While describing it as their best effort in an eight-game losing streak, Voss lamented a patch late in the second quarter where Melbourne banged on goals to take a 30-point lead to the main break.
He said while there were some positives from the match, the overall feeling was a hollow one after their 13th loss in 14 matches.
“As far as the feeling and the mood of the players it’s probably a little bit of anger that they couldn’t finish the job,” he said.
“I said to them after the game I probably thought it was the first time in eight or nine weeks where they had that genuine will to want to win.
“It’s been absent in its truest form for quite a while and to be able to miss out on that opportunity again has been a bit disappointing. The heat’s really on at the moment (and) we’ve just got to think a little bit clearer through situations.
“The same things sort of happen; we either drop our intensity or voice or whatever it is, direction, and they get a couple of goals and then you are certainly not thinking clearly about the situation in front of you.
“Due credit to Melbourne, they were able to lift that intensity at the right time and in the end that proved just enough for them to able to get over the line.”
In another dark night for the Lions, Xavier Clarke (hamstring) and Brendan Fevola (groin) took no part in the second half following first-half injuries.
Voss said both would miss two to three weeks and “walk the borderline of being able to play senior footy again this year”.
He said it was particularly disappointing for Clarke, who was playing his first senior game since becoming a Lion in the off-season after a long-term knee injury.
Voss also spared young midfielder Tom Rockliff after the second-year player gave away two free kicks in the second half that led to the Demons’ only goals after the main break.
“You know I really admire Tom and what he’s been able to do this year. He’s got leadership qualities written all over him. It just goes to show that you have got to channel it in the right way, however, and they end up costing you, those sorts of incidents.
“I don’t think I’ll have to tell him twice. He’s a character and I know by just letting him know that he’ll be disappointed in himself. That’s something he’ll have to go back and wait for another seven days until he gets another go at it.”
