Football is not meant to be this difficult. Equalisation in the AFL should work as follows: a team struggles for a few seasons, they do well in the draft and then gradually become a contender.
By comparison, a successful team misses out on the best youth, struggles with salary cap pressures and eventually falls down the ladder.
St Kilda successfully developed via the draft and Carlton enjoyed success by following a similar blue-print. Collingwood drafted Dale Thomas and Scott Pendlebury and rose to prominence, while West Coast used the draft to great effect after losing Chris Judd.
Melbourne has had no such luck and they need to change their approach.
I confess that I am an Essendon supporter. I attended the round two clash hoping for a Bombers win and maybe even a percentage booster. I got what I wanted but I left dissatisfied.
Football should not be like that. A team should never lose by 148 points and be completely uncompetitive.
Questions will be asked of Melbourne this week. The media will place the players, the coach and the administration under a level of scrutiny that will be difficult for all involved.
The supporters and the media want short-term solutions. They need short-term solutions but none will be forthcoming.
The Melbourne Football Club needs to take a step back and assess themselves.
They need to analyse where they are now, where they have come from and what type of football club they want to become. They have to determine which players need to be footballers and which ones merely enjoy the fame and lifestyle than the profession allows.
Are the players hungry enough? It is difficult for an outsider to say with any certainty but it appears not.
I do not believe that there is a lack of talent on the Melbourne list.
Players such as Jack Watts and Jack Trengove were rightfully regarded as elite junior talents by scouts from all clubs. Jeremy Howe is an exciting player, while James Frawley and Nathan Jones work hard every week.
Unfortunately responsibility is left to too few.
Melbourne faces two issues: developing players and finding footballers with a passion for the game.
They need to determine what the likes of Collingwood, Hawthorn and Sydney are doing to get the most out of their young players, and why they are, by comparison, falling short.
Melbourne also needs to find athletes that desperately want to be AFL players. To play at the highest level is a privilege.
To be adored by the masses through the good times, and the bad, is not something that players should take for granted.
Players should understand that they are easily replaceable. There are in fact dozens of footballers in the VFL, SANFL and WAFL who could play in the AFL at a very high level and at higher level than many current senior players.
More importantly there are dozens of players in these leagues that would do anything for the opportunity to play in the AFL.
We have already seen the effect that players such as Michael Barlow, James Podsiadly and Stewart Crameri have had on their respective clubs. However, many others are not offered the same opportunity because clubs are obsessed with young talent and potential.
Consequently, many mature aged players are overlooked for 18-year-olds who may not be able to contribute at an appropriate level for three or four seasons.
For many clubs, it is more important to be good ‘five years from now’ rather than right now, and this is a trap that has harmed Melbourne more than most.
But talented players are out there, they are hungry for the opportunity and they are even cheap. Melbourne, who lack experience and on-field leadership, could do a lot worse than tap into these richly talented secondary competitions.
They may not find a Gary Ablett or a Lance Franklin or a Scott Pendlebury but they might just find a player who inspires the fans, who makes them proud to be a Melbourne supporter. And that would be an improvement.
The Demons will face a turning point this week. It will be easy to make short-term decisions, such as firing the coach or sending senior players down to the VFL.
These are the messages that the football media appreciate but is it the Mark Neeld’s fault if he does not have a talented and well-developed playing list?
Melbourne’s issue is one of experience and desire – the same issue they had last season and for the last five years – but these can be improved quickly.
Address this and the results will follow.
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