As a self proclaimed pessimist and genuine hater of a lot of things I do believe that 2025 is Melbourne’s last season as a potential contender with this group.

2024 has been the season of what could go wrong has gone wrong and continues to get worse.

- Before the season begins, the Clarry saga derails the offseason for the club. He then proceeds to play his worst season for the club because he had basically no pre-season. We can expect that he will be better in 2025.

- The best player on the list lacerates his spleen and we only get 13 games out of him. Hopefully Christian can trust his body to be the best version of himself in 2025.

- Max goes down at the most crucial point of the season and we end up with our two best players out the side when they were most needed. The Max we have seen since round 15 is a shadow of himself and he’s clearly been playing hurt for longer than the club wants to admit

- The Brodie Grundy situation allowed Max to be rested when we hit finals but this year he has had little to no help and has had to ruck 85% game time compared to 50% in 2023. This has to be rectified going forward.

- Round 4 sees Both May and Lever go down with more serious injuries than first realised. Lever plays hurt for a month before finally having surgery and then rushed back. He’s been bad ever since. May has clearly been hampered all year since that Hawthorn game and it’s almost like he’s finally been put out of his misery now. 2025 and we hopefully see Rick and May be their best selves. May probably only has one more year at his best.

- The trading situation was just [censored] and not entirely through the fault of the club. Angus buggered everything, there was no way the club trades harmes and Jordon if we knew Gus would not be on the list in 2024. The rest of the trading (Fullarton, mcadam, Hunter) over the last few years have all unfortunately been busts. One can hope they get it right in 2024 trade period.

- We are going to get pick 6-8 this year because of where we will likely finish. This can only help with 2025.

- We will get another pre-season  in Windsor, Van rooyen, Jefferson, Tholstrup etc and these kids can have a greater impact in 2025.

- Petty will surely be a defender. Can’t have him as a forward again.

- Career worst seasons out of Salem, Sparrow,  and massive drop offs from Mcvee and Fritsch.

- Losing Hibberd was enormous because we couldn’t match up on a general forward who has continued to dominate us this year. Hoping Howes can become this.

- Coaching panel needs an overhaul. Stafford been there way too long and Mcqualter seemingly broke the midfield but he needs a chance. 
 

Reckon a lot of these can be bettered in 2025 and we can have one last crack at a flag with this list.

18 minutes ago, FearTheBeard said:

massive drop offs from Mcvee

What?

Massive drop off of McVee? That’s ridiculous.  He’s been one of the very best this year!!! 

22 minutes ago, ANG13 said:

What?

Yeah, do some actually watch games? 

I don’t think we traded Jordon - he was a UFA

Everything needs to go well for us to make top 4 next year.

Meanwhile, your assessment of McVee is flabbergasting.

How much is George Wardlaw?? 

1 hour ago, Dee Zephyr said:

Yeah, do some actually watch games? 

Considering I’ve only missed one all year I’d say yes I watch the games.

His impact in the first 15 weeks was considerably less than last year.

1 hour ago, Loose Men Everywhere said:

I don’t think we traded Jordon - he was a UFA

If Angus isn’t on the list in November last year, Jordon doesn’t leave because that would have been his role for the season.

1 hour ago, FearTheBeard said:

If Angus isn’t on the list in November last year, Jordon doesn’t leave because that would have been his role for the season.

Yes, but Gus was on the list in Nov. No-one knew then he was going to retire. Are you saying we should have retired him at that stage in order to keep JJ?

Get rid of some big contracts 

People are looking at the Jordon (and to a lesser extent, Harmes) discussion wrong (wrongly?). They weren’t stars but they were often solid contributors, much better than the current players that we have in our names best 23. Having a very solid bottom six, in that 23, is key.

Edited August 4, 2024Aug 4 by Ethan Tremblay

2 hours ago, Pirlo said:

Everything needs to go well for us to make top 4 next year.

Meanwhile, your assessment of McVee is flabbergasting.

Everything needs to go well for most teams in the comp to make the top 4. 2024 has been our 'Annus Horribillus'. Not much more could have gone wrong. You need luck in this topsy turvy comp. October trade and draft period is crucial. Get it right with a longer break, earlier pre season and good fortune with injury and I'm bullish. Heard Hodge and Del Santo completely writing us off for 2025. Not me!

4 hours ago, FearTheBeard said:

As a self proclaimed pessimist and genuine hater of a lot of things I do believe that 2025 is Melbourne’s last season as a potential contender with this group.

2024 has been the season of what could go wrong has gone wrong and continues to get worse.

- Before the season begins, the Clarry saga derails the offseason for the club. He then proceeds to play his worst season for the club because he had basically no pre-season. We can expect that he will be better in 2025.

- The best player on the list lacerates his spleen and we only get 13 games out of him. Hopefully Christian can trust his body to be the best version of himself in 2025.

- Max goes down at the most crucial point of the season and we end up with our two best players out the side when they were most needed. The Max we have seen since round 15 is a shadow of himself and he’s clearly been playing hurt for longer than the club wants to admit

- The Brodie Grundy situation allowed Max to be rested when we hit finals but this year he has had little to no help and has had to ruck 85% game time compared to 50% in 2023. This has to be rectified going forward.

- Round 4 sees Both May and Lever go down with more serious injuries than first realised. Lever plays hurt for a month before finally having surgery and then rushed back. He’s been bad ever since. May has clearly been hampered all year since that Hawthorn game and it’s almost like he’s finally been put out of his misery now. 2025 and we hopefully see Rick and May be their best selves. May probably only has one more year at his best.

