Hot Topic Death-riding Melbourne in 2025 - May they burn in hell!

[fairbump_playon]

Not saying we will be very good but if next year we finish last or second last with this list, we are a dumpster fire that no top picks will ever fix

 

[Test Tickle]

Not saying we will be very good but if next year we finish last or second last with this list, we are a dumpster fire that no top picks will ever fix

I'm confident we can improve on this year, our list is decent.

 

[Donflicted]

I'm confident we can improve on this year, our list is decent.

I kinda agree with this as well i think us dropping that extremely all because of Stringer leaving is a bit overblown

 

[Rick Ross]

I kinda agree with this as well i think us dropping that extremely all because of Stringer leaving is a bit overblown

42 goals?!?!

 

[Test Tickle]

42 goals?!?!

If 2MP can get his act together, he might go close to that.

 

[boncer34]

If 2MP can get his act together, he might go close to that.

And WHO KICKS HIS 19

 

[Test Tickle]

And WHO KICKS HIS 19

Darren Bewick?

 

[jdstorm]

And WHO KICKS HIS 19

Kako?

 

[Rick Ross]

Kako?

If Kako is in for ADJnr - who kicks his… 5?!?!

 

[Nifft]

If Kako is in for ADJnr - who kicks his… 5?!?!

Redman?

 

[jdstorm]

If Kako is in for ADJnr - who kicks his… 5?!?!

Hopefully ADJnr kicks his own 5 plus a few more

 

[fairbump_playon]

And WHO KICKS HIS 19

We still haven’t replaced Matthew Lloyd’s ton

 

[Happyskeret]

My ex barracks for Melbourne. I guess I can use that. Even though I was really happy when they won the flag but SCREW THEM!!!!! To be honest I don’t care what number pick we get as long as it’s the right pick! I’m sure we will get an absolute star out of the transaction.

 

[Yoda_]

Can see a Damian Barrett's sliding doors for week of national draft moment;

IF; Essendon trade out Melbourne's future first to move back into the first round this year

Then; the BigFooty thread "death riding Melbourne's demise" will be shut down?

 

[Call Me Cake]

Can see a Damian Barrett's sliding doors for week of national draft moment;

IF; Essendon trade out Melbourne's future first to move back into the first round this year

Then; the BigFooty thread "death riding Melbourne's demise" will be shut down?

IF ...

Essendon trade out Melbourne's future first for a pick in the 20's/late teens this year...

THEN ...

We're a bunch of nuffies.

 

[Yoda_]

IF ...

Essendon trade out Melbourne's future first for a pick in the 20's/late teens this year...

THEN ...

We're a bunch of nuffies.

damned if we do... damned if we dont

 

[Shanghaistu]

If we are going after Harley Reid next year, I'd imagine WC would be wanting all of our first round pics.

This. I think we’re building draft capital for end of 2025 (including the future first rounder) to throw the kitchen sink at Reid next year and build the new list around a generational talent

 

[Rick Ross]

I choose to think Mooney is right… bottom 4.

WILL THEY IMPROVE? WILL THEY REGRESS? THE BIG QUESTIONS FACING MELBOURNE IN 2025​

BY SEN 5 HOURS AGO

SEN Breakfast hosts Sam Edmund and Cameron Mooney

Cameron Mooney

Age

45

Ht

195cm

Wt

99kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.5

3star

K

8.2

3star

HB

4.3

3star

M

5.8

5star

T

1.1

3star

G

1.3

5star

No current season stats available

D

3.6

1star

K

2.4

1star

HB

1.2

2star

M

0.8

1star

T

0.2

3star

G

0.0

1star

have run their eyes over Melbourne and how they’re shaping up for the 2025 campaign.
With the trade and free agency period now complete, Edmund and Mooney discussed how the club may improve in 2025, how they may regress if things go wrong and the big questions facing the club next season.

The Demons finished the 2024 season in 14th position with 11 wins and 12 losses, they finished first, second and fourth respectively on the ladder in the previous three campaigns.

How can they improve?​

“I reckon they're going to get better because the circus is going to end, the cleanout is going to finish,” Edmund told SEN Breakfast.
“The review findings were handed down and perhaps they can finally get on with things, no more legal wars with ex-Presidents, no more Joel Smith saga, no more Gary Pert criticisms.
“If the slate is wiped clean and they're distraction-free (it will be huge).
“They could get a full season out of Christian Petracca

