Coach doesn't pull punches in assessing Swans' shocker

Sydney coach Dean Cox has offered a damning assessment of the Swans' 53-point smashing by Melbourne, believing his players didn't "fight to the end".

Beaten grand finalists after clinching the minor premiership last year, Sydney's AFL season is on the brink after slumping to 4-7 following Sunday's 19.17 (131) to 12.6 (78) loss at the MCG.

It has been a brutal start to Cox's coaching career, after he took over in November when John Longmire called it quits.

The final margin flattered Sydney, as Melbourne's first-half inaccuracy kept the Swans in the match on the scoreboard.

But the Demons rammed home their advantage by booting 13 goals after halftime.

"Our inconsistencies are way too frequent, in games and week to week," Cox said.

"Come in with a mindset that no matter where you are, whatever you position you're in you fight to the end. And we didn't do that."

Cox has refused to blame a lengthy injury list and several suspended players for the poor form that leaves Sydney 13th on the ladder.

Errol Gulden, Tom Papley and Logan McDonald have been sidelined long-term, while key forward Joel Amartey is only one game into a three-match suspension.

"This is nothing to do with injuries," Cox said.

"This is about the way we're playing.

"At the minute, we are inconsistent in facets of our game.

"We're good for a period, we drop away the next time, and something else comes to be OK.

"We are not putting it together, and we have to get back to that.

"That's what we spoke about straight after the game.

"It's on all of us that were in that room, and we have to change that."

Souring the result even further was captain Callum Mills, who has endured a torturous run with injury, certain to find himself in trouble with the match review officer.

Mills launched himself off the ground and made contact with Charlie Spargo in the third term, forcing the umpires to intervene and send the Demons forward off for a head injury assessment.

Spargo was later subbed out of the game, but Melbourne insisted it was a tactical move and that he passed a concussion test.

The Demons will monitor him closely over coming days.