Paul Roos’s impact on Melbourne has the club believing it can beat Collingwood

THE Paul Roos factor has Melbourne believing it can topple Collingwood in the Queen’s Birthday blockbuster at the MCG.

Demons Training Paul Roos

THE Paul Roos factor has Melbourne believing it can topple Collingwood in the Queen’s Birthday blockbuster.

It sounds standard, but star forward Chris Dawes says it’s a mindset the Demons did not possess against his former club - or in most games - last year.

The Demons have been embarrassed in their past two public holiday blockbusters and promptly sacked coach Mark Neeld after last year’s 83-point hiding.

They have not beaten the Magpies since 2007, but under Roos Melbourne is now hoping to draw 80,000 to the MCG.

The Dees haven’t broken that crowd barrier since 96,249 showed up to the 2000 Grand Final against Essendon.

“The mood leading into most weeks this year has been vastly different to last year,” Dawes said yesterday.

“In terms of the mental approach, (we’re) preparing to win rather than just preparing to compete.

“That’s the biggest difference. We’re building up to play a game against a good opposition and preparing to beat them.”

The star forward who will return from suspension said the breakthrough Round 4 win against Carlton had altered the Dees’ approach.

“We’re showing ourselves more and more each week that we can beat any team in the competition, we just have to prepare well.

“For a team who’s got aspirations, possibly not this year but in the coming years, to be playing in the finals we need experience playing in front of big crowds, so that’s really important.”

The premiership Magpie, who crossed to the Demons after 2012, downplayed his second outing against his former club.

Chris Dawes will return from a one-week suspension against Collingwood.

Dawes said his Collingwood connection had been “diluted” due to a turnover in players.

“I’m guessing I’ll probably get (Jack) Frost, he’s been playing on the big forwards. I haven’t even met that bloke,” he said.

Roos said the nine-day break was well timed after playing in warm Alice Springs conditions and praised Dawes’ consistency as a power forward.

The mentor said his summer objective of lifting Melbourne’s percentage and competitiveness was complete.

“Now I’m getting greedy and saying let’s keep moving along,” he said.

“There’s no point turning up to games just to be competitive. You’ve got to turn up to win.

“Obviously for our team there’s that period of players thinking that (they only need to be competitive) because of where they were.”

The Magpies are set to recall Brownlow medallist Dane Swan, Brodie Grundy and Luke Ball for Round 12’s sole MCG fixture but lose suspended midfielder Steele Sidebottom.

Originally published as Paul Roos’s impact on Melbourne has the club believing it can beat Collingwood