Neil Craig has warned Melbourne must improve dramatically or risk becoming AFL try-hards.

The Demons were never a chance in sodden conditions at Geelong on Saturday, losing to the Cats by 68 points.

They only managed 19 inside 50s – a record low since the AFL started keeping the statistic in 1999.

Their 4.6 (30) at Simonds Stadium also equalled their lowest score at the ground.

It was not as bad as their 186-point humiliation at the same ground two years ago, which cost then-coach Dean Bailey his job.

But it was terrible enough.

Since Craig took over from Mark Neeld as coach last month, the Demons had shown signs of improvement in their last three matches.

Craig could also see glimpses of life in Saturday’s downpour, but said they had to show much more.

“We were outclassed, we were out-positioned and all those sorts of things,” Craig said.

“Unless you keep the fight and mentality to keep trying in this game, you have nothing.

“So we’re trying to build on that.

“But in the end, we need to add a lot more to that because you end up being a try-hard club and that doesn’t get you anywhere either.”

At least Craig could point to the contested ball statistic, which Geelong only won by 11.

Last week, Sydney were a whopping 40 ahead of the Demons in that area.

“In those conditions, against Geelong, if we weren’t on our best behaviour in that area it could have been totally blown out of the water,” Craig said.

“That comes from a mentality of staying with the task.

“I was pleased with our capacity to just stay at it, even though it was pretty archaic in the way we went about it.

“I have great admiration for our mental capacity to stay in the contest, even though we were outclassed.”