Buckenara: Dees List Overrated

[Demonland 64,416]

From October 31, 2018

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/more-news/list-expert-gary-buckenara-analyses-every-afl-clubs-list-after-the-2018-season/news-story/4d389d8fdd4acbba0a3ecb20c88c7609

MELBOURNE

“Regardless of that preliminary final result, there is so much to look forward to for Melbourne in the very near future and with the finals monkey off the back, who knows where the Demons can go next season.

“But while there is that positive angle, there is also the negative and what clubs must be wary of after a successful season (albeit without silverware). We’ve seen with the Bulldogs that when players get satisfied with a good year they can drop away the next and not be as hungry. That is the big challenge not only for the players but for the coaches and club as a whole.”

Full Analysis: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/melbourne/gary-buckenara-analyses-melbournes-list-after-the-2018-season/news-story/48e9e2609ee76957dec23340689851bf

THE long wait for Melbourne fans finally came to an end this year as the Demons tasted finals action for the first time since 2006 in one of the best stories of the year.

After completing rebuild after rebuild, the club and its recruiting and list management departments finally got it right and developed a list capable not only of playing finals but pushing for a Grand Final berth.

I saw the potential in this Melbourne list back in 2016 when I wrote at the end of the season those long-suffering supporters could finally start saving for finals tickets ahead of the 2017 season.

The Demons were unlucky to miss September last year but it’s clear that experience and disappointment held the group — and their leaders like co-captains Nathan Jones and Jack Viney — in good stead and was used as motivation to come back better and more determined in 2018.

Once that finals spot was locked in it was as if the shackles were released and the players could play with freedom and without the pressure of the finals burden on their shoulders. They played with that freedom — and the flair, aggression and confidence — in their elimination and semi-final victories before falling at the second-last hurdle.

While there is no doubt the poor performance in the preliminary final loss to West Coast will hurt, that feeling must be used by every player on the list, regardless if they played in that game or not, as motivation to train hard and get back into that position in 2019.

This must be the new expectation at Melbourne — to play in and win finals.

When I look at this Melbourne list it is full of talented players and has that star quality you need for sustained success. Players like Angus Brayshaw, Christian Petracca, Viney, Clayton Oliver, Tom McDonald, Jesse Hogan (if he stays), Jake Lever and Christian Salem are the present and the future of this club. This is one of the most talented groups of young players in the AFL and they’re starting to hit their peak.

They will form the nucleus of a side I expect to build a successful era for this football club.

Add them to the experience of Jones, Max Gawn, Michael Hibberd, Jake Melksham, Neville Jetta and Jordan Lewis and it’s a very nice group of 14 players for which the sky is the limit in what they can achieve together.

Then there’s Sam Weideman, Charlie Spargo, Mitch Hannan, Bayley Fritsch, Oscar McDonald and Joel Smith, who are developing players who have come into the system at various stages, looked comfortable at the level and played key roles for the team.

Regardless of that preliminary final result, there is so much to look forward to for Melbourne in the very near future and with the finals monkey off the back, who knows where the Demons can go next season.

But while there is that positive angle, there is also the negative and what clubs must be wary of after a successful season (albeit without silverware). We’ve seen with the Bulldogs that when players get satisfied with a good year they can drop away the next and not be as hungry. That is the big challenge not only for the players but for the coaches and club as a whole.

Melbourne can’t be satisfied with playing in a preliminary final. The hurt of the loss must be the catalyst for a committed and hardworking pre-season and year where every player is willing to sacrifice and work together to be the best player and team they can be.

In a sense, the work starts now for Melbourne’s players, coaches, development team, list managers and recruiters and the administration.

Melbourne supporters will be disappointed to see Jesse Hogan traded but the Demons did well during the trade period. May will help bolster the defence and with Oscar McDonald and Jake Lever, that’s a really solid group who can take the big forwards at opposition clubs. To get May and Kolodjashnij for pick No.6 could be one of the great deals if he can get over his injury issues. He’s a very good player, I really rate him. He can be an excellent rebound defender and play similarly to Grant Birchall at the Hawks. The Preuss addition is puzzling — they needed a forward/ruckman, not a guy who is a No.1 ruckman and that’s it. I would have instead targeted a state-league player who has a big body to play the forward role as well.

Even with the departure of Hogan, who has had injury and off-field issues, Melbourne has improved its list. May is the big recruit — it means Tom McDonald now knows he is a key forward and won’t be moved into defence if required.

