If the Dees don't make the eight is it a failure?

[Bald]

I believe that playing above expectations is the only way the season can be deemed as a success. In saying that I do not expect them to make the 8 purely because I don't think there's enough room in the 8 for them, so finishing 9th with a couple of scalps under a new coach would certainly be looked at as a success. Next year how ever it's finals or bust.

 

[Sando22]

I believe that playing above expectations is the only way the season can be deemed as a success. In saying that I do not expect them to make the 8 purely because I don't think there's enough room in the 8 for them, so finishing 9th with a couple of scalps under a new coach would certainly be looked at as a success. Next year how ever it's finals or bust.

Perfectly put IMO.

 

[vozzon]

Its always funny how each year there is an expectation a team needs to make major improvements.

Main focus is to get improvement from Petracca/Salem/Brayshaw and Hogan and other guys who will be in there main core group in a few years time.

Like mentioned above a 8-11th finish would be sufficient with a few good scalps and no major/big losses. It should be a log jam to get into the 8 so if the Dee's can be pushing all year for it you would think that is sufficient point of view.

 

[JVseven]

Beverage could turn the bulldogs around relatively quickly, I hope Goodwin can do the same.

Just need to learn to hand-throw the ball and get the umps on our side.

And most of all, be brave.

 

[Bulldog1954]

Just need to learn to hand-throw the ball and get the umps on our side.

And most of all, be brave.

And become good at football.

 

[demondavey]

And become good at football.

And be brave

 

[demondavey]

And become good at football.

It's a shame you won't make the 8 this year

 

[Tas]

A very interesting question from people across border on people's mind's is with all Melbourne's first round draft picks and traded in player's. If Melbourne don't make the eight in 2017 is it a failure? predictions are accepted?

Can't win a flag from outside the 8, so yes. There will be 1 success story and 17 failures.

But yes, they should have done a lot better with the access to talent they have had, sadly, they wasted a lot of it and that horse has already bolted, you can't really place an expectation on the group that has already been considered a write-off.

 

[Cudi_420]

It'll be a failure purely from the perspective that it's now year 4 of the third rebuild in ten years. We've brought in plenty of experience and have exceptional talent across the board.

Realistically, the league is extremely balanced and even and any team can beat any other team on any day. It's very hard to pick. It'll be tough. But I think it would be demoralising if Melbourne misses out on the finals again. Guys like Jones, Watts, Gawn, McDonald, Trengove, who have all been there for so long.

 

[Reality Check!]

For the life of me I will never understand the hype around this current Melbourne group. They were demolished quite often last season, and they got rolled against a bunch of fill ins for Essendon who hadn't even got the chance to really gel together. Don't get me wrong, I think they have some quality players, but they're the ones we only hear about. Half of their senior list at this stage are "literally" who's. Keep hearing comparisons between them and St. Kilda...St. Kilda are so far ahead it's not even funny. You only have to look at last year's results and compare them with each other. I'm not saying St. Kilda will win a flag before Melbourne, both teams have a long way to go and a lot can change in the years to come. But at this stage to be saying both teams are on par with Melbourne is ridiculous.

There is a slight chance Melbourne could make the 8, and if they do it should be regarded as a success. At this stage I have 6 teams clearly ahead of them, and I've been generous enough to exclude Adelaide and Hawthorn from that 6. It's even debatable whether Melbourne are better than Essendon, Collingwood or Richmond right now.

 

[Dez!]

For the life of me I will never understand the hype around this current Melbourne group. They were demolished quite often last season, and they got rolled against a bunch of fill ins for Essendon who hadn't even got the chance to really gel together. Don't get me wrong, I think they have some quality players, but they're the ones we only hear about. Half of their senior list at this stage are "literally" who's. Keep hearing comparisons between them and St. Kilda...St. Kilda are so far ahead it's not even funny. You only have to look at last year's results and compare them with each other. I'm not saying St. Kilda will win a flag before Melbourne, both teams have a long way to go and a lot can change in the years to come. But at this stage to be saying both teams are on par with Melbourne is ridiculous.

There is a slight chance Melbourne could make the 8, and if they do it should be regarded as a success. At this stage I have 6 teams clearly ahead of them, and I've been generous enough to exclude Adelaide and Hawthorn from that 6. It's even debatable whether Melbourne are better than Essendon, Collingwood or Richmond right now.