5

Christian Petracca

Age

28

Ht

187cm

Wt

94kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

19.4

5star

K

9.5

4star

HB

9.8

5star

M

3.5

4star

T

3.0

5star

CL

2.5

4star

D

24.4

5star

K

10.4

4star

HB

14.0

5star

M

3.5

3star

T

3.6

4star

CL

3.4

4star

D

19.0

5star

K

7.8

3star

HB

11.2

5star

M

3.0

3star

T

3.8

5star

CL

2.0

4star

and an injury-free run for Clayton Oliver

13

Clayton Oliver

Age

27

Ht

189cm

Wt

88kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

27.8

5star

K

9.5

4star

HB

18.4

5star

M

3.2

3star

T

6.3

5star

CL

6.3

5star

D

25.1

5star

K

11.1

4star

HB

14.0

5star

M

3.6

4star

T

5.6

5star

CL

5.9

5star

D

19.2

5star

K

4.6

2star

HB

14.6

5star

M

2.0

3star

T

4.4

5star

CL

3.8

5star

also makes them better.
“If Caleb Windsor keeps improving and those kids like Koltyn Tholstrup, Jacob Van Rooyen, Taj Woewodin and Judd McVee keep taking steps, maybe that’s how the red and blue get a little better.”

How might they regress?​

“I still think the Oliver stuff is a distraction and Petracca was a circus whichever way you look at it,” Mooney said.
“I think Max Gawn

11

Max Gawn

Age

32

Ht

209cm

Wt

110kg

Pos.

Ruck

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.1

4star

K

7.4

3star

HB

6.7

4star

CL

2.8

4star

HO

35.3

5star

D

18.5

4star

K

11.5

4star

HB

7.0

4star

CL

3.5

4star

HO

29.2

5star

D

8.4

3star

K

3.6

2star

HB

4.8

4star

CL

1.0

3star

HO

15.6

5star

just needs help badly and I don't think they've got the player there to help him out.
“They bring in Tommy Campbell, who's a journeyman, they need a forward ruck.
“They need someone who can play forward and go in there and really give him a chop out in the ruck to let Max have a bit of a rest.
“The forward line I still have question marks on – Van Rooyen is going to be a really good player, but he’s still a pup and Bayley Fritsch

31

Bayley Fritsch

Age

28

Ht

188cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

15.6

4star

K

10.4

4star

HB

5.2

4star

M

5.5

5star

T

2.0

4star

G

0.9

4star

D

9.5

2star

K

7.7

3star

HB

1.8

1star

M

5.0

5star

T

1.0

2star

G

1.3

5star

D

11.8

3star

K

7.8

3star

HB

4.0

3star

M

4.4

4star

T

2.4

4star

G

1.4

5star

is a star, but I worry about them inside 50.”

The other 2025 burning questions​

“The question is, does the turbulence finally end?” Edmund asked.
“What does the future look like for Simon Goodwin

Simon Goodwin

Age

47

Ht

185cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

20.9

5star

K

12.1

4star

HB

8.8

5star

M

4.0

4star

T

2.5

4star

No current season stats available

D

9.4

3star

K

7.2

3star

HB

2.2

2star

M

3.0

3star

T

2.2

4star

? They finished 14th this year, I’m not sure he can afford that next year by any stretch.
“He's out of contract at the end of 2026, but he's one of a group of coaches under differing degrees of pressure coming to 2025.
“But they're pretty bullish about where they think they sit, which is absolutely finals contention.”

 

[windyhill]

Draper got embarrassed with Gawn missing. Scary to think with Gawn back in.

 

[Rick Ross]

Say what you like about Gather Round concept… but it should be spicy for us this year.

What’s the death riding equivalent terminology for an 8-point premiership points game?

Saturday's double-header at Adelaide Oval will feature Carlton and West Coast in the early game, followed by Essendon and Melbourne in the evening clash.

 

[Rick Ross]

I guess H2H games don’t really impact the net draft return for us?

• We win : our draft position my be negatively impacted / MELB F1 is possibly better
• We lose : our draft position my be positively impacted / MELB F1 is possibly worse

 

[schmuttt]

Remember that time we had 34 players suspended, topped up with guys from the retirement village and what was found in the rubbish skip and Melbourne still let us win?

That's the spirit we are after here

This would hurt more if you didn't give Mark Neeld his first ever win. Both clubs have certainly given each other a few 'questioning the clubs existence' losses over the journey.

These threads are always great fun, looking forward to 2025.

 

[mIKe9441]

Melbourne with a soft draw. Damn

 

[Red Black and Blue]

Melbourne with a soft draw. Damn

Might be the softest in the league.

 

[Hazardinho]

If North Melbourne can improve next year, given they nearly beat Melbourne this year and only lost by 3 points. The draw isn’t that bad, they’ve lost to west coast already this year and I can see it happening again. Remember they got a pretty high win rate this year, they got like 10 wins and finished bottom 4, it’s not unlikely that they regress, petracca, Gawn, Lever, May are a year older and Oliver looks beyond cooked.
They’ve also still got Goodwin as coach, and his tactics are outdated. Even if we get pick 10, instead of pick 4 or 5. It’s still a good result. Anything lower than that is obviously just a bonus.