MELBOURNE’S LIST NEEDS

The biggest list need at the Demons is still a forward/ruckman who can help Gawn. While he thrives as the No.1 big man, if he gets injured then they’re in trouble because there’s no experienced back-up ready to step in if required — I believe there are better options than Preuss in the state leagues. Finding a player who can play predominantly forward but spend 5-10 minutes in the middle per quarter to give him a chop out would be ideal.

I think the Demons are also lacking a dynamic small forward. Jeff Garlett fell out of favour this season for reasons only the club would know but that quick type of player who can apply forward pressure inside 50 is lacking.

Melbourne has one of the deepest midfields in the league but adding a silky outside ball-user would complement their stocks nicely.

PLAYERS WHO NEED TO STEP UP IN 2019

Viney has had his last two seasons interrupted by injury, so getting a full season out of the co-captain will be vital to the team’s chances of having another good season. We saw how important and how good he is during the finals series, so putting measures in place to sort out the issues with his feet over the off-season and pre-season will be critical.

Sam Frost helped fill the void left by Lever’s ACL injury and displayed some really good form in the back half of the year. That is the level the Demons need him to perform at every week next year — there is a spot in the defence for him if he wants it enough.

CRYSTAL BALL

Melbourne boasts enough top-end talent and scope for rapid improvement to be a top-four and premiership contender in 2019 but it will need its best 22 fit and firing on a regular basis as I’ve got some queries over their depth in critical positions.

[BW511 2,236]

16 minutes ago, Demonland said:

From October 31, 2018

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/more-news/list-expert-gary-buckenara-analyses-every-afl-clubs-list-after-the-2018-season/news-story/4d389d8fdd4acbba0a3ecb20c88c7609

MELBOURNE

“Regardless of that preliminary final result, there is so much to look forward to for Melbourne in the very near future and with the finals monkey off the back, who knows where the Demons can go next season.

“But while there is that positive angle, there is also the negative and what clubs must be wary of after a successful season (albeit without silverware). We’ve seen with the Bulldogs that when players get satisfied with a good year they can drop away the next and not be as hungry. That is the big challenge not only for the players but for the coaches and club as a whole.”

Full Analysis: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/melbourne/gary-buckenara-analyses-melbournes-list-after-the-2018-season/news-story/48e9e2609ee76957dec23340689851bf

THE long wait for Melbourne fans finally came to an end this year as the Demons tasted finals action for the first time since 2006 in one of the best stories of the year.

After completing rebuild after rebuild, the club and its recruiting and list management departments finally got it right and developed a list capable not only of playing finals but pushing for a Grand Final berth.

I saw the potential in this Melbourne list back in 2016 when I wrote at the end of the season those long-suffering supporters could finally start saving for finals tickets ahead of the 2017 season.

The Demons were unlucky to miss September last year but it’s clear that experience and disappointment held the group — and their leaders like co-captains Nathan Jones and Jack Viney — in good stead and was used as motivation to come back better and more determined in 2018.

Once that finals spot was locked in it was as if the shackles were released and the players could play with freedom and without the pressure of the finals burden on their shoulders. They played with that freedom — and the flair, aggression and confidence — in their elimination and semi-final victories before falling at the second-last hurdle.

While there is no doubt the poor performance in the preliminary final loss to West Coast will hurt, that feeling must be used by every player on the list, regardless if they played in that game or not, as motivation to train hard and get back into that position in 2019.

This must be the new expectation at Melbourne — to play in and win finals.

When I look at this Melbourne list it is full of talented players and has that star quality you need for sustained success. Players like Angus Brayshaw, Christian Petracca, Viney, Clayton Oliver, Tom McDonald, Jesse Hogan (if he stays), Jake Lever and Christian Salem are the present and the future of this club. This is one of the most talented groups of young players in the AFL and they’re starting to hit their peak.

They will form the nucleus of a side I expect to build a successful era for this football club.

Add them to the experience of Jones, Max Gawn, Michael Hibberd, Jake Melksham, Neville Jetta and Jordan Lewis and it’s a very nice group of 14 players for which the sky is the limit in what they can achieve together.

Then there’s Sam Weideman, Charlie Spargo, Mitch Hannan, Bayley Fritsch, Oscar McDonald and Joel Smith, who are developing players who have come into the system at various stages, looked comfortable at the level and played key roles for the team.

