Versatile Melbourne forward Matthew Bate has warned the Demons must put Sunday's spirited effort against high-flying Hawthorn behind them and bring the same intensity to the table each week.

Although the 19-point loss was an improvement on the 104-point shellacking Melbourne copped at the hands of the Hawks in Round 1, Dean Bailey's side still sits on the foot of the table.

And Bate said the players could not afford to be at ease with the honourable loss to the undefeated league-leaders.

"I think we showed a lot of improvement, it was a much better effort by the boys but we can't be happy with that," the rangy left-footer said ahead of recovery at Junction Oval on Monday morning.

"It's a big sign of improvement and it shows that any team on any day can step up and match it with the best."

"There are a few areas we can work on and if we had done a few areas different we could have won yesterday but that wasn't the case."

"I think we can take a lot out of the game and get a lot of confidence from it."

Bate, one of Melbourne's best on Sunday, said recently retired skipper David Neitz delivered a stirring speech to the players prior to the clash which served as a farewell for the 33-year-old.

"It was a touching moment, there were definitely some tingles down my spine. He spoke to us about what the game means to him and how lucky we are to be out there playing," Bate revealed.

"He won't get the chance play again unfortunately and he wanted us to play with the spirit that he played with and go out there and try to regain some respect."

"We can't just get pumped up for one game. We've got to take that message and play like David Neitz did his whole career."

"He was really proud of the boys," Bate added.

"He said he enjoyed watching the game and was really proud how everyone committed themselves."

Bate said a couple of fresh faces in the side had also put their hands up to become mainstays in the post-Neitz era.

"I think a lot of young players showed a lot yesterday. I thought Colin Garland's game on Lance Franklin was really good and he's a really good player of the future."