Melbourne Demons 2014 AFL report card

WHAT did the Demons get right and wrong in 2014? And what — or who — do they need to climb back up the ladder? See our verdict and have your say.

AFL- Melbourne v GWS at MCG, Melbourne. Nathan Jones leads the players off after the loss. 17th August 2014. Picture: Colleen Petch.

WHAT did the Demons get right and wrong in season 2014? And what — or who — do they need to make a climb back up the ladder? See our verdict and have your say.

SNAPSHOT

Wins: 4

Losses: 18

Draws: 0

Ladder position: 17th

%: 68.37 per cent

Last year: 2 wins, 20 losses and 54.07 per cent

Nathan Jones won his third consecutive best and fairest award. Picture: Colleen Petch

WHAT WENT RIGHT

Under Paul Roos’s guidance, the club took some definite strides forward in 2014, particularly in the first half of the season with wins over Adelaide, Richmond and Essendon. The Demons dramatically improved their defence, conceding 89 points on average compared to 122 points in 2013.

A number of players showed major improvement under the new regime with Lynden Dunn, Neville Jetta, Rohan Bail and Cameron Pederson enjoying career-best seasons.

The club has been criticised for its recruiting over the past 10 years, however the 2013 draft and trade period was a success.

Mature-aged recruits Bernie Vince and Daniel Cross finished in the top five in the club best and fairest, while Dom Tyson enjoyed an outstanding season and finished second.

Christian Salem was the other half of the Dom Tyson trade for Pick 2 — included an exchange of later picks — and, the 19-year-old showed poise and polish in 12 league games.

Jay Kennedy-Harris made a blistering start to the season, before tiring in the second of the half of the year and Dom Barry also made his AFL debut.

Off the field, Paul Roos agreed to activate the third year of his contract, to remain the senior coach until the end of 2016 and CEO Peter Jackson committed until at least October next year.

Dom Tyson enjoyed as outstanding season. Photo Sarah Reed.

WHAT WENT WRONG

The Demons finished the year with ten straight losses and at times looked appalling. The loss to GWS at the MCG in Round 21 was really tough for Melbourne fans to stomach. The Demons averaged 60 points per game — the lowest in the AFL — and regularly looked confused in transition. Playing a heavily contested a defensive brand of football is taxing and the players showed all the hallmarks of a tired group. The end of the season couldn’t have come fast enough, but the players will be itching to hit the track again and add the next piece of the puzzle.

AGREE? DISAGREE? FOLLOW ADAM BALDWIN ON TWITTER

Its best defender, and one of only two players with an all-Australian jumper, is set to leave the Demons via free agency. CEO Peter Jackson has all but conceded James Frawley is on the way out and Geelong looks the most likely destination. However, the silver lining on this outcome is the first-round compensation pick the Demons are likely to receive.

If Mitch Clark decides to return to football via a rival Victorian Club, it will be a kick in the guts to everyone associated with the Melbourne Football Club. While Demon fans are thrilled Clark’s health has improved, seeing a player who gave them such hope during two dark seasons wearing rival colours would be very hard to stomach.

Neville Jetta revived his career. Picture: Colleen Petch

BEST-AND-FAIREST

Nathan Jones was crowned the Keith ‘Bluey’ Truscott Trophy winner for the third consecutive season and 21-year-old Dom Tyson finished as runner up. Recruits Bernie Vince and Daniel Cross along with big improver Lynden Dunn rounded out the top five.

SUPERCOACH STUD

Nathan Jones broke through the 100-average barrier for the first time in his career and was unlucky not to make the All-Australian squad. He finished the year averaging 108.1 and compiled scores of 142, 140, 132 and 129 throughout the season.

YEAR IN REVIEW: ST KILDA REPORT CARD

SUPERCOACH DUD

Dean Terlich enjoyed an impressive first season at the Demons where he finished third in the club best-and-fairest and played 20 games as rebounding defender, but he struggled in 2014. After averaging 78.7 last season, many expected the 24-year-old to take another step forward, but his 15 games yielded an average of just 62.9.

Bernie Vince was a successful trade. Picture: Colleen Petch

THE LIST

Elite: Nathan Jones

Big improvers: Lynden Dunn, Neville Jetta, Cameron Pederson, Dom Tyson, Rohan Bail.

Gone: Shannon Byrnes, Dan Nicholson, Mitch Clisby.

Going, going: Luke Tapscott, Sam Blease, James Strauss, James Frawley, Mitch Clark.

Trade bait: Jack Watts, Jack Grimes, Colin Garland, Jimmy Toumpas, Jack Fitzpatrick, Max Gawn, Cameron Pederson.

Note: Paul Roos said after the Round 23 loss to North Melbourne that every player is tradeable for the right price. Of course, in reality this is not the case. The above list includes those who A) have currency, B) rival clubs would be prepared to offer a satisfactory deal C) Melbourne would be prepared to deal.

WHAT THEY NEED

Two of everything, please Noah ... The Demons are almost certain to draft a midfielder with their first pick in the national draft, with big bodied Eastern Ranges midfielder Christian Petracca fitting the bill. Roos has previously stated that taller players are harder to assess in underage competitions and the club needs midfield depth. Should James Frawley walk, the Demons are also likely to have pick three which the club is open to trading in exchange for another midfielder or a key forward to pair with Jesse Hogan.

The Demons are in the hunt for a big fish and would be negligent not to being making inquiries to the management of Giant Dylan Shiel and Crows Rory Sloane and Patrick Dangerfield. These Victorians are out of contract at the end of 2016 and would bring polish, hardness and leadership.

GWS swingman Adam Tomlinson can play at both ends of the ground and would help to cover the loss of Mitch Clark and Frawley, should they leave.

PREMIERSHIP CLOCK

The progress of a young list is never linear and while the Demons look a long way off the pace now, as Port Adelaide has shown, fortunes can change pretty quickly. The list has enough quality, but it needs to learn how to prepare and play at the elite level. Another pre-season of learning under Roos will do the players the world of good and with some clever recruiting the club should expect to play finals in 2016.

CHAMPION DATA SAYS

Tick

Melbourne improved its percentage from 54 to 68 on the back of an improve defence. The Demons conceded 33.5 fewer points than last season.

Cross

Melbourne averaged 40.5 inside-50s and kicked a goal once inside 50 21.3 per cent of the time — both ranked 18th. As a result, 60.7 points per game was the club’s lowest since 1920.

REPORT CARD: MELBOURNE | Create Infographics

STATS (supplied by Champion Data)

Originally published as Melbourne Demons 2014 AFL report card