Regardless of that preliminary final result, there is so much to look forward to for Melbourne in the very near future and with the finals monkey off the back, who knows where the Demons can go next season.

But while there is that positive angle, there is also the negative and what clubs must be wary of after a successful season (albeit without silverware). We’ve seen with the Bulldogs that when players get satisfied with a good year they can drop away the next and not be as hungry. That is the big challenge not only for the players but for the coaches and club as a whole.

Melbourne can’t be satisfied with playing in a preliminary final. The hurt of the loss must be the catalyst for a committed and hardworking pre-season and year where every player is willing to sacrifice and work together to be the best player and team they can be.

In a sense, the work starts now for Melbourne’s players, coaches, development team, list managers and recruiters and the administration.

Melbourne supporters will be disappointed to see Jesse Hogan traded but the Demons did well during the trade period. May will help bolster the defence and with Oscar McDonald and Jake Lever, that’s a really solid group who can take the big forwards at opposition clubs. To get May and Kolodjashnij for pick No.6 could be one of the great deals if he can get over his injury issues. He’s a very good player, I really rate him. He can be an excellent rebound defender and play similarly to Grant Birchall at the Hawks. The Preuss addition is puzzling — they needed a forward/ruckman, not a guy who is a No.1 ruckman and that’s it. I would have instead targeted a state-league player who has a big body to play the forward role as well.

Even with the departure of Hogan, who has had injury and off-field issues, Melbourne has improved its list. May is the big recruit — it means Tom McDonald now knows he is a key forward and won’t be moved into defence if required.

MELBOURNE’S LIST NEEDS

The biggest list need at the Demons is still a forward/ruckman who can help Gawn. While he thrives as the No.1 big man, if he gets injured then they’re in trouble because there’s no experienced back-up ready to step in if required — I believe there are better options than Preuss in the state leagues. Finding a player who can play predominantly forward but spend 5-10 minutes in the middle per quarter to give him a chop out would be ideal.

I think the Demons are also lacking a dynamic small forward. Jeff Garlett fell out of favour this season for reasons only the club would know but that quick type of player who can apply forward pressure inside 50 is lacking.

Melbourne has one of the deepest midfields in the league but adding a silky outside ball-user would complement their stocks nicely.

PLAYERS WHO NEED TO STEP UP IN 2019

Viney has had his last two seasons interrupted by injury, so getting a full season out of the co-captain will be vital to the team’s chances of having another good season. We saw how important and how good he is during the finals series, so putting measures in place to sort out the issues with his feet over the off-season and pre-season will be critical.

Sam Frost helped fill the void left by Lever’s ACL injury and displayed some really good form in the back half of the year. That is the level the Demons need him to perform at every week next year — there is a spot in the defence for him if he wants it enough.

CRYSTAL BALL

Melbourne boasts enough top-end talent and scope for rapid improvement to be a top-four and premiership contender in 2019 but it will need its best 22 fit and firing on a regular basis as I’ve got some queries over their depth in critical positions.

Lot more effort went in to that one

He also warned against the drop off and getting comfy with the 2018 results

[DubDee 20,356]

2018 media overrated our list 

2019 media write article about how our list is overrated

well played 

[nosoupforme 3,085]

5 hours ago, BW511 said:

Up against the rest of the league, I'm not so sure?

As I suggested earlier, the West Coast mids next year of Shuey, Nic Nat, Yeo & Tim Kelly are so far ahead of us it hurts to think about. That's just the most obvious example

And Harmes would tag one of their mids out of the game like he had done to gun players previously. Ask Danger  Yablet Pendles and others. He will bounce back. However his season was better than many others.he  doesn't necessarily need to bounce back.

I think you must have missed games along the way. Did you watch any games?

[old dee 22,815]

35 minutes ago, DubDee said:

2018 media overrated our list 

2019 media write article about how our list is overrated

well played 

So which one do you think is correct?

