a win over Western Bulldogs at Casey Fields, Demons coach Mick Stinear was certainly a happy man. He expressed his delight with the four-quarter performance post-match following the 10.13 (73) to 1.3 (9) victory.

“Good. I think that was a pretty strong performance for across the four quarters, some really good time in forward half,” Stinear said.

“The mids were brilliant, they set the tone in there and made some good contests forward of the ball and our backs held up well, and probably over the first half of the season we’ve been scoring well when we go forward but haven’t really been defending that well in our forward half, and I thought the group found that balance today. We got good repeat entries and got some good time in our forward half of the ground.”

He sung the praises of a number of his players after the win, including vice-captain Kate Hore, who spent a little bit of time behind the ball on Sunday.

“Oh I think last year we put both of them [Hore and skipper Daisy Pearce] behind the ball at different times. It just depends on what the game looks like and what we’re wanting to achieve. They’re two different players with different strengths.

“Kate went there for small periods and got a good eye, and we’re conscious that’s something we’re going to need throughout the season to change momentum in games and be able to retain a lead. Kate’s versatile, she can go in the midfield and she can play a role across half back if we need.”

Someone else who earned the coach’s praises was Eden Zanker.

“She’s got a number of strengths. Strong, contested player, she’s got good endurance” Stinear said.

“Last year had a lot of inside mid time for us. I think with Olivia Purcell and Eliza West really stepping up into their midfield roles, it’s meant we’ve been able to use Eden as a forward which is where she started her career with us, and she’s really returning I guess a favour and the opportunity by hitting the scoreboard and giving us a strong contest. Today when we lost Loz [Pearce] before she was then able to step into the ruck and it was sort of seamless which is really pleasing.”

When asked about Zanker’s dual role as a forward and a midfielder, Stinear believed there was still a spot in both areas for her.

“She’s still growing and developing. I think she offer something in the midfield still, she’s a strong body, she’s got a penetrating kick, so I don’t think she has to get stuck in one position but at the moment with our team and how it’s functioning that’s probably her greatest strength up forward at the moment.”

Stinear also praised the work of Tayla Harris in the ruck, having been thrown in there by “necessity” to begin with, but the success of the experiment made it a more regular occurrence.

“I think it was by necessity in last year’s Grand Final to get Tayla in there but earning through that game it really helps her game and it helps the team,” he said. Again, she’s such an athlete, she gets first hands into the ruck and there’s some really good rucks like Alice Edmonds today, and then when she gets her hands on the ball the penetration on her kick and just her tenacity around the contest.

“We’re not just relying on Loz [Pearce] which we have done for a long time so in moments like today where we lost her unfortunately, team mates can just step up. It’s not foreign, they’ve been doing it for a while.”