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Full credit must go to Simon Goodwin for lifting us from the bottom of the midfield group and into the top eight without the team even playing a single game.

2016: THE YEAR THAT WAS by Whispering Jack As the final siren blared at Simonds Stadium to mark the end of Paul Roos' coaching stint on Saturday 27 August, 2016, the curtain came down on one of the Melbourne Football Club's least productive decades in its history, one in which every season had produced a losing record in terms of the results of games played and percentages and a consequent failure to participate in finals. The scoreboard at the ground was no more flattering in that it showed Geelong had beaten Melbourne by 111 points. The Demons last taste of finals glory was in 2006 when they overcame a shaky start to the season to finish with 13½ wins and a percentage of 109.66. They beat St Kilda in an elimination final before losing to Fremantle in the semi in Perth. The steep decline and the dark period in the club's history that followed has been well documented, as has been the club's slow rise from the abyss. When the dust settled on 2016 the club had risen a further two places on the ladder above the year before, recording ten wins and but for the young team hitting the wall and losing its last two matches, a positive win/loss record and a finals appearance might have resulted. Had it not been for the enormity of that final round defeat the club would have finished with a percentage in positive territory above 100 for the first time in a decade. Despite the way things panned out at the very end, it was pleasing to see the club's progression since 2013 when it won a mere two games followed by four and seven over the next two seasons to ten in 2016. A further step forward in the same vein will almost certainly see a return to finals participation next year. Time will tell. The statistical improvement on the field overshadowed somewhat by the disappointment of the season's ending doesn't tell the full story of a season of many highlights. The most telling aspect of the continued rise in the team's performance was the fact that it was achieved by turning to its youth. From very early on, it was clear that the intention was to blood young talent and to give it time to settle into the hurly burly of the game. While the results were at first mixed, there were some pleasing efforts as the team held its place in mid table. There were times when the selectors might been tempted to revert to bringing in some more experienced from the ranks at Casey but they persisted with the policy and we saw a late season charge of three consecutive wins including the triumph against reigning premier and then ladder leader Hawthorn in Round 20. The club's affiliate at Casey finished as minor premiers in the VFL but then went down to Footscray in the Grand Final at Etihad Stadium. Next year they will be known as the Casey Demons. There were some great personal achievements - Max Gawn's elevation to All Australian ruckman status, Jack Viney becoming the club champion, four Rising Star nominations - Clayton Oliver, Christian Petracca, James Harmes and Oscar McDonald (with Jayden Hunt unlucky to miss and Sam Weideman poised for next year), but on field happenings weren't the only highlights of the year for the Melbourne Football Club. The club recorded continued growth in membership numbers (now projected to go beyond 40,000 in 2017) and crowd attendances and it posted a substantial profit. Melbourne's pioneering work for women in the sport and the women's game was recognised when it was awarded a licence to field a side in the inaugural year of the AFL Womens League competition. On Sunday, 5 February, 2017 the first team will run out onto Casey Fields in an historic encounter against Brisbane Lions. Much of the good work both on and off the field can be attributed to the club's board and administration led by Chairman Glenn Bartlett, CEO Peter Jackson and the professional team of people they have working under them. Although Paul Roos now leaves the scene he has laid the groundwork and presided over what promises to be a seamless transition to life under new coach Simon Goodwin. While the club might have faltered and lapsed from time to time in past seasons due to inexperience on the field, that is one excuse that will not be made when Goodwin coaches his first Melbourne team in a game for premiership points in a few month's time. He should have at his disposal three new players with substantial AFL experience - Jordan Lewis, Michael Hibberd and Jake Melksham to add to the likes of Nathan Jones, Bernie Vince, Tom McDonald and a bevy of young up and comers at his disposal. A new era awaits.

They essentially do though? With Plapp as Senior Coach and advisory staff to the Casey board, as well as tightening the business connection, they have the same control as any other AFL team has over their VFL teams.

Drunkn, any rational observer would concur that the Casey / MFC arrangement is operating optimally. There are control freaks who forget or choose to ignore the origins of the agreement and the stark choices confronting a MFC that was on its knees in every sense at the time it was made. For them it's something that could be terminated tomorrow in view of our recent financial turnaround and potential future onfield success. There is a hubris and arrogance that goes with such a view that fortunately doesn't pervade the current MFC administration. Fortunately those in charge understand the reputational kudos that attaches to meeting your commitments and making them work optimally.

Okay I have one question, The current alignment with Casey has never worked so well, with a full-time Melbourne coach and more funding the club has in just a couple of years gone from the bottom of the VFL to the top, and now with the name change from Scorpions to Demons, this connection is stronger then ever. Why the hell do Melbourne need to ditch this for a 'standalone' team when what they have now is essentially the same thing!?

