After bouncing back so admirably, now comes the real test for this young Melbourne team.

Demons coach Dean Bailey and his Collingwood counterpart Mick Malthouse both noted that Melbourne must carry the attitude they showed in Saturday's AFL match through to next week against Adelaide.

After an embarrassing round-one performance against Hawthorn, Melbourne were superb at the MCG on Saturday and should have won.

The Magpies fought grimly to win by a point, with Ricky Petterd dropping a juggled mark in the last few seconds.

Malthouse said that Melbourne always lift for his team, and now need to maintain that intensity.

"This is their test, and I'm not their coach, but the next side won't have black and white," he said.

Bailey was pleased with his team's efforts, but agreed that his young, developing side must use Saturday as a springboard.

"I do know, for Brad Green's 200th game, they were very, very keen, very focused on making up for the lack of effort in the first half last week," he said.

"The challenge has gone today, we've missed today's opportunity, we've got to make opportunities next week when we play.

"We need to take that bit of confidence out of today.

"I'd like to think next week, the same effort with the same attitude will bring us a better result."

Perhaps inevitably, the round-one shocker provided some unwanted focus on Bailey.

But he brushed aside the media talk of the last few days.

"I have great belief in the players and I've got great belief in Melbourne," he said.

"What's written is irrelevant, to be honest, because I think we have a terrific group of young players.

"You can only base it on what you do on the day and you can only base it on how the players perform during the two hours that they play.

"Today, I thought our players really had a crack - it's got nothing to do with me, it's got to do with the players."

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