AFL 2022: Melbourne rediscover ruthless edge needed for finals success at perfect time

A final-round demolition of premiership rivals indicates that AFL premiers Melbourne are on the right track for back-to-back success.

Melbourne’s Jack Viney can’t wait for the finals. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

The re-emergence of the “ruthless edge” that helped propel Melbourne to premiership glory last season and the tangible boost in energy a finals campaign at the MCG has given players should put Sydney on notice ahead of Friday’s qualifying final showdown.

Basically at full strength and brimming with confidence after a final-round demolition of Brisbane at the Gabba, Demons midfield star Jack Viney said the return to Melbourne’s premiership best over the final month of the season was an indication of their finals readiness.

A heart-stopping loss to Collingwood was the only slip-up for the reigning premiers on the run to September, but Viney declared the “vibe” at the club was on the same level as 2021 and the Demons couldn’t be more ready to take on the Swans and start their march towards back-to-back flags.

“I thought we brought that physical and ruthless edge to our game last week and did that for a month leading up to finals,” Viney said on Tuesday.

“You don’t need to find too much motivation or dig too deep to find that ruthless edge in finals. At our best we play that way, and finals is going to bring the best out of us.

“In terms of the energy and the vibe around the group, it feels very similar (to last year).

“We understand there needs to be a heap of hard work in finals. These are the toughest games to win. We are geared up and ready to roll.”

Melbourne flexed its muscle with a big round 23 win over Brisbane. Picture: Russell Freeman/AFL Photos via Getty Images

The potential inclusion of premiership forward Tom McDonald, who hasn’t played since round 10 due to a foot injury, is the only lingering question over a Melbourne line-up that lost its only encounter with the Swans this season at the MCG in round 12.

That was in the middle of a three-game losing streak, a time of the season that Viney said was chock full of “learnings” after which “solutions become clearer and clearer” and enabled the Demons to address their issues and refind their best,

Viney said the 2022 season had been his most consistent, with his previously “compromised” body allowing him the sort of consistency needed to excel. He averages more than 26 disposals in each of his 20 games, having battled issues with his feet.

“I’m really lucky I have got most of the pre-season done, my feet and my body have held up pretty well throughout the season,” he said.

“My body has been pretty compromised over the last few years and I felt like not being able to train consistently and not being able to prepare for game day the way you need to perform at a high level took its toll.

“I have really enjoyed the consistency of training, consistency of working on my game, my craft, following blokes around like (Christian) Petracca and (Clayton) Oliver, competing against them. I feel like it has led to some strong performances.”

Jack Viney is keen to play a final in front of Melbourne fans. Picture: Russell Freeman/AFL Photos via Getty Images

While not lacking for motivation going into another finals campaign, Viney said the prospect of playing in front of family, friends and Melbourne fans couldn’t be understated, having played all of last year’s finals, including the grand final, outside of Victoria.

“We did some pretty special things last year, but we weren’t able to do it in front of our fans, in front of our family,” he said.

“This is my 10th year and my family have only been to watch me play in one final series (in 2018).

“I can’ wait to hear that Melbourne roar.”