Melbourne Watch 2023/24

[SquirrelGrip]

It's a critical year for them in 2024. If they flame out again, they are done in this window and with this list.

Nothing would make me happier!

[jazzadogs]

Nobody remembers Port Adelaide finishing on top at the end of H&A in 2001-2003, only the Brisbane 3-peat.

Relative to their prodigious talent, IMO Melbourne have squandered the opportunity for 2-3 premierships in the last few years. Richmond cashed in big time with 3 flags in 4 years (only Mason Cox catching fire in the 2018 PF stopped them getting a 4-peat) and I reckon this current Melbourne team has a comfortably better list.

It's a critical year for them in 2024. If they flame out again, they are done in this window and with this list.

Agree with all of that, just being a bit of a devil's advocate that if we're having a go at them.... we're not doing much better, unfortunately.

Now Essendon, there's an enemy we can all laugh at!

[MrMahatma]

Nobody remembers Port Adelaide finishing on top at the end of H&A in 2001-2003, only the Brisbane 3-peat.

Relative to their prodigious talent, IMO Melbourne have squandered the opportunity for 2-3 premierships in the last few years. Richmond cashed in big time with 3 flags in 4 years (only Mason Cox catching fire in the 2018 PF stopped them getting a 4-peat) and I reckon this current Melbourne team has a comfortably better list.

It's a critical year for them in 2024. If they flame out again, they are done in this window and with this list.

I reckon Richmond's list was pretty good. Wouldn't say Dees are comfortably better, or even better at all.

It's great to see the Dees implode, but it only gives me an ounce of joy because it means they haven't dominated at the same time that we haven't dominated. I wish we'd finished top 4 the past 2 years.

[Grantysghost]

I reckon Richmond's list was pretty good. Wouldn't say Dees are comfortably better, or even better at all.

It's great to see the Dees implode, but it only gives me an ounce of joy because it means they haven't dominated at the same time that we haven't dominated. I wish we'd finished top 4 the past 2 years.

Agree I think the Demons are insanely over rated at times. Tigers had more balance, I mean they actually had a forward line.
Looking at it from the other angle, maybe they got a bit lucky in 21 and this is more their normal.
When your KPF are Tom Mcdonald and Ben Brown you're hardly crazy good. Strange part is they still didn't address it. Guess they think Petty is the answer with Van Rooyen.

[jeemak]

Is cocaine considered performance enhancing? Either way that ban seems manifestly innaproriate considering he was playing with it in his system.

Surely needs to miss actual games.

I'm all for education, not sure why this went public?

Depends how good the gear is. Good gear, no, no way.

Maybe in the old days where you could just bash into people to be effective, but today's game is a thinking game and it's not a great thinking drug.

[Sedat]

I reckon Richmond's list was pretty good. Wouldn't say Dees are comfortably better, or even better at all.

It's great to see the Dees implode, but it only gives me an ounce of joy because it means they haven't dominated at the same time that we haven't dominated. I wish we'd finished top 4 the past 2 years.

They have a generational ruckman, Petracca is their Dusty, the rest of their midfield is elite and runs deep (much more talented and deeper than Richmond), and they have elite key pillars down back. With that much talent on almost every line, they really should have cashed in, notwithstanding their not great key forwards - we won a flag with Zaine and 180cm Liam Picken as our notional key forwards. Collingwood just won with Mihocek and Frampton!

I'm delighted they have imploded, because I rate their list build incredibly highly - for mine they have under-achieved significantly since 2018 when they first made the PF. They have had the tools ever since then and simply haven't cashed in. Richmond to their eternal credit have, and I reckon coaching has a lot to do with it.

[Testekill]

Demons probably have the most outright talented list to have won the premiership since the Hawks dynasty. We had some stars like Bont, a lot of good reliable workhorses and depth players that played out of their skin in the biggest game of their career. Richmond had a handful of stars and then a lot of very well drilled solid players who knew their roles.

Demons are very strong on most lines outside of their weak forward line. They're absolutely underperforming since 2018 and I'm sure that there are people at the club who are aware of this and the pressure it puts on them.