[chookrat 3,774]

8 hours ago, Demonland said:

Here’s the breakdown:

A: Max Gawn, Clayton Oliver

B+: Jack Viney, Tom McDonald

B: Nil

B-: Nathan Jones, Christian Salem, Angus Brayshaw, Michael Hibberd, Kade Kolodjashnij, Jake Melksham, Bayley Fritsch, Steven May

C+: Christian Petracca, Jake Lever, Sam Frost, Aaron Vandenberg, Jayden Hunt, Alex Neale-Bullen, Marty Hore, Josh Wagner, Neville Jetta

C : James Harmes, Billy Stretch, Mitch Hannan, Oscar McDonald, Joel Smith, Corey Wagner

C-: Jay Kennedy-Harris, Braydon Preuss

Developing*: Sam Weideman

Developing: Charlie Spargo, Oskar Baker, Harrison Petty, James Jordan, Tom Sparrow, Toby Bedford, Aaron Nietschke, Austin Bradtke, Kade Chandler

For a team that has had so many top draft picks, for the players not to have elevated themselves and/or received the right development to become very good AFL players or stars of the competition by now is alarming.

It's all just words, counts for nothing on the field 'flossy flossy' Buckanan. 

[Fork 'em 6,507]

Till Oliver starts hitting targets by foot and snagging a few goals he's a B ........+ maybe.
 Tmac's a B.
 Vineys a B-
 Tracs a B-
Harmes a B-
Jones a C
 

[DubDee 20,356]

1 hour ago, old dee said:

So which one do you think is correct?

Neither. We snuck into finals as a young team and did well. The wheels fell off this year. 

Over the last 3 years and into the future we remain a team with a good young talented group. But we still have a ways to go

[Little Goffy 12,511]

10 hours ago, Demonland said:

Here’s the breakdown:

A: Max Gawn, Clayton Oliver

B+: Jack Viney, Tom McDonald

B: Nil

B-: Nathan Jones, Christian Salem, Angus Brayshaw, Michael Hibberd, Kade Kolodjashnij, Jake Melksham, Bayley Fritsch, Steven May

C+: Christian Petracca, Jake Lever, Sam Frost, Aaron Vandenberg, Jayden Hunt, Alex Neale-Bullen, Marty Hore, Josh Wagner, Neville Jetta

C : James Harmes, Billy Stretch, Mitch Hannan, Oscar McDonald, Joel Smith, Corey Wagner

C-: Jay Kennedy-Harris, Braydon Preuss

Developing*: Sam Weideman

Developing: Charlie Spargo, Oskar Baker, Harrison Petty, James Jordan, Tom Sparrow, Toby Bedford, Aaron Nietschke, Austin Bradtke, Kade Chandler

For a team that has had so many top draft picks, for the players not to have elevated themselves and/or received the right development to become very good AFL players or stars of the competition by now is alarming.

Strange to have Kolodjashnij in the same brack at Melkshan and even Fritsch. Strange to have Hunt, Nibbler and Wagner in the same bracket as Petracca. Strange to have Harmes in the same bracket as Stretch, HAnnan and other Wagner.

Always going to be very subjective but if even my first glance is picking up a bunch of selections that just seem odd, it must be a little iffy. 

If there's one thing that I absolutely agree on it is the big gap in the B+ and B range.  We have a  lot of players that just aren't quite complete. On the bright side, we have a lot of players who could very quickly push into that range. Thinking Petracca, Salem, Brayshaw, Fritsch, May, Melksham, Lever, Harmes and Hore.

If being rated just a 'C+' annoys a few of those guys the right way, well, all good.

 

[Rab D Nesbitt 7,051]

Personally I don't think there's very much that separates most teams. Players executing their team role on a match day makes all the difference and as a collective unit we have as much talent as anyone else in this league. It's all very well to bemoan the lack of a plan B or C when things aren't working but first we need to make sure that our plan A is burnt into everyone's hard drive so that it becomes second nature. 

[binman 37,785]

It's sort of a moot point. I reckon lots of teams would have a similar spread of ability.

The tigers, gws and pies have more true a graders. And that is something we have lacked for decades to be honest.

But if everything aligns we will have the following undisputed a graders by mid season next year: maxy, Oliver, Brayshaw, May, Lever and trac with harmes, tmac and Salem pushing for b+ and fritter not too far behind.

[binman 37,785]

5 minutes ago, Rab D Nesbitt said:

Personally I don't think there's very much that separates most teams. Players executing their team role on a match day makes all the difference and as a collective unit we have as much talent as anyone else in this league. It's all very well to bemoan the lack of a plan B or C when things aren't working but first we need to make sure that our plan A is burnt into everyone's hard drive so that it becomes second nature. 

Snap. We were posting much the same thing at the same time.

[Big Carl 333]

10 hours ago, daisycutter said:

harmes = stretch = C (6th tier)?

Harmes is a B

[Demonsone 1,594]

Its D Day for a few from the Coach down.....

