The Melbourne Demons finished second last on the AFL ladder in 2019, amassing just five wins for the entire season.
If Round 1 is any indication, then season 2020 won’t be any different. When they played on the Sunday afternoon in Round 1 they already knew the AFL’s 2020 season was being postponed so that may have impacted them.
It was a difficult exercise to pick the ten players that the Demons could least afford to lose in season 2020.
10. Angus Brayshaw
He finished eighth in the 2019 Melbourne Demons best-and-fairest. Brayshaw featured in all 22 games and averaged the fourth most disposals with an average of 22.14 disposals per game. He needs to improve on his consistency if the Demons are to go up the ladder in season 2020, but he has the capability to do so.
9. Steven May
He will need to be at his best if the Melbourne Demons are to improve on their 2019 performance as May is a pivotal part of their back six when fit.
(Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos)
8. Oscar McDonald
He is a player capable of playing on the opposition’s key tall forward. McDonald was one of the Melbourne Demons’ best players in Round 1 of season 2020 and should be a permanent part of the Demons’ back six based on his Round 1 display.
7. Michael Hibberd
He is a player that is capable of creating run out of defence for the Melbourne Demons. Hibberd averaged 17.05 disposals in 19 games in 2019, which is a respectable average for someone who plays in the back six. Hibberd was one of the Demons’ best players in Round 1 of season 2020 when he amassed 21 disposals.
6. James Harmes
He finished fourth in the 2019 Melbourne Demons best-and-fairest. Harmes averaged the second most disposals of any Melbourne Demons player in 2019, averaging 24.5 disposals, and featuring in all 22 games that the Demons played in.
5. Christian Petracca
He was the Melbourne Demons’ leading goal-kicker in 2019 with 22 goals. Petracca finished fifth in the 2019 Demons best-and-fairest. He will be playing partly in the midfield in season 2020 if Round 1 is any indication. He amassed 24 disposals.
4. Jack Viney
He finished third in the 2019 Melbourne Demons best-and-fairest. Viney has been demoted from captain to vice-captain for season 2020. If Round 1 is any indication that should motivate him to play better as he amassed 34 disposals against the West Coast Eagles.
3. Clayton Oliver
He was the joint winner of the 2019 Melbourne Demons best-and-fairest. Oliver averaged 30.05 disposals per game in 2019, playing all 22 games. He is a quality player who will need to keep up the form that he displayed in 2019 if the Demons are to improve on their lowly 17th-place position on the AFL ladder that season.
(Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)
2. Ed Langdon
It was an astute recruiting decision by the Melbourne Demons to recruit Ed Langdon from the Fremantle Dockers as he is a quality player. Langdon finished fifth in the 2019 Fremantle Dockers best-and-fairest. He averaged exactly 25 disposals per game, featuring in all of the 22 games that the Dockers played in 2019. In Round 1 of season 2020, Langdon was outstanding with 31 disposals, justifying the Demons’ move to recruit him.
1. Max Gawn
He was named on the interchange bench for the 2019 AFL All Australian team and was joint winner of the 2019 Melbourne Demons best-and-fairest with Clayton Oliver. AFL season 2020 will also be Gawn’s first season as captain of the Demons, which is a pivotal role at the footy club, especially at the Demons, who were languishing in the bottom part of the ladder in 2019.
Doran Smith
Roar Guru
Thanks for giving your top 10; made for an interesting read.
Stix
Guest
Definitely agree with you on Jetta and McDonald. Having Oscar on the list instead of Jetta is obviously coming from someone who watches very few Melbourne games.
Jorge of Brisvegas
Roar Rookie
No Tom MacDonald ???? No player in Melbourne’s list has ever kicked goals in a season or come with light years of him. So who kicks their goals ? Is Gawn going to tap it to a midfielder who is going to wait till May runs down to the goal square and then kick it so he can mark it and goal ......, sometimes ? Plus before he was moved forward he was an excellent back man. Have you heard of swing players , who can play key position well at both ends ? Like a champion all rounder in a cricket team. They are rare and match winners ...... Just because Melbourne has been horrible getting the ball to him does not diminish his skill or importance in team structure. Based on your rankings and explanations I would put him at number 3 behind Gawn and Oliver . Langdon at 2 is a joke - what are you smoking ? He is a wingman, a good one. Who should be in top ten at about 8 to 10. Number 2? He is not best in his position in league , he has never been a B& F winner (number 5 at FREO??) and he has not experienced long finals success. He is an ‘on the rise’ outside on baller who helps a team play good football. Would they rather lose Harmes , or Petracca or even Jetta over him, I think not. It appears you did your list based on 2019/2020 - a really poor period on field that had little if any bright ty moments. Players who had a great 2018 but due to injury or form or opportunity in following year were not mentioned. I thought this list was “Least afford to lose“ not “best players in a crap year “. For what it is worth :- 10. Langdon( IS exactly who Melbourne needed) 9. Brayshaw( can be anything, needs to be something at a consistently High standard) 8. May ( can play a number of different roles down back, leader, hard nosed ) 7. Jetta(best small defender in game, when he was out last season Melbourne wilted) 6. Harmes( pound for pound, beat value half forward - great team player) 5. Petracca(is starting to become the player he has been touted he will be, can be match winner) 4. Viney(has taken over warrior/ in the guts mantle from Selwood and Ward, leader, relentless) 3. Macdonald (read above; can play either bookend, best goal scorer for Melbourne on list) 2. Oliver(will be a champion player, if he becomes more damaging with disposals - watch out!) 1. Gawn( clubhouse leader/new captain. Spiritual leader. Best in the biz.
Tony Tea
Roar Rookie
I'd have May at one or two.