There is so much garbage in this post it's not funny.

Demolished quite often? We got demolished by Geelong in the last game of the season and that's it.

Half our senior list are "literally" who's? Only if you are an incompetent ******* who doesn't pay attention to teams outside of your own which it seems you are.

St Kilda won two more games than us last season, if that is "so far ahead it's not even funny" then I would like whatever it is you are smoking because your judgement is deplorable.

It's debatable whether we are better than Essendon, Collingwood or Richmond right now? I'm quite certain the majority would agree we are.

If you are going to comment on another club it's better to actually have some idea about that club which you've shown you don't possess any idea about Melbourne.

 

[Taylor]

They need only beat the bottom seven teams twice to be ranked 8th, they don't have to be the 8th best team.

 

[Reality Check!]

There is so much garbage in this post it's not funny.

Demolished quite often? We got demolished by Geelong in the last game of the season and that's it.

Half our senior list are "literally" who's? Only if you are an incompetent ******* who doesn't pay attention to teams outside of your own which it seems you are.

St Kilda won two more games than us last season, if that is "so far ahead it's not even funny" then I would like whatever it is you are smoking because your judgement is deplorable.

It's debatable whether we are better than Essendon, Collingwood or Richmond right now? I'm quite certain the majority would agree we are.

If you are going to comment on another club it's better to actually have some idea about that club which you've shown you don't possess any idea about Melbourne.

I started typing out a post to refute all of this biased junk, and then I thought nah. I will let the results on the weekend answer for me.

 

[Dez!]

I started typing out a post to refute all of this biased junk, and then I thought nah. I will let the results on the weekend answer for me.

Nothing biased about it buddy.

 

[Demonic Ascent]

I started typing out a post to refute all of this biased junk, and then I thought nah. I will let the results on the weekend answer for me.

Because 1 game is all the proof you need

 

[schmuttt]

I started typing out a post to refute all of this biased junk, and then I thought nah. I will let the results on the weekend answer for me.

You're pathetic, at least admit your post was rubbish.

We had one loss over 60 last year, in the last round. We beat two top 4 sides and should have beaten WCE/North. We won more quarters than the Saints and had a better % than them, if you think they're ahead of us that's fair enough but to say it isn't close just shows your lack of knowledge. Whilst the round 1 game is very important it won't be the true indicator of where the sides are at regardless of the result, I'll leave that to the end of season ladder.

 

[master bate]

For the life of me I will never understand the hype around this current Melbourne group. They were demolished quite often last season, and they got rolled against a bunch of fill ins for Essendon who hadn't even got the chance to really gel together. Don't get me wrong, I think they have some quality players, but they're the ones we only hear about. Half of their senior list at this stage are "literally" who's. Keep hearing comparisons between them and St. Kilda...St. Kilda are so far ahead it's not even funny. You only have to look at last year's results and compare them with each other. I'm not saying St. Kilda will win a flag before Melbourne, both teams have a long way to go and a lot can change in the years to come. But at this stage to be saying both teams are on par with Melbourne is ridiculous.

There is a slight chance Melbourne could make the 8, and if they do it should be regarded as a success. At this stage I have 6 teams clearly ahead of them, and I've been generous enough to exclude Adelaide and Hawthorn from that 6. It's even debatable whether Melbourne are better than Essendon, Collingwood or Richmond right now.

I think that's fair. I do think the Saints are a better side and will prove it on Saturday and I think Ess, Coll and Rich are all around the mark of where the Dees are now. I also think GC aren't far from that mark and have the most talent from any bottom 10 side.

What the Dees have to generate buzz is the high end talent in a similar age group who have a decent amount of exposed form and have impressed the general public. The collection of Hogan, Oliver, Petracca, Brayshaw, Viney, Tyson, Salem, Hunt, Kent plus probably Weideman, and Gawn who's still young for a ruck and whatever the McDonald's are worth is going to turn heads because it's a base to build from and it's the model the Hawks used, the Dogs used, GWS (plus a tonne of other talent) used and so on. I don't take anything for granted so I'm far from convinced but I can see where the appeal is with the public and why supporters are excited.

