The Demons crashed out of the finals in Perth when they were mauled by a rampant West Coast Eagles side, failing to score a goal in the first half.
They redemed themselves to some extent in a ‘junk time’ second half. Should they be disappointed with their final game for 2018? Most definitely, but season 2018 for this young, exciting team was first class and that loss will inspire them to greater things next year.
In 2018, the Demons picked up three great recruits. Unfortunately the most important one, Jake Lever went down with an injury, but Bayley Fritsch – although dropped for the preliminary final – and Charlie Spargo slotted straight into the team.
In fact 50 per cent of the Demons A team has been recruited in the last three years and all are capable of playing the fast fanatical football that characterised Melbourne’s football this year.
It is not surprising that it took until late in the year for the combination to gel and for the Dees to start beating better clubs.
Nathan Jones, at age 30, is already equal fourth greatest game player for the club, and with the two new entries to the Demons Top 100 all time game players this year (Tom McDonald and Neville Jetta) along with Jordan Lewis (recruited from Hawthorn in 2017) he provides the basis of experience that all clubs need.
Bernie Vince has retired on exactly 100 games for the Demons, so it seems Jones and Lewis will lead a team with a good combination of youth and mid 20s players that should be able to cement their place as a finals contender for the next four to five years.
Max Gawn is one of the three premier ruckman in the competition with his around the ground work, and Jack Viney is a tough nut that is always hard at the ball and keeps going all day.
Oliver Clayton and Christian Petracca are high quality players who are still developing having only played three years of AFL.
Add to this list the two other finds of 2016 Angus Brayshaw and Sam Frost and the three other 2017 recruits (Mitch Hannan, Michael Hibbard and Jake Melksham) and you have a team capable of anything.
The talk has been of Jesse Hogan being traded and – although his recent contribution has been poor – the club needs a big goal kicking forward to complete the picture.
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