AFL commentator Jonathan Brown has blasted high-profile Melbourne recruit Jake Lever, saying he looks soft.
The Demons are under fire from all directions after an appalling 67-point loss to Hawthorn in the wet on Sunday at the MCG.
It revived all the questions about whether Melbourne are good enough as they aim for their first finals appearance since 2006.
Lever clearly is still fitting into Melbourne’s defence after his move from Adelaide and Brown, the former Brisbane captain, is unimpressed.
“At the moment, he has a soft look about him,” Brown said on Fox Footy’s The Couch
“I know he’s not a soft player, we’ve seen that at Adelaide.
“He’s clearly bereft of confidence … where his place is in defence. He looks confused.”
Melbourne great Garry Lyon and former Demons coach Paul Roos also weighed in, saying next Tuesday’s Anzac Eve match against reigning premiers Richmond is critical.
“I wouldn’t be selling my stock, but we want to see a response,” Lyon said.
“(Hawthorn) are exactly what Melbourne weren’t – organised, structured behind, the footy, disciplined.
“That’s what Melbourne should aspire to be.”
Several critics are noting Melbourne’s inability to stop the opposition once they go on a scoring run.
After the Demons led by 21 points in the first term, they could only manage one goal for the rest of the game.
Their defence leaked like a sieve in the Melbourne wet and the Hawks’ scoring run became a deluge.
“The alarming pattern for Melbourne is the ease with which other teams can score (against them) in bunches,” Roos said.
“At the moment, it’s structural … you look at the defence and if you’re Richmond, I guarantee you what they’re saying – ‘boys, launch it in’.
“It’s not like you need anything ‘lace-out’ going into the forward line at the moment.”
Brown was also critical of Jordan Lewis, saying the Hawks and Demons veteran would be on notice.
But Brown added the four-time Hawthorn premiership player’s lofty reputation meant he deserved a game against the Tigers.
Harsh Truth Harry
Roar Rookie
The point Paul D is he is holding back a young blokes place on the list for no reason. Player coaches are a thing of the past back when I played footy. Coach or play Hodgey you can't do both bloke! Look how his opponents run off him! Its an embarassment!
I ate pies
Guest
According to Paul Roos Sydney are the only decent team in the comp, and it's been this way ever since he coached them. His bias as a commentator is shocking.
James
Guest
It is irrefutable that Melbourne is too easy to score against. That is structural. Since start of 2017, there have only been 6 occasions - out of 25 games - where Dees have NOT had 4 or more unanswered goals kicked against them. The average opposition run on is 5.4 goals. Frequently, this happens in less than a quarter. (and missed the finals by 1 goal !!!) The good teams just don't have this happen too often. Over same time, Sydney have only had 10 games where they did concede a run of 4 goals or more. That is 17 games where they didn't see a run of 4 goals against them. Four of these were in round 1-6 in 2017 where they were decimated by injury. No occurrences between rounds 6 to 19. Goodwin might like to see what the Swans are doing because the Dees will not be a good side as long as this remains the case.
Paul D
Roar Guru
For the last 18 months?
Birdman
Guest
copy that - sent the right message to the younger players. BTW apparently Lewis busted a hand in the second qtr so maybe that explains some of his poor form.
Paul D
Roar Guru
I must admit, I loved that part. The commentators had just finished togging off about what a wonderful trade Nankervis was from Sydney, and how good a player he was - nek minnit he drops the mark that leads to our first goal, then he tries to take Hodge on and got absolutely flattened. I daresay he dropped quite heavily in part because Hodge being the veteran turned slightly side on to ensure it was his mighty thigh making crushing contact with Nankervis' crotch, but that's what experience teaches ya
Birdman
Guest
the Hodge deal is a def. win so far even with the weekend's result - his bump on Nanakervis was incredibly significant IMHO
Penster
Roar Guru
Hodge is there for onfield leadership, coaching and organisation and from 2019, offield. He and Chris Fagan were important cogs in the wheel of Hawthorn's success, bit of recency and credibility for the young blokes. Worth the 12 month punt given there's not an endless queue of quality professionals lining up for a gig at the Lions.
Paul D
Roar Guru
He was recruited for the much same reasons Essendon recruited a bunch of over the hill hacks in 2016 – to flesh out the list and cover for some gaps, provide some experience & professionalism to a bunch of kids that desperately needed someone to contrast themselves to from outside the club, so they can see what’s needed to succeed at AFL level. Re: Matthews, pretty sure Kevin Sheedy wouldn’t have let a rogue “doctor” inject the entire playing list full of unknown substances either. What’s your point?
Penster
Roar Guru
3 years is folly but like our Cane Toad friend below suggests, Lewis' management may have insisted getting a desperate Melbourne hoping for some Hawthorn magic, the next best thing to a Clarko assistant coach. They deserve to be castigated for the weekend's result, but it's only 1 round of football and they went close to defeating Top 4 fancied Cats in Round 1.
Birdman
Guest
hard to know but I reckon 2 years would have got him to the Dees anyway. I reckon he thought the Dees were the real deal and fancied some more success.
Harsh Truth Harry
Roar Rookie
Big H told the lot of you Hodge was done and dusted! All he is doing now is staining a fine reputation while improving his tan! Fair dinkum, that was a bizarre recruitment by the Lions! Matthews wouldn't have let that happen blokes! What's next Lions? Draft Cyril next year with his burnt out hammies and knees?
Paul D
Roar Guru
Hodge will still be one of our best and most committed players in 2019, but that says more about the rest of the list than him. Mitchell only played one season - they had the option to extend, but didn't. If he's a lousy coach though, 3 years in the box will probably be too long. Do you think with Lewis they felt forced to throw a 3 year deal at him to lure him out? The Hawks were only offering one, but not sure he'd have jumped just for 2 years.
Birdman
Guest
Clarko knew he only had 12 months in the tank so did the honourable thing allowing him to get a deal somewhere else. How the Dees thought 3 years was smart recruiting is beyond me. Just like the Mitchell deal at WCE and Hodgy's at Brisbane, they all look 12 months too long IMHO.
Penster
Roar Guru
Lewey looked cooked for a lot of 2016 in my opinion and he wasn't the only champion on the decline. Thought Sam Mitchell had a renaissance at WCE but Lewis was much slower to pull the trigger last year. Last week however, he was one of Hawthorn's best players :D
Paul D
Roar Guru
He looked old slow and small last year too. Looks like an emaciated sewer rat, surviving on experience and cunning alone, now that he can't match it physically with the others.
Birdman
Guest
Lewey looked cooked on the weekend - not sure he can continue in that backline.
Paul D
Roar Guru
"But Brown added the four-time Hawthorn premiership player’s (Lewis) lofty reputation meant he deserved a game against the Tigers." Seems an apt comment to make - the Dees have been surviving on reputation alone for years
Harsh Truth Harry
Roar Rookie
Roos is a money grabber who was lucky to get one flag as a player or coach in a lifetime of footy. I said years back he had done nothing at Melbourne and I stand by it. No doubt Carlton will pay him a bucket load to replace Bolton next year as Carlton do everything wrong.
Birdman
Guest
Hypocritical much, Paul Roos? Roos left them in with a soft list and game plan (signed off with 2 massive floggings) and now he's happy to pot them as if he had nothing to do with it.