Melbourne will be looking to rediscover their AFLW mojo after dropping two of their opening three games, coach Mick Stinear says.
Handed a reality check by the Brisbane Lions and North Melbourne, the Demons are gearing up to get their season back on track when make the trip west to take on Fremantle this Saturday.
The 2022 premiers, 14th on the ladder with a 1-2 record, could be in real danger of missing out on finals for the first since 2019 if they fall short of victory on the weekend.
Stealing a two-point win over Geelong in round one, Melbourne hit their first speed bump when the Lions secured an 18-point triumph at their Casey Fields home before the Kangaroos thrashed them by 50 points.
Banking early wins is crucial for post-season aspirations in a campaign that is only 11 matches long.
Stinear, who has coached the Dees since the league's 2017 inaugural season, is confident his team can rediscover their flow before entering a compressed fixture.
Melbourne will play four matches between October 9 and 24 with the introduction of midweek fixtures this year.
"This next period gives us a chance to get our set-up right, make sure individually we can limit our opponent's impact on the game, but then still be able to play our own way as well," Stinear said.
"Next time we meet teams like (Brisbane and North Melbourne), we want to be much stronger and much more even with our midfield in terms of our accountability and ownership.
"We haven't been able to get into flow at the moment, and we've got three weeks now where we get a chance to actually build before we go into that compressed fixture.
"It presents a great opportunity for us. The more footy, the better for us.
"Footy is the best thing for us at the moment to find that connection, to find that flow, and find that formula for hard work and getting rewarded."
Gold Coast and Geelong will be looking to notch their first wins of the season when they face-off on Saturday, before ladder leaders St Kilda host Hawthorn and Melbourne take on Fremantle.
West Coast will host the Brisbane Lions on Sunday after both sides played in midweek round-four fixtures, with the Eagles defeating Collingwood on Tuesday before Brisbane beat the Bulldogs on Wednesday.
The Magpies and the 'Dogs also return to action against each other on Sunday, while Adelaide host Essendon and Sydney take on GWS.