Coming into the new season, Demonland will, as ever, highlight our many differences of opinion regarding matters such as tactics, game plan, selection, good players etc etc etc. However, there is one thing I reckon we can all agree on - the time for excuses is over.

Not only that, but with a young group any statistics based analysis is weighted against most of our list. It's classical lag indicator analysis applied to future forecasting. The Champion Data (or any other data) doesn't predict when established elite players fall off a cliff, nor does it predict breakout seasons. The excitement of the Melbourne midfield (and the team generally) is the upside potential in the young talent. If that potential is realised, we'll be smashing these analyses over the next few years. For now, it's a bit of a yawn...

Great to see this article in this morning's HUN. Expecting a massive year from Gussy and Tyson to elevate his late season form and go toe to toe with Viney as our best mid. http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/melbourne/christmas-break-not-really-a-holiday-for-afl-players/news-story/c326bda30274964110495fa9ea74a235 A snippet for those that cant access. "Angus Brayshaw completed a brutal running session on Christmas Day.“100 x hundred metre efforts for Christmas,” he posted on Instagram. “Santa gave us 35 degree heat to do it in. Cheers Santa #merrychristmas #4thyearsrunning.”This period is “really, really important”, especially for players trying to make their mark in 2017, Jackson said. Gussy looks in ripping shape

After watching him training hard and showing some of his clearance magic in December I've changed my opinion and think Clarry will be right to go round 1. That said, I'm not convinced about your 'makes us better' statement. Picking any team in any sport is about finding the balance between the best individuals and the individuals most capable of performing team duties to get the right balance. Oliver is a beauty but if he can't play more than 60% game time with only about 50% in the middle then it's hard for him to consistently play well and other parts of the team have to sacrifice game time and generate more outside run to fit him in. Any time at Casey would be to build match fitness and to set a standard required to play AFL. I want him super fit before he plays this year and don't want to see him have the same issues as Brayshaw in year 2. On the other hand despite his limitations Bugg can play 80+% on a wing given he's our 2nd fittest player and he can get back to help the backline, spread wide and then get forward and kick goals.

As in players or club members? If club members then quite a few, the board and the majority of the older staff/volunteers are basically all old Springvale people. Super nice and welcoming group of people. I highly recommend, if you get the chance, to go down to one of their pre game lunches then talking to the members afterwards, really is a great club to be around, which I guess is why I get very defensive and almost angry when I see people arguing *cough picket cough* to try and sever the tie between this 2 great teams, when people don't even know what they're talking about.

The youngest team in the comp hit the wall in round 22. It wasn't a "consistency" issue. In 2013 we lost 11 games by 60 points or more. We did this once in 2016. We won more quarters than the Saints and finished with a higher percentage. We'll be fitter, stronger and more experienced in 2017. We will get good very quickly.

Nothing less SWYL....

One thing I didn't touch on was that save for the Essendon game in round 2 and the final two games of the year I thought mentally we were good for such a young team. I think the physical effort was good, which is the real sign of a team's mental consistency. Good and experienced teams have the Essendon type games too, like Geelong did in round 4 when Essendon were ahead in the third, the difference is they know how to eke out a victory in circumstances they put down to "one of those days". Unlike Abe, I'm very comfortable we have a mentally strong hard-nosed group developing within our midst.

Gawn is in NZ. He has run, been to the gym and kicked a ball everyday including Xmas day, he is careful about what he eats and drinks too. His professionalism impresses me.

We've got this! GO DEES!

Well done WJ.

Elementary my dear, BBO.

Alternative interpretation: they have the highest membership.

great work WJ. It is great to see the spread of talent across the list. Hopefully they take the next step.

Well if those highlights of 2016 don't get every Demonlander excited about our prospects for the coming season(s), then nothing ever will!. Thanks Jack!

70% of Oliver > 85% Bugg.

First year players are always underdone (some more than others) when a club is getting games into them. Even in year two he won't have the fitness of Nathan Jones (obviously), but it goes without saying that he needs to be getting up to a 70% - 75% TOG to be picked. If he's not then I too would have him at Casey. But there'd have to be something wrong for that to be the case (injury/attitude). Anyway, it's a pointless argument. I assume we actually agree despite the tennis match. Note: Last year he averaged 67.69% not 60%.

That was my point, boydie. Whether it's data driven or opinion based, it's not any easy process of judging when you've got 18 teams and all of the players that can roll thru the midfield to consider. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

As is Collingwood at number 4. St Kilda is probably a little bit better than their ranking as well. Why didn't Bernie rate a mention? He's worthy of a mention in any team. We have a bloody good midfield now: Jones, Tyson, Viney, Gawn, Lewis, Vince, Oliver, Brayshaw, Stretch, Harmes, AVB, Petracca, Melksham, Salem. Most opposition coaches would like to have this group.

