It’s dangerous to make big statements after Round 1 like Geelong’s awesome era is over, North Melbourne can’t win the premiership but Adelaide can, and it’s Hawthorn then daylight.
Some of those will be right in almost six months’ time and some will be wrong, but one prediction you can bank on is that Melbourne will be big improvers in 2015.
There was so much to like about their performance on the weekend. The fact they didn’t get thrashed in Round 1, but win their opening round fixture for the first time in ten years was significant.
They kicked more than 100 points in a match for the first time in two seasons, showing that they can play exciting footy.
They also won without two of their more experienced players in Chris Dawes and Bernie Vince.
There was an injection of seven new players, with coach Paul Roos making no secret of the tweaked game plan to play on whenever possible and move the ball with precision through the middle.
They didn’t do that last year, but to be fair to Roos, 2014 was all about stripping it back to the bare essentials and learning how to defend.
Their recruiting has been good also since Roos joined the club, especially in attracting players from other clubs such as Vince, Dom Tyson, Daniel Cross, Heritier Lumumba and Jeff Garlett, who both played their part in the excellent win over the Suns. There is also Ben Newton from Port Adelaide, who will add to the midfield depth and Sam Frost from GWS, who could be a key tall forward or defender.
They have some elite young players now in Christian Salem and Angus Brayshaw, who made a terrific debut on Saturday and of course there’s Jesse Hogan.
He missed all of last year with a back injury and Demon fans have been waiting patiently to see the tall key forward prospect finally strut his stuff at senior level.
It’s early days, but there were signs it’s been well worth the wait.
Roos has basically built his midfield over the past 18 months and it doesn’t just rely on the grunt and spirit of Nathan Jones. It runs deep and has an excellent mix of inside work rate and outside run. Jones however continues to lead from the front.
James Frawley is gone, but Melbourne still have three reliable tall defenders in Colin Garland, Lynden Dunn and Tom McDonald.
Garlett and Jay Kennedy-Harris are the quality crumbers at the feet of Dawes, Hogan and co. in the forward line and there’s probably room for one of Max Gawn or Jack Fitzpatrick to share ruck duties with Mark Jamar.
One win doesn’t make a season, but where Melbourne has been and come from over the past eight years, it sure beats what this proud club has been through and there’s another very winnable game this week against the Giants in Sydney.
On form, the Dees are a good chance to be unbeaten after two rounds and then it’s Adelaide, Richmond and Fremantle.
That trio will be tough, but Paul Roos’ mantra once he embraced this role was to make Melbourne hard to play against and he’s acheiving that. They are certainly on the rise.
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