Melbourne have dropped premiership defender Jake Lever and key forward Jacob van Rooyen for Saturday’s clash with Gold Coast — as they aim to bring the fun back to goalkicking after a season blighted by missed chances.

The Demons were destroyed by the Suns at the MCG in their 0-5 start to the season and, after winning five of their next six games, have since lost three straight matches.

But they have resisted making any tough calls at selection until now, with Lever and van Rooyen dropped alongside 2023 No.7 pick Caleb Windsor.

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Goodwin summoned a trio of emerging talent in Matthew Jefferson, Koltyn Tholstrup and Harry Sharp while the Suns replaced Nick Holman and Alex Sexton.

Van Rooyen has managed just six goals in eight games this year after returns of 30 last year and 28 in his debut 2023 campaign.

Lever missed eight games with an ankle injury, initially returning via the VFL before earning a recall to the seniors a month ago.

While the high-profile defender will make way, the Dees’ attack has been under the spotlight after kicking a combined 26.46 against St Kilda, Collingwood and Port Adelaide over the past three weeks.

“We’re getting the quality of supply, now it’s about how we maximise those opportunities,” Melbourne coach Goodwin said on Thursday.

“If you look across a bigger period, whether that be three, four, five years, our ability to convert is actually sitting OK.

“This year it’s not to the level, but it’s one of those things, the more you talk about goal-kicking, the worse you get.

“It’s like putting for the golfers out there, that if you focus on something that’s a real outcome-based skill, sometimes you get worse. So we’re going to take all that pressure away.”

The Lions, who are on track to play finals for a seventh straight season, have also struggled with their shots at goal.

But Brisbane remarkably turned it around last Friday night by beating Geelong at GMHBA Stadium for the first time in 22 years.

Lions players even discussed celebrating points as a way to take the pressure off kicking for goal.

“It’s a great mindset to have,” Goodwin said of the Lions’ approach.

“I look at that as refreshing.

“In such an outcome-based skill, sometimes you’ve got to just make sure that your processes are right, and get rid of all the anxiety.

“Anxiety can create a pressure that’s not healthy.

“Everyone wants to kick goals, but the less you talk about it, sometimes, the better you get.”

Before being thrashed by 58 points earlier this year, Melbourne hadn’t lost against the Suns since 2014.

But Gold Coast are a far different proposition than previous years, with their midfield of Noah Anderson, Matt Rowell and Touk Miller now one of the best in the AFL.

“They played an outstanding game last time we played,” Goodwin said.

“It was a really clear indicator that the Gold Coast Suns are a tough team, and they’re going places.”

Gold Coast sit just outside the eight but with games in hand on the competition, while Melbourne are 14th and three wins out of the finals places.

- with AAP