[GVGjr]

Demons probably have the most outright talented list to have won the premiership since the Hawks dynasty. We had some stars like Bont, a lot of good reliable workhorses and depth players that played out of their skin in the biggest game of their career. Richmond had a handful of stars and then a lot of very well drilled solid players who knew their roles.

Demons are very strong on most lines outside of their weak forward line. They're absolutely underperforming since 2018 and I'm sure that there are people at the club who are aware of this and the pressure it puts on them.

Their list management over a number of years was very good and we seemed to have rated players very similar too them but they out-positioned us in the draft a few times. They need a key forward badly now and have some challenges with their culture. It will be interesting to see if their talent prevails or if they struggle next season.

[MrMahatma]

Demons probably have the most outright talented list to have won the premiership since the Hawks dynasty. We had some stars like Bont, a lot of good reliable workhorses and depth players that played out of their skin in the biggest game of their career. Richmond had a handful of stars and then a lot of very well drilled solid players who knew their roles.

Demons are very strong on most lines outside of their weak forward line. They're absolutely underperforming since 2018 and I'm sure that there are people at the club who are aware of this and the pressure it puts on them.

On what basis are they so talented? I’m not saying they’re shit, but they had 1 All Australian this season. Even we had 2.

[Grantysghost]

On what basis are they so talented? I’m not saying they’re shit, but they had 1 All Australian this season. Even we had 2.

Charlie Spargo.

[azabob]

The media is coming for them hard. They are now rehashing events that have been previously reported and adding a slight twist and reporting it as new and exclusive.

[W W Biscuit]

In terms of the Demon's star-studded list and their list management in general, I wouldn't want to forget that the current iteration of their team was built on some fairly preferential treatment over the years by the AFL, either through act or omission. Being allowed to keep high draft picks on the back of tanking (e.g., 2013), extremely generous compensations for departed players (think Scully, Frawley...), some very dodgy draft manoeuvring (Jack Viney), gifted a high-profile coach...

North Melbourne are currently trying their best to imitate the Melbourne FC model. If, in a few years time, the Kangaroos have an almighty list that are winning premierships for fun, I will be similarly reserved in my praise for their achievements.

[MrMahatma]

In terms of the Demon's star-studded list and their list management in general, I wouldn't want to forget that the current iteration of their team was built on some fairly preferential treatment over the years by the AFL, either through act or omission. Being allowed to keep high draft picks on the back of tanking (e.g., 2013), extremely generous compensations for departed players (think Scully, Frawley...), some very dodgy draft manoeuvring (Jack Viney), gifted a high-profile coach...

North Melbourne are currently trying their best to imitate the Melbourne FC model. If, in a few years time, the Kangaroos have an almighty list that are winning premierships for fun, I will be similarly reserved in my praise for their achievements.

I reckon our list is as good as Melbourne’s. Theirs is a bit more physically mature in some key spots. But ours has the talent.

[Grantysghost]

In terms of the Demon's star-studded list and their list management in general, I wouldn't want to forget that the current iteration of their team was built on some fairly preferential treatment over the years by the AFL, either through act or omission. Being allowed to keep high draft picks on the back of tanking (e.g., 2013), extremely generous compensations for departed players (think Scully, Frawley...), some very dodgy draft manoeuvring (Jack Viney), gifted a high-profile coach...

North Melbourne are currently trying their best to imitate the Melbourne FC model. If, in a few years time, the Kangaroos have an almighty list that are winning premierships for fun, I will be similarly reserved in my praise for their achievements.

Word WW.

The Demons are the AFLs side after they basically ceased to exist as a going concern during the Mark Neeld years.
They brought in Jackson, Roos and armed them with as much assistance as their tight rope would allow without massive blow back and here we are.

[Bulldog Joe]

I am currently overseas on a trip and one of our companions is a bit Melbourne tragic.
The message she is getting from fellow Demon supporters is that the current issues are somehow related to Lachie Hunter.

Have we placed Lachie in the Melbourne camp to infiltrate and destroy as an undercover agent?