No more excuses in 2020, new fitness coach along with other assistants. Players do a full pre season & we get similar performances it will Sayonara for Goody unfortunately!

Edited October 10, 2019 by Demonsone

[Rab D Nesbitt 7,051]

1 minute ago, binman said:

Snap. We were posting much the same thing at the same time.

Yeah, great minds and all that ha ha. Sure we had a few games where I thought we were truly hard to watch this year which you never want to happen. I do think though that a lot of everyone's angst and frustration lies in the fact that we're so capable of being really really good. Sometimes once I've got over the disappointment of a game I try and compare us with the times when we really did have nothing to look forward to and there's just no comparison, I think. 

[Pates 9,536]

Lost me at rating Harmes as a C (and lower than Josh Wagner!?). I'd have him around the B or B- mark, I understand he wasn't as productive this year but he's definitely better than Jonesy and KK. 

I will say this, our list is very difficult to rate. As we were so productive in 2018 and yet so off the boil in 2019. There are players that produced A grade quality in '18 and were closer to B- grade quality in '19. We also got a benefit last year of it clicking for a few average players all at the right time leading into and during the finals.

Brayshaw, Harmes, Christian Salem, Christian Petracca, Mitch Hannan, Bayley Fritsch, Kade Kolodjashnij, and Sam Weideman are all younger players that are regular 22 who all have upside and great potential to have big improvements in 2020. 

Tom McDonald, Michael Hibberd, Jake Melksham, and Aaron Vandenberg are all players that have shown quality when fit. Hopefully clean runs will allow them to return to form. Tom of course had a horrifically bad first half on 2019 which injury can't allow for, but we have seen him at his best and a clean start to 2020, and hopefully a more defined forward structure with a connecting gameplan between midfield and forward line will allow him to regain his confidence.

Lever, May, and Jetta are all critical members of our defence who were only allowed minimal game time together, fitness to all three could completely change the complexion of our very leaky defence.

I'm not sure if he has a star category but surely Max falls in there while Oliver at this point sits in the A grade category but could easily move up next year.

Simply put from my analysis (yes through rose coloured glasses), our team has a lot of upside that unfortunately relies on a few if, buts, and maybes. The ingredients for a competitive team are there, the question is whether Goody & co are able to make something of it (with fitness permitting for a few of them). My biggest concern centres around lack of pace, and lack of forward pressure.

[Sorry kids 635]

Hey, Bucky,

Who exactly has us as over rated? We came 17th. However I agree with most of your assessment. Maybe a dozen competent to very good AFL standard players as it stands now. 

[TGR 1,367]

Harmes is close to A grade if he can work on a couple of things.  I like his hands despite busting a finger on the verge of the season starting.

Oscar is D.  Sorry mate.

Track needs to close the gap between swagger and sulk.  He is slow by foot, but could have Dusty’s strength to break a tackle which is rare.

Lever the 3rd up tall intercept defender was always a crazy get at 2 first rounders. I said it before but Jason Cloke played his role well and we sold the farm for him.  850k?  Madness.

 

Give me 2 Frosts if his C.

 

Bucky ain’t 100% right but I agree that it is rebuild time.

[TGR 1,367]

32 minutes ago, Sorry kids said:

Hey, Bucky,

Who exactly has us as over rated? We came 17th. However I agree with most of your assessment. Maybe a dozen competent to very good AFL standard players as it stands now. 

Hey SK,

 

Most of us here thin we are going to rebound into finals in 2020.  Most, apart from Lyon, think this fall is an aberration.  Most, think that the club know where we are at.

 

 

[Dr. Gonzo 22,399]

12 hours ago, Collar-Jazz-Knee said:

I posted on one of the FB pages re this, and while I agree with his summary based on last season, he said similar things regarding the Richmond season in 2016 and also said they can't win a premiership with that list.

I'm fairly sure this time last year Buckenara was praising our list.... it's very easy to just write things based on one season.

Recency bias

[old dee 22,815]

2 hours ago, DubDee said:

Neither. We snuck into finals as a young team and did well. The wheels fell off this year. 

Over the last 3 years and into the future we remain a team with a good young talented group. But we still have a ways to go

This may sound strange to you DD but I actually agree with you.

where we may differ is the size of that young talent group.

