The Roar
The Roar

AFL
Advertisement

Season 2018 and beyond could be a grand old flag for Melbourne

Roar Rookie
4th September, 2017
Advertisement
Melbourne could be 2018 premiership contenders. (AAP Image/Joe Castro)
Roar Rookie
4th September, 2017
8

After showing promise throughout season 2017 and setting up a much-awaited return to September football for the club and its fans, Melbourne’s season ended in disappointment.

In the top eight and heading into the final round only a win away from cementing themselves in finals action, the Demons did what supporters have grown used to – they let them down.

A loss to Collingwood in Round 23 and a surprising win for West Coast over ladder leaders Adelaide left the Demons being leapfrogged by the surging Eagles, who jumped into September action.

While the season can be automatically judged as a failure after the Dees found themselves in the top eight with just one round of home-and-away football left, I think that is far from the case.

A major injury during the year to Max Gawn, health problems and personal issues for star forward Jesse Hogan, concussion problems with former top three pick Angus Brayshaw and suspensions for Tommy Bugg and Jordan Lewis left the team well undermanned at times.

The Dees, despite injuries to key players, did what they haven’t done in previous years: they didn’t lose in terrible fashion and play uncompetitively for most of their games. Despite the lack of personnel, they won on the road in Adelaide and Perth.

(Image: AAP Image/Joe Castro)

When they did lose this year they were in competitive games that left people wondering what could be if they had their full team on the park. They showed fight and played an unsociable brand of football, which looks to have been brought across from Hawthorn and implemented by ex-Hawk Jordan Lewis.

Advertisement

Their midfield is first class. Christian Petracca is as good a young player that has entered the game in recent years. He is poised with the ball in hand, has good skills, os great in the air and is good inside and outside.

Jack Viney is tough and uncompromising, Max Gawn is one of the best ruckmen in the league, Clayton Oliver is exceptional in close and they are all complemented well by Dom Tyson, Angus Brayshaw, Nathan Jones and Jordan Lewis. Seriously, when Jones and Lewis are your fifth and sixth-best midfielders, you know that this team has what it takes to contend in the years to come.

Their forward line, led by Jesse Hogan, is more than capable of being a premiership-winning force. Hogan is frightening in the air, he competes well at ground level and, much like Jarryd Roughead at Hawthorn, he can move up the ground and be a presence if need be.

Sam Weideman looks to be a solid player as well, and with another preseason he could fit into the second tall role after being a top ten pick in the 2015 draft.

The one area the team needs help in is their backline. Headed by Neville Jetta, they certainly have some reliable players there, but if I were the Demons’ list manager, I would be giving up my first and second-round picks for Jake Lever and slotting him into the backline for 2018 and beyond.

If the Dees can acquire Jake Lever from Adelaide and stay healthy on the field in 2018, they could find themselves competing for a spot in the top four as soon as next year. They have a very good midfield, which can potentially become a juggernaut, plus a forward line led by a fully firing Jesse Hogan, who is due to kick over 50 goals. An improved backline that could play small and tall will go a long way towards a strong 2018 season and beyond.

Demons fans are used to disappointment; however, 2018 and beyond could spell a different outcome for the fans. The Dees look poised to make a run deep into September for many years to come.

Advertisement
close