Bernie Vince made his Melbourne debut on Saturday Night and although the Demons went down to a Nick Riewoldt-driven St Kilda side, Bernie showed the talent he possessed during his early years at the Crows.
In an interview after the game, Vince said the Demons “lacked a superstar that could drag the team across the line.”
After 28 disposals and having five shots at goal on Saturday Night, Vince showed maybe he can be the superstar the club needs.
Melbourne were competitive on Saturday night, but their execution at critical times in front of goal and with their foot skills cost them the game. The signs on the whole for Melbourne were good however, with Vince, Nathan Jones and Dom Tyson all getting plenty of the ball.
Vince has been dissapointing in the last few seasons but maybe this move to Melbourne is just what the club and the individual needed. After winning Adelaide’s best and fairest in a solid year for the club in 2009, Vince struggled to maintain this form and was eventually traded at the end of last year, as the Crows simply couldn’t cope with him and his apparently suspicious off-field behaviour.
If the Round 1 match taught us anything though, it was that Vince might just have an influence which can help Melbourne re-establish themselves as a midfield group once again.
For to long, Jones has been the senior figure playing brilliant football in and under for the Dees and the inclusions of both Vince and Tyson clearly show the emphasis and the re-development occurring in this area.
The question remains though, can Bernie Vince be a superstar? His numbers on Saturday night were impressive and although he kicked four behinds, two hit the post and were very good efforts. He needs to continue to develop high numbers on both the inside and outside for Melbourne.
In 2009, he averaged 27 disposals and six marks a game, pushing forward and kicking 14 goals for the season. These numbers dipped from 2010 onwards as he struggled to maintain both fitness and his position in the team – failing to play every game in a season since then.
A good sign for Vince last year however, was his improved tackle count, even if was was still a reasonably low three tackles per game.
These numbers might not sound that impressive compared to the Abletts and Pendleburys we see running around, but the way Vince influences a game was crucial throughout 2009 and this showed again on the weekend. His message early in the first quarter was evident – he has established himself as a genuine on-field leader at Melbourne.
Bernie is a crucial part of Melbournes success in 2014, without him they will lack both an outside running and scoring presence. If he can get back to the form he had in 2009, with both Tyson and Jones around him, Melbourne might get to five wins this year.
Who’s in your ultimate team? Pick the best team and compete with other fans for daily prizes on Draftstars. For the best odds on the game try out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Think. Is this a bet you really want to place? Set a deposit limit.
Jeremy Finlayson should be a welcome addition to the Port Adelaide forward line after kicking four goals in the SANFL last week.
When people say a home-and-away match is finals-like, they're usually referring, at least in part, to its quality. That was far from the case…
Melbourne’s complete reliance on Clayton Oliver has them positioned as a fake contender and Oliver finding form will completely transform this accidental top-four team.…
Last, year in the second showdown, Adelaide destroyed Port by 47 points with a staggering 20 marks inside 50 with Tex Walker the main star.
There’s no disputing that Cam Guthrie will be important against Melbourne, given Patrick Dangerfield is set to miss due to injury.
Collingwood led by a point with minutes to go, Kyle Langford had the chance to be the hero with a set shot, however, he missed, and we saw the first draw of the season.