- The trading situation was just [censored] and not entirely through the fault of the club. Angus buggered everything, there was no way the club trades harmes and Jordon if we knew Gus would not be on the list in 2024. The rest of the trading (Fullarton, mcadam, Hunter) over the last few years have all unfortunately been busts. One can hope they get it right in 2024 trade period.

- We are going to get pick 6-8 this year because of where we will likely finish. This can only help with 2025.

- We will get another pre-season  in Windsor, Van rooyen, Jefferson, Tholstrup etc and these kids can have a greater impact in 2025.

- Petty will surely be a defender. Can’t have him as a forward again.

- Career worst seasons out of Salem, Sparrow,  and massive drop offs from Mcvee and Fritsch.

- Losing Hibberd was enormous because we couldn’t match up on a general forward who has continued to dominate us this year. Hoping Howes can become this.

- Coaching panel needs an overhaul. Stafford been there way too long and Mcqualter seemingly broke the midfield but he needs a chance. 
 

Reckon a lot of these can be bettered in 2025 and we can have one last crack at a flag with this list.

Can agree with 95% of you points but not on Mcvee, he and Caleb have been shining lights for us this year.

4 hours ago, Loose Men Everywhere said:

I don’t think we traded Jordon - he was a UFA

The sooner people get this through their heads the better.

Lovely sentiment. 

I think that we couldn’t overcome the loss of 3 of our best 6 players for the bulk of the season.

Brayshaw, Petracca, and God Oliver are not easily replaced. 

Tou have to mention the two players that have come into the Star/elite conversation - Pickett and Rivers. 

Both impact in fun the midfield and offer different aspects but both are elite kicks.

You get Demi God Oliver back, Petracca and Pickett swapping out, and Rivers through the middle - we are going to get first use if Gawn and Viney can maintain what they have delivered. Windsor, McVee, Tholstrup, JVR, ND6, AMW are exciting and all over the ground. So we can bounce back and be strong but we may need some new ideas and some new voices. It always helps.

2 hours ago, YesitwasaWin4theAges said:

Can agree with 95% of you points but not on Mcvee, he and Caleb have been shining lights for us this year.

I forgot to mention Trent in this conversation he's been great also.

I actually think we need to go hard for a couple of midfielders this off season.

We need a replacement for gus

And we need depth.

Oliver will be OK with big preseason and hand injury fixed up.  Trac likewise.

I'm not sure who but I'm prepared to trade out first rounders if needed.

The player ratings say that Gawn has had a big improvement from last year from 13.90 to 17.02.  Tracc is roughly the same as last season but obviously nothing after round 13 and Oliver has had a massive drop off - 16.15 to 10.85.  Brayshaw was our 5th highest rated player last season at 11.21.  That loss, coupled with Oliver's decline and Petracca's absence is basically the reason for our season.  Viney is rating similarly to last season.  Rivers and Neal-Bullen have both improved by about 1.5 from last season. McVee has gone from 8.81 to 9.68. May and Lever have both also dropped from last season by around .6. So other than Gawn, none of our big guns have improved from last season.  The decline in Oliver, May and Lever and the absence of Brayshaw cannot be covered by the improvement of players like Rivers, Neal-Bullen and McVee. Our best chance of a rebound in 2025 is to have Oliver back near his best and to find someone who can fill the role Brayshaw played for us.

17 minutes ago, Swooper1987 said:

The player ratings say that Gawn has had a big improvement from last year from 13.90 to 17.02.  Tracc is roughly the same as last season but obviously nothing after round 13 and Oliver has had a massive drop off - 16.15 to 10.85.  Brayshaw was our 5th highest rated player last season at 11.21.  That loss, coupled with Oliver's decline and Petracca's absence is basically the reason for our season.  Viney is rating similarly to last season.  Rivers and Neal-Bullen have both improved by about 1.5 from last season. McVee has gone from 8.81 to 9.68. May and Lever have both also dropped from last season by around .6. So other than Gawn, none of our big guns have improved from last season.  The decline in Oliver, May and Lever and the absence of Brayshaw cannot be covered by the improvement of players like Rivers, Neal-Bullen and McVee. Our best chance of a rebound in 2025 is to have Oliver back near his best and to find someone who can fill the role Brayshaw played for us.

Hence the interest in Dan Houston…

10 hours ago, biggestred said:

I actually think we need to go hard for a couple of midfielders this off season.

We need a replacement for gus

And we need depth.

Oliver will be OK with big preseason and hand injury fixed up.  Trac likewise.

I'm not sure who but I'm prepared to trade out first rounders if needed.

With leg speed - not plodders

14 hours ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

People are looking at the Jordon (and to a lesser extent, Harmes) discussion wrong (wrongly?). They weren’t stars but they were often solid contributors, much better than the current players that we have in our names best 23. Having a very solid bottom six, in that 23, is key.

I have a good mate who is a Swans fan and he was pumping up JJ's tyres early in the season too much. I tried to cool his jets a bit by saying he's a reliable solid player who can play a role but not too damaging, think he's slowly agreeing with me. 

I'm bullish on 2025. If a few things go our way (Clarry's form, a couple of savvy trades, Trac back to full health), I can definitely see us contending for the top 6. Top 4 if next season is as close as this year.

2 minutes ago, Little Richard said:

I'm bullish on 2025. If a few things go our way (Clarry's form, a couple of savvy trades, Trac back to full health), I can definitely see us contending for the top 6. Top 4 if next season is as close as this year.

It probably shouldn't be possible to go as bad for us next year as it has this year. Although if there are ongoing issues with Clarry and Petracca then it is possible.

So assuming if tends to normal, instead of terrible, we should bounce back up somewhat. Like all clubs we'll need luck to bounce back all the way. And we can create some of that luck in the off season.