Eight reasons to get excited about Melbourne in 2020
Tom McDonald’s output dropped from 53 goals to 18 in 2019 as he battled form issues and injury. Can he be the key forward Melbourne desperately needs to lead its rise back into finals contention? Here’s why Demons fans should be optimistic.
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After playing off in a preliminary final in 2018, Melbourne had an almighty fall in 2019.
The Demons were always playing catch up with a lengthy list of players recovering from off-season surgery, which included key talls Jake Lever, Steven May and Tom McDonald.
This pre-season has gone far more smoothly, which is why Melbourne fans can be excited about the 2020 season.
1. BOUNCE BACK
The 2019 season could not have gone much worse for the Demons. They won just five games to finish 17th, so it would seem the only way is up. Melbourne made a preliminary final in 2018 in its first finals appearance since 2006. Injury issues, an unusually high number of pre-season surgeries and poor form did not help, but the Demons should be better than 17th. Coach Simon Goodwin has spoken about the club struggling to deal with expectations last season. The Demons say they are ready to “right the wrongs of 2019” and build back up to “playing some finals footy”. Let’s see it.
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2. NEW WINGER 1
As they have been in recent years, the Demons were again key players in the trade and free agency period and landed a very handy recruit in Fremantle midfielder Ed Langdon. The Victorian, who is the brother of Collingwood’s Tom Langdon, played 68 games across five seasons for the Dockers before he nominated Melbourne for his return home. Langdon played all 22 games for the Dockers in 2019 and averaged 25 disposals, 439m gained, 4.4 score involvements and 86 SuperCoach ranking points per match. The Demons view the 23-year-old as a long-term prospect who is “ready-made” to slot on to a wing and add some running ability and stability to their midfield.
3. NEW WINGER 2
Opposite Langdon, another recruit is set to fill Melbourne’s other wing spot next season. Former Greater Western Sydney utility Adam Tomlinson was another acquisition during the trade and free agency period as an unrestricted free agent and similarly is a player who is ready to go. Tomlinson spent eight seasons at the Giants and has made a name for himself with his elite endurance and versatility. The 26-year-old stands 194cm tall and played 25 games last year. He averaged 17 disposals, 6.2 marks and 2.1 clearances per match. Tomlinson comes with 140 games of experience and Melbourne believes he can make an immediate and substantial impact.
4. FIT DEFENDERS
Steven May and Jake Lever were supposed to be the key pillars in Melbourne’s defence last season. But the pair managed just eight games each in a hugely disappointing year. Lever (knee) missed the first eight rounds and was slowly eased back through the seconds before he came good at the tail end of the season. May arrived to his first pre-season with the Demons in poor shape and was sidelined for three blocks of games due to a series of groin and hamstring complaints. But May started pre-season before he was required this summer and has a new training program which includes a pilates coach, extra yoga and cross-training sessions. The Demons conceded the second-most points of any team last season but will be significantly better off if they get full seasons from May and Lever.
5. FIT KEY FORWARD
Melbourne lost key forward Jesse Hogan from their line-up at the end of 2018 when he was traded to Fremantle and their other key forward — Tom McDonald — was unable to have his usual impact. McDonald had pre-season surgery and struggled to get going despite playing the first 15 games. Knee surgery in July then put an end to his campaign. McDonald kicked just 18 goals for the season, down from 53 in 2018. He resumed full training in November and the Demons desperately need him near his best.
6. TWO TOP 12s
Melbourne traded up the draft order with North Melbourne in November to get its hands on two prized top-12 picks. They landed the best big man in the draft pool in 198cm ruckman Luke Jackson at pick No. 3, a former Australian junior basketball star who Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin believes has “unique” potential to become the AFL’s tallest midfielder in years to come. Jackson’s under-18 state coach Peter Sumich believes the big man could easily play 8-12 games alongside Max Gawn in 2020. Kysaiah Pickett joined the club at pick 12, the small forward likened to his uncle Byron who played 204 AFL games for North Melbourne, Port Adelaide and Melbourne. Expect to see both players feature at some stage in 2020.
7. EASY FIXTURE
It’s hardly a surprise given they finished second-last on the ladder last season, but Melbourne has been handed the third-easiest fixture in 2020 according to Champion Data. Under the AFL’s weighted fixture format, the Demons face double-up matches against three fellow bottom-six sides from last season — Gold Coast, St Kilda and Fremantle. Their other two double-up matches will be against Adelaide (11th last year) and Collingwood (fourth). The Demons also have a nice patch from Round when they play six of seven matches at the MCG. While there are few easy games in the AFL, that appears as good a fixture as you will get.
8. HARLEY BENNELL
He has played only two AFL games in four years, but Melbourne has high hopes for ex-Gold Coast and Fremantle midfielder Harley Bennell. The 27-year-old has been training with the club over pre-season in a bid to win the club’s final free list position via the pre-season supplemental selection period. Bennell is set to join main training after the Christmas break, having only been in the rehabilitation group to date. If he can earn a list spot and get his body right, look out.
CHAMPION DATA SAYS
After a disastrous 2019, the Demons head into 2020 with their list rated 13th in the competition. They need to get all cogs functioning in attack — with the equal third-lowest rated forward unit. Melbourne has every chance to climb back up the ladder with the third-easiest draw difficulty heading into 2020.
HOW THE DEMONS ARE TRACKING
2015: 13th — 7W, 15L
2016: 11th — 10W, 12L
2017: 9th — 12W, 10L
2018: 4th — 14W, 8L, (preliminary final)
2019: 17th — 5W, 17L
TAB ODDS
Premiership: $26
Top 8: $2.50
Top 4: $7