[Dr. Gonzo 22,399]

12 hours ago, Demonland said:

Here’s the breakdown:

A: Max Gawn, Clayton Oliver

B+: Jack Viney, Tom McDonald

B: Nil

B-: Nathan Jones, Christian Salem, Angus Brayshaw, Michael Hibberd, Kade Kolodjashnij, Jake Melksham, Bayley Fritsch, Steven May

C+: Christian Petracca, Jake Lever, Sam Frost, Aaron Vandenberg, Jayden Hunt, Alex Neale-Bullen, Marty Hore, Josh Wagner, Neville Jetta

C : James Harmes, Billy Stretch, Mitch Hannan, Oscar McDonald, Joel Smith, Corey Wagner

C-: Jay Kennedy-Harris, Braydon Preuss

Developing*: Sam Weideman

Developing: Charlie Spargo, Oskar Baker, Harrison Petty, James Jordan, Tom Sparrow, Toby Bedford, Aaron Nietschke, Austin Bradtke, Kade Chandler

For a team that has had so many top draft picks, for the players not to have elevated themselves and/or received the right development to become very good AFL players or stars of the competition by now is alarming.

A: Max Gawn, Clayton Oliver

B+: Steven May

B: Tom McDonald, Neville Jetta

B-: Christian Petracca, Christian Salem, Angus Brayshaw, Michael Hibberd, Jake Melksham, Bayley Fritsch, Jake Lever, James Harmes, Jack Viney

C+: Nathan Jones, Aaron Vandenberg, Jayden Hunt, Alex Neale-Bullen, Marty Hore

C : Mitch Hannan, Oscar McDonald, Sam Frost

C-: Jay Kennedy-Harris, Braydon Preuss, Kade Kolodjashnij, Billy Stretch, Corey Wagner, Joel Smith, Josh Wagner

Developing*: Sam Weideman

Developing: Charlie Spargo, Oskar Baker, Harrison Petty, James Jordan, Tom Sparrow, Toby Bedford, Aaron Nietschke, Austin Bradtke, Kade Chandler

[Dr. Gonzo 22,399]

11 hours ago, binman said:

I'm not sure about May being injury prone. Ha no issues until coming to the dees and perhpas struggling with the increased running load. Hopefully yhat's not an issue next year.

And granted Lever has had 2 ACLs (one as a junior) but i'm not convinced he is injury prone as such.

I was listening to a podcast the other day where they were talking about Collingwood's soft tissue injuries in 2018 and said one of the main reasons was a change in focus between long distance running to repeat burst running. I wonder if there was a similar difference between the way Gold Coast trained and the way we do. It's not that one is right and the other wrong just that different styles for different game plans

[Binmans PA 25,895]

7 hours ago, Demonland said:

From October 31, 2018

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/more-news/list-expert-gary-buckenara-analyses-every-afl-clubs-list-after-the-2018-season/news-story/4d389d8fdd4acbba0a3ecb20c88c7609

MELBOURNE

“Regardless of that preliminary final result, there is so much to look forward to for Melbourne in the very near future and with the finals monkey off the back, who knows where the Demons can go next season.

“But while there is that positive angle, there is also the negative and what clubs must be wary of after a successful season (albeit without silverware). We’ve seen with the Bulldogs that when players get satisfied with a good year they can drop away the next and not be as hungry. That is the big challenge not only for the players but for the coaches and club as a whole.”

Full Analysis: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/melbourne/gary-buckenara-analyses-melbournes-list-after-the-2018-season/news-story/48e9e2609ee76957dec23340689851bf

THE long wait for Melbourne fans finally came to an end this year as the Demons tasted finals action for the first time since 2006 in one of the best stories of the year.

After completing rebuild after rebuild, the club and its recruiting and list management departments finally got it right and developed a list capable not only of playing finals but pushing for a Grand Final berth.

I saw the potential in this Melbourne list back in 2016 when I wrote at the end of the season those long-suffering supporters could finally start saving for finals tickets ahead of the 2017 season.

The Demons were unlucky to miss September last year but it’s clear that experience and disappointment held the group — and their leaders like co-captains Nathan Jones and Jack Viney — in good stead and was used as motivation to come back better and more determined in 2018.

Once that finals spot was locked in it was as if the shackles were released and the players could play with freedom and without the pressure of the finals burden on their shoulders. They played with that freedom — and the flair, aggression and confidence — in their elimination and semi-final victories before falling at the second-last hurdle.

