Melbourne is good enough to taste premiership success in 2017, writes David King
MELBOURNE supporters continue to look for every reason why their club isn’t a premiership contender. But David King has some bad news for them. They can win it all in 2017.
Melbourne
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MELBOURNE fans are annoying. They’ve been complaining for years. Whether it’s their recruiting department, Mark Neeld, Jack Watts, Casey Fields, can’t win at Etihad Stadium, tanking — the list goes on and on and on.
The current version of the Melbourne Football Club is undoubtedly in premiership contention, but don’t ask a Demons supporter.
Melbourne supporters cannot wait to nominate yet another reason they will fall apart and fail to make finals. It’s uncharted territory for the Melbourne fan.
Former coach Paul Roos described it as the “veil of negativity”, but why has it gone next level?
“Too young”, “no finals experience”, “they can’t handle expectation”, “a bit gimmicky”, “who is their best 22?”, “want to see it next week (always next week)”, “can’t do it across four quarters”, “player X always gets us” …
Enough, Dees fans. Get on board and embrace it. Enjoy it.
Melbourne players certainly don’t think that way. For the first time in a decade they are behaving like a proactive, confrontational and driven playing unit. They ooze a healthy football arrogance that all successful teams have in their artillery.
At this level, you cannot be successful without a healthy opinion of yourself and your team. It’s a fine line between a healthy football arrogance and complete big headedness.
On Friday night an undermanned Demon line up will take on a resurgent Sydney outfit on what I’d call “Free Hit Friday”. No Jack Watts, Nathan Jones, Jesse Hogan, Christian Salem and Jeff Garlett, but imagine if they win as they did last weekend in Western Australia.
If the Swans are too good, that’s OK. A Round 15 defeat really has little bearing on Round 26 or 27, the preliminary final or Grand Final success. Even last year’s premiers lost seven home and away games.
The way Melbourne are playing is misunderstood. The common language regarding the innovation, particularly at centre bounces and their scoring power is reasonably sound, but it’s not the reason the Demons are playing high quality football.
Melbourne are the competitions best without possession. “Dee-fence”.
The Demons place their opposition under the most physical and harassment pressure of any team in the AFL. It’s systematic pressure that seems to commit confrontational tacklers without over representation. Clearly well organised and extremely efficient.
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The Demons are rated clearly the AFL’s most difficult team to move the football against post a turnover.
Melbourne are 239 per cent better than the AFL average at not allowing the opposition to move the football. A remarkable number given the comparisons and significant gaps back to the next and second best ranked Tigers at 139 per cent better than AFL average.
Their defensive model stacks up against the top eight teams better than any other. When was the last time the Dees were the best in the AFL without possession of the football?
This defensive improvement has allowed more opportunity to force their opposition into turnover. The Adelaide Crows are the only team more productive on turnover scoring than the Demons.
Melbourne are playing with a genuine anger, an edge this season. Michael Hibberd, Jack Viney and Clayton Oliver have set the standard for attack on the football or the man with the football.
Late in recent games Michael Hibberd has been a clear mind in chaos and is possibly the best player the Dees have acquired through trading for since Jeff White or even Andrew Leoncelli.
The only facet that is still a work in progress are the clearances. Max Gawn returned last week and after the consistency for the Demon midfielders to know they were going to lose the hit-outs to now likely winning the majority of hit-outs poses new challenges.
The adjustment from an extra midfielder/running type ruckman, such as Cam Pederson or Tom McDonald, provided greater spread from stoppage both defensively and offensively. They lost hit-outs but won clearances during Gawn’s absence.
In the past four weeks, the Demons have the best forward 50 in the competition, converting an entry to a goal at almost one in every three opportunities.
The first 10 rounds it was poorer than one in every four entries. It’s doesn’t sound like a great difference, but to achieve a 15 goal offence, it’s the gap between obtaining 51 and 57 inside-50 opportunities entries.
This poses an interesting discussion as to the role or even the importance of Hogan upon his return. Does Hogan play the second ruck role as well as spending time deep forward? Is there an opportunity at centre-half back? Or is he just the Demons best option deep forward?
Time will tell.
Whatever this season brings and regardless of the finishing point on the ladder we all acknowledge that the Demons have entered the discussion for success in the near future but please don’t use age as a reason it cannot arrive this year.
The Western Bulldogs Grand Final team were younger than last week’s victorious Melbourne outfit. Almost exactly the same games experience and let’s be honest, the young footballers of today have a different outlook on the bright lights of football. They thrive under this pressure to perform. Tell Oliver he’s to take a backward step, both on and off the field. Not happening. I’m excited for the Melbourne and I’ve a fascination with the off-field set-up particularly regarding the tactical and strategic innovation. Coach Simon Goodwin’s first season in charge should open the eyes of all AFL board’s regarding trust and delegation of major components of the football program. It belies his time in the role.
Melbourne are so exciting this season. I’m sincerely enjoying their evolution, I just want the Melbourne fans to do the same.
“Go Dees.” Melbourne by 2 points.
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