Personally I would love to play at Punt Road, but it has been well-documented by numerous Demonlanders why each of the Grounds that you mentioned are not possible (nor Toorak Park, Brighton, Port Melbourne and other suggestions over the year)! The Casey alignment is showing more positives each successive year and I am sure Jackson and the Board wouldn't have committed us long-term within being confident of this.

Casey/Springvale supporters give a rats !!! just because they are a VFL team does not mean the passion is not there, how do you think supporters feel when they lose their club. It might be good to remember how you felt with the proposed merger,we nearly lost our club it was not a good time and if you cant see past the AFL then how do you think Fitzroy supporters feel . One of the reasons besides financial we havent had our own reserves is we dont have a suburban ground that we used to play on, we have only ever been at the G and we cant play there so an alignment is our only option . Its a good deal for both clubs.

THE FENCE BEST 18 B: Neville Jetta, Tom McDonald, Michael HibberdHB: Jayden Hunt, Sam Frost, Bernie VinceC: Dom Tyson, Nathan Jones, Billy StretchHF: Dean Kent, Sam Weideman, Christian PetraccaF: Jeff Garlett, Jesse Hogan, Jack WattsR: Max Gawn, Jordan Lewis, Jack VineyI/C: Jake Melksham, Angus Bryshaw, Clarrie Choo Choo, Christian Salem Emerg Van der Berg, Harmes, Pedo

Hundred 100's. Bloody hell. I would break a foofa valve doing a Hundred 10's. (truth be told, probably even a hundred 1's)

We were not in very good shape until 3 years ago when some guys from Jackson and Co. came in and gutted the joint and started again. We are now in a reasonable shape as each year we're making gains on KPI's. Since Jackson and Co. came in the following has occurred: Year on year growth in membership numbers. Year on year growth in on field wins. Year on year growth in crowd attendances. In the coming years we're all expecting these to continue on the same trend as these are what will drive us to on and off field success and allow us to some day have the equity to do things like standalone VFL teams. The teams that have their own standalone VFL sides have had the capital to be able to afford a VFL side by either having one of or a combination of on and off field success over the last 10 years. While these teams have either been playing finals, winning flags, signing lucrative sponsorship deals and keeping memberships numbers over 50k, we've been not playing finals, finishing bottom of the ladder, losing sponsors, signing sponsors who have impacted our club negatively, and hiring personnel who are not component to manage these issues. I also don't think in the history of our club ever had a membership base over 40k, which for all the history and heritage we have is incredibly poor. A lot of work has gone into this club in the last 3 years, not everything is going to happen overnight but there is daylight between where we were 3 years ago and where we are now. Unless you're real name is Carlos Tevez then I doubt you have the disposable income to turn to donate to the club to field a standalone VFL side, so in the mean time continue to buy a membership and go to games, and if you're not doing either of those then you're just apart of the problem.

Ian Ridley had no trouble with this.

The best way to judge any player is if they make us better. Bugg doesn't make us better, even though he's adequate and will get some games. Unquestionably' Oliver makes us better. His ability to get first dibs around the stoppages and then release to a teammate is incredible. He needs no more time at Casey. The following is the AFL's current version of our best 22: B: Neville Jetta, Tom McDonald, Michael Hibberd HB: Jayden Hunt, Oscar McDonald, Christian Salem C: Dom Tyson, Nathan Jones, Billy Stretch HF: Dean Kent, Sam Weideman, Christian Petracca F: Jeff Garlett, Jesse Hogan, Jack Watts R: Max Gawn, Jordan Lewis, Jack Viney I/C: Jake Melksham, Angus Brayshaw, Clayton Oliver, Bernie Vince Depth Midfielders: Alex Neal-Bullen, James Harmes, Jake Spencer, Mitch King, Jack Trengove, Aaron vandenBerg, Pat McKenna, Lachlan Filipovic Forwards: Liam Hulett, Dion Johnstone, Mitch Hannan, Jay Kennedy-Harris, Cameron Pedersen, Declan Keilty, Joel Smith, Tim Smith, Corey Maynard, Ben Kennedy Defenders: Sam Frost, Tom Bugg, Josh Wagner, Mitch White, Colin Garland Harmes, vandenBerg, and Frost would appear the unluckiest (at this stage).

Yeah thanks Macca. Love the typing comp. Makes watching redzone all that bit more interesting.

