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AAP
AAP
Oliver Caffrey

Demons continue to work with Pickett after another ban

Melbourne will continue to support Kysaiah Pickett after his third suspension within a year. (Julian Smith/AAP PHOTOS)

Melbourne will continue to work with Kysaiah Pickett on honing his on-field aggression after the livewire forward was suspended for the third time in 12 months.

The Demons star will miss Thursday night's blockbuster against the Brisbane Lions at the MCG after receiving a one-match ban for making rough conduct on Adelaide's Jake Soligo.

It adds to two suspensions Pickett accumulated last season, including one for an incident with Carlton captain Patrick Cripps in Melbourne's semi-final loss.

The 22-year-old also copped a two-match ban early in the season for a big bump on Western Bulldogs gun Bailey Smith.

"This isn't the first conversation that we've had (with Pickett)," Demons coach Simon Goodwin said on Wednesday.

"He's certainly modified the way he goes about it.

"He's a high pressure, high intensity player, and we love what he brings.

"He has modified what he does ...  he will continue to improve in that space.

"What we don't want is one of our best players missing games of footy so we'll keep working with Kozzy.

"What he has got an appetite to do is learn get better and do it better and that's what we love about him."

Demons superstar Christian Petracca backed Pickett after the challenge at the tribunal failed on Tuesday night.

Melbourne football performance boss Alan Richardson also threw his support behind Pickett's aggression.

"When you get suspended you've got to look at examples where you can get better at it," Goodwin said.

"I think what both Alan and Christian are saying is we love his intensity, the way he goes about his pressure.

"But can you get better at it? And that's what we do.

"You've got to learn from your experiences as you go through, and that's what the best players do."

Though Soligo finished the game and subsequently played down the incident, the AFL is continuing to crack down on head high contact.

The is AFL dealing with an ongoing class action from dozens of former players against the league relating to concussion.

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