Melbourne may have slumped to its 38th defeat in its past 46 matches to start the 2009 AFL season but there was a glimmer of hope for long-suffering fans thanks to the successful return of injury-plagued key defender Jared Rivers.

Rivers, the 2004 AFL Rising Star winner and one of the best defenders in the AFL, has played just nine games during the past two seasons due to groin and hip problems and there is no doubt his on-going absence has been linked to the Demons' poor record over the same period.

But while the Dees might have begun 2009 with another loss - to North Melbourne at the MCG on Sunday - the fact that Rivers not only played but got through the game without injury is a major morale boost for last year's wooden spooners.

"Jared took a big step from where he has been the last two years," Melbourne coach Dean Bailey said.

"He had a good pre-season, he had 50 percent game time up in Cairns (during his first pre-season match) then 75 percent the following week and then 80."

"We had to put him out there (in Round 1) to see what he had and he got through."

"He has pulled up really well so to have Jared Rivers fit and consistently playing well is good for us."

While Rivers had just nine disposals against the Kangaroos, the Demons are confident the big defender will soon begin to recapture his best form of 2004 and 2006 provided he gets a consistent run of games under his belt.

The 24-year-old is now in his seventh season but has played just 70 games but significantly in the only two years in which he has managed to play a full season - 2004 and 2006 - the Demons made the finals in both seasons.

Another player on the comeback trail from injury at Melbourne is midfield hard man Brent Moloney, who missed the second half of last season due to a shoulder injury.

But in his comeback game against North, Moloney led the Demons for possessions with 29 and Bailey believes the 25-year-old is in for a big year.

"Brent showed some desperate acts to win the ball and his second and third efforts were good," Bailey said.

"He has set himself for a big year and it's good to see him work hard and get some reward for it."