Another self-proclaimed 'expert' that I've never heard of and just another puff piece with no real substance. The clear differentiator for me is that we finally have some real depth within the list for the first time in yonks! Nearly 44 blokes who could come in to the team and play a role on game day and not look out of place - and, they're all competing for a spot in the firsts. When Roos and Jackson came on board four (4) years ago we barely had half a dozen best 22 locks and the rest were mediocre VFL players at best. We are a team at long last and one that wants success for one another. The individuality that plagued the list in years gone by has been replaced with a team firs culture. We look to have nailed the draft first rounds at long last and have found some great value in later picks. Taylor has been a steal. For all of the apparent rogering we get from the Pies with ordinarily trades, I think we're a long way in front with the recruiting method Taylor has brought to the club. First class. The development team is second to none and quite frankly I think the additions of Chaplin (who had an offer to stay at Punt Rd), Egan and Rooke point to and underline the quality of the environment Roos and co have put in place. People want to come to the club because they can see the raw talent on the list and want to be a part of developing it, pushing it hard and seeing it unleash on the field. Misson and Rob Jackson have done a tremendous job, there can't be any question about their commitment to the playing group and driving of standards. I have no concerns at all that Goodwin will not measure up. There's no apparent ego which is commonly seen across the AFL senior coaching a ranks. He's humble, assured and a footy nerd. I think he'll be a tactical genius on game day. The boys love him - what more could you want. My point is, is that there is so much more beneath the surface that has/is/will enable the team to out-perform what the supposed guru sports writers can only see above the surface. They see win/loss and factor in natural progression or regression and out pops the puff from their PC's. You, me and the majority of posters and readers of this forum know that there's a very different feel to this club right now. We live and breathe the club every day and know when things have turned a corner. I think we've turned a hair-pin corner and will ascend much faster than Mr Bicks thinks. Ed: have since learnt the articles author is Mark Bickley. Makes no diff to my post.

The MFC has had problems with being favourites in games for over 50 years. Big wins have always been a suprise...

The Ottoman Empire was lovely unless you were not a Muslim. Fortunately the dominance of British traders changed all that. I can't change history but I can teach it to you if you wish.

Stu, as the new year approaches I'll give you a chance to redeem yourself and will remove the yellow lines that follow you around. As I said in the post you quoted they were cooked by round 22, i.e. the Carlton game. I was fortunate enough to attend a club function post season where a very senior footy person within the club said all the signs were there in the second half of the Port game that the young players were spent (notwithstanding the victory). Subsequently, they were worried about the final two games. Those fears were realised as the long year caught up with them. Just one 10 goal+ thrashing (when we were cooked), good percentage, 10 wins and a healthy number of quarters won. In one win we fielded 3 teenagers. I accept your point that inconsistency follows young teams who will naturally develop weary bodies. Any team that doesn't make the 8 has degrees of inconsistency, but overall the consistency factor was as good as any "reasonable" supporter could hope for from such a young group. As this new gameplan becomes second nature their performances will be stronger and more consistent. I'm confident this will be the case in 2017.

Agreed Abe. I do think our consistency issues come down to fitness (young group still building their tanks), experience and leadership, all areas we have improved on during this offseason, so you'd naturally think then that we should be able to improve in that area next year.

You really shouldn't comment/argue on things when you have no idea what you're talking about man. Maybe next year get down to a couple of VFL games, talk to the players and the club members and you'll see for yourself exactly why the Casey and Melbourne alignment is a great benefit to both clubs.

Mebourne has signed a 30 year deal with the City of Casey. Casey had brought Springvale to Casey Fields to 1) bring a VFL team to the area to promote its ongoing football development in the region and 2) revive Springvale from fininacial trouble. Melbourne therefore aligned with Casey to honour there deal with the City. Melbourne has since then lifted Casey to great heights in the VFL for its own development as well as for the good of the region. Now they have strengthened this partnership by renaming Casey from the Scorpions to the Demons, but they recognise the history in which Casey aka Springvale has come from. It would be very rude of them to ignore this history and the Club recognises this, which is why they have made sure the Casey Demons will still honour the Scorpions. Just because it is a VFA club doesn't make it any less special then an VFL/AFL club. In the history of the game, the VFA and VFL/AFL are extremely important in remember where the game came from. So why wouldon't the MFC honour the clubs past?

not even H?

Boxing Day means a lot of things to different people. Some relax after the festivities of Christmas, many head out on holidays, others head off to the big stores hunting for bargains while others still go off to the G and the Test. This day to me will always be associated with the 2004 tsunami which took the lives of a quarter of a million people as the big waves hit shorelines around the Indian Ocean in one of the planet's greatest natural disasters. Among the victims were many Australians included Demon defender Troy Broadbridge who was on his honeymoon at the time. We won't forget him - today, we celebrate his life and memory ...

Jeff is one of my favourite players but his worst would find him at Casey most weeks while his best would see him near the All Australian squad. That is probably why there is such a divergence of opinions on him on here.

How people can leave Garlett out of our best 22 staggers me. After Hogan (1.95), and Watts (1.73) Garlett was our third heaviest scorer (1.71). Took 4th most marks inside 50 after Watts, Gawn and Pedo... Kicked 2 or more goals in 11 or his 17 games...