Melbourne mid-season report card: are Demons ready to challenge for flag in 2018?

MELBOURNE promised to use the pain of missing the finals last year to inspire a drought-breaking finals appearance in 2018 and Simon Goodwin couldn’t have asked for much more in response. VOTE

Clayton Oliver in action for Melbourne.

MELBOURNE promised to use the pain of missing out on the finals at the final hurdle last year to inspire a drought-breaking finals appearance in 2018.

Coach Simon Goodwin couldn’t have asked for much more in response from the Demons, who have surged to fourth with a game in hand.

Now comes the toughest test, the business end of the season. How far can Melbourne go?

Check out our mid-year report card.

BAROMETER: SELECTION ANALYSIS FOR ROUND 14

TARGETS: WANTED EAGLES’ $2 MILLION DILEMMA

TACKLE: ROBBO’S ROUND 13 LIKES AND DISLIKES

Grade: A-

Ladder position: 4th

Predicted finish: 4th

RALPHY SAYS

The negatives are a flat Queens Birthday display and Jake Lever’s season-ending injury. Yet everything else has been triumphant in a breakout season.

They look a perennial finals contender, they play a sustainable brand (brilliant in close, quick ball movement, lively forwards), they have rampant star power, and have signed up their priority targets.

Now after last year’s heartbreak they must turn an 8-4 start into a top-four finish and not be content with a drought-breaking finals appearance. Capable of anything this September.”

Clayton Oliver is a midfield star.

Max Gawn is in All-Australian form.

GOOD STAT

Rank a clear No.1 for contested footy, and rank No.1 for points scored, points from stoppages and inside 50 differential

BAD STAT

Haven’t been able to capitalise on Max Gawn’s dominance, ranking 17th for converting a first possession at stoppages into a clearance

TRADE WINDS

Angus Brayshaw buried reports of a move back in April and having already signed Tom McDonald, the Dees will be keen to follow suit with Brayshaw. Dean Kent will have suitors if he decides he wants out, but Dom Tyson is happy at the club despite being made to ply his trade in the VFL for much of this season. Melbourne will have room in the salary cap for Andrew Gaff, should the Victorian request a trade home.

Bayley Fritsch has been a revelation in his debut season.

DEBUTANTS

Mature-age recruit Bailey Fristch has been a livewire up forward for the Dees in his debut year. Played all but one game and looks a great find. Hard-nut Charlie Spargo has made a spot for himself since debuting in Round 6 and has hit the scoreboard in four of his seven games.

BEST-AND-FAIREST

Reigning champ Clayton Oliver continues to leave records in his wake in just his third season and will be tough to dethrone but Max Gawn has found shades of his All-Australian form in 2016 and will have polled well to this point. Tom McDonald has only played seven games but already has 25 goals and must be climbing up the leaderboard. And Nathan Jones has a spot in Melbourne’s top 5 annually reserved, this year should be no different for the co-captain.

Tom McDonald has been dominant as a key forward.

THE RUN HOME

Port Adelaide A

St Kilda H

Fremantle H

Western Bulldogs H

Geelong A

Adelaide A

Gold Coast H

Sydney H

West Coast A

GWS Giants H

Draw difficulty for remainder of the year: 12th (7th easiest)

GAME STYLE

Dominant in the contest, get the ball forward and from there create forward half stoppages and turnovers

BROWNLOW LEADER PREDICTION

Max Gawn: 9 votes

Stats: Champion Data

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