While there is no doubt the poor performance in the preliminary final loss to West Coast will hurt, that feeling must be used by every player on the list, regardless if they played in that game or not, as motivation to train hard and get back into that position in 2019.

This must be the new expectation at Melbourne — to play in and win finals.

When I look at this Melbourne list it is full of talented players and has that star quality you need for sustained success. Players like Angus Brayshaw, Christian Petracca, Viney, Clayton Oliver, Tom McDonald, Jesse Hogan (if he stays), Jake Lever and Christian Salem are the present and the future of this club. This is one of the most talented groups of young players in the AFL and they’re starting to hit their peak.

They will form the nucleus of a side I expect to build a successful era for this football club.

Add them to the experience of Jones, Max Gawn, Michael Hibberd, Jake Melksham, Neville Jetta and Jordan Lewis and it’s a very nice group of 14 players for which the sky is the limit in what they can achieve together.

Then there’s Sam Weideman, Charlie Spargo, Mitch Hannan, Bayley Fritsch, Oscar McDonald and Joel Smith, who are developing players who have come into the system at various stages, looked comfortable at the level and played key roles for the team.

Regardless of that preliminary final result, there is so much to look forward to for Melbourne in the very near future and with the finals monkey off the back, who knows where the Demons can go next season.

But while there is that positive angle, there is also the negative and what clubs must be wary of after a successful season (albeit without silverware). We’ve seen with the Bulldogs that when players get satisfied with a good year they can drop away the next and not be as hungry. That is the big challenge not only for the players but for the coaches and club as a whole.

Melbourne can’t be satisfied with playing in a preliminary final. The hurt of the loss must be the catalyst for a committed and hardworking pre-season and year where every player is willing to sacrifice and work together to be the best player and team they can be.

In a sense, the work starts now for Melbourne’s players, coaches, development team, list managers and recruiters and the administration.

Melbourne supporters will be disappointed to see Jesse Hogan traded but the Demons did well during the trade period. May will help bolster the defence and with Oscar McDonald and Jake Lever, that’s a really solid group who can take the big forwards at opposition clubs. To get May and Kolodjashnij for pick No.6 could be one of the great deals if he can get over his injury issues. He’s a very good player, I really rate him. He can be an excellent rebound defender and play similarly to Grant Birchall at the Hawks. The Preuss addition is puzzling — they needed a forward/ruckman, not a guy who is a No.1 ruckman and that’s it. I would have instead targeted a state-league player who has a big body to play the forward role as well.

Even with the departure of Hogan, who has had injury and off-field issues, Melbourne has improved its list. May is the big recruit — it means Tom McDonald now knows he is a key forward and won’t be moved into defence if required.

MELBOURNE’S LIST NEEDS

The biggest list need at the Demons is still a forward/ruckman who can help Gawn. While he thrives as the No.1 big man, if he gets injured then they’re in trouble because there’s no experienced back-up ready to step in if required — I believe there are better options than Preuss in the state leagues. Finding a player who can play predominantly forward but spend 5-10 minutes in the middle per quarter to give him a chop out would be ideal.

I think the Demons are also lacking a dynamic small forward. Jeff Garlett fell out of favour this season for reasons only the club would know but that quick type of player who can apply forward pressure inside 50 is lacking.

Melbourne has one of the deepest midfields in the league but adding a silky outside ball-user would complement their stocks nicely.

PLAYERS WHO NEED TO STEP UP IN 2019

Viney has had his last two seasons interrupted by injury, so getting a full season out of the co-captain will be vital to the team’s chances of having another good season. We saw how important and how good he is during the finals series, so putting measures in place to sort out the issues with his feet over the off-season and pre-season will be critical.

Sam Frost helped fill the void left by Lever’s ACL injury and displayed some really good form in the back half of the year. That is the level the Demons need him to perform at every week next year — there is a spot in the defence for him if he wants it enough.

CRYSTAL BALL

Melbourne boasts enough top-end talent and scope for rapid improvement to be a top-four and premiership contender in 2019 but it will need its best 22 fit and firing on a regular basis as I’ve got some queries over their depth in critical positions.

Yep, exactly, he's a clown. I remember this article and his article from the year before.

[Dr. Gonzo 22,399]

8 hours ago, Sir Why You Little said:

2018 is old news. His rating was for 2019

The guy knows the game. Whorethorn were just as evil in the 80’s as they are now. 

The MFC needs more media scrutiny, not scornful responses

His rating should be for 2020