The Pies have Moore, De Goey, Grundy, Elliott and the Treloar trade but have seemingly topped up this year after a lot of other kids haven't come on. Richmond have their A graders core and have added youth and then added the 3 trades for near prime players. Essendon have really good youngsters - probably similar to Melbourne in a lot of spots - but the general fan doesn't know how they'll integrate the older guys in and what exactly they are doing to form a side. GC are obviously very young again adding 4 top 10 picks that came from all the guys who were injured then left really (O'Meara, Prestia, Dixon, Bennell). The saints have found far better recycled players than Melbourne, traded for Carlisle and have more reliable older guys (namely Riewoldt and Montagna), but whilst their younger guys could end up stars they don't have the profile of the Melbourne players which for some is fair and some unfair. They do have Hawthorn's very generous first round pick this year and the ability to make a splash trade though, but until the happens you're saying are they short an A grader or 2.

My point is all those other teams have a path to success that might be just as likely as Melbourne's but it's more convoluted. Melbourne's path to success is far more simple - get these talented youngsters up to 70 games, trade and draft some more depth and away you go. Unfortunately it's no more likely because 1. It's Melbourne and 2. You can't predict the future based on the first few seasons of a draftee, nor can you manufacture quality depth or trades all the time (unless you're Hawthorn).

 

[donkeypunchd]

Depends on the scale of not making the 8, if we miss out on lower percentage with a number of teams on the same points (not inconceivable this year) and win more matches, no- if we go backwards yes.

The club needs to manage expectations better too. We've had some of our worst losses the past couple of years (Carlton x 2 and Essendrugs) when our players talked up our chances in the weeks prior. Keeping schtum until we perform consistently each week is the better part of discretion.

 

[Demonic Ascent]

On the eve of the season I think missing the finals would be a failure. We are ready now, we were ready to sneak in last year and stuffed it up. There's no excuses this year, sure it's an even comp but so what? That doesn't mean you can rely on that as an excuse. Just win. You never what will happen down the track.

I reckon Saints should make it too and wouldn't be surprised with the Suns getting there although their depth may be an issue.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

For the life of me I will never understand the hype around this current Melbourne group. They were demolished quite often last season, and they got rolled against a bunch of fill ins for Essendon who hadn't even got the chance to really gel together. Don't get me wrong, I think they have some quality players, but they're the ones we only hear about. Half of their senior list at this stage are "literally" who's. Keep hearing comparisons between them and St. Kilda...St. Kilda are so far ahead it's not even funny. You only have to look at last year's results and compare them with each other. I'm not saying St. Kilda will win a flag before Melbourne, both teams have a long way to go and a lot can change in the years to come. But at this stage to be saying both teams are on par with Melbourne is ridiculous.

There is a slight chance Melbourne could make the 8, and if they do it should be regarded as a success. At this stage I have 6 teams clearly ahead of them, and I've been generous enough to exclude Adelaide and Hawthorn from that 6. It's even debatable whether Melbourne are better than Essendon, Collingwood or Richmond right now.

Can you name all of the games we were demolished in last year? I've forgotten

 

[Reality Check!]

Can you name all of the games we were demolished in last year? I've forgotten

Port Adelaide, Saints, Bulldogs, Sydney...even Carlton when you consider the conditions that it was in...

and the Geelong game of course.

Whilst the round 1 game is very important it won't be the true indicator of where the sides are at regardless of the result, I'll leave that to the end of season ladder.

I am extremely confident the saints will be higher by the end of the season.

Like I said earlier, if the Demons make the 8 it should be considered a success. Missing the 8 by a couple of games should be about where the club is at right now. You can't just say "it's OUR turn" and write the season off as a failure if you miss it. That's not how sports work.

 

[Sprout]

I started typing out a post to refute all of this biased junk, and then I thought nah. I will let the results on the weekend answer for me.

Translation: I've got nothing. Hopefully St Kilda wins on the weekend to validate my obviously uninformed opinion.

 

[Sprout]

Port Adelaide, Saints, Bulldogs, Sydney...

So basically any loss over 30 points is being "demolished"

 

[SkipperJonesy]

Yes it would be a failure. As many have mentioned last year they showed plenty of great signs- but then undid all that good work losing to rubbish teams- ie Essendon and Carlton. Anything less than a finals appearance would be very disappointing.

 

[Trav 20]

For the life of me I will never understand the hype around this current Melbourne group. They were demolished quite often last season, and they got rolled against a bunch of fill ins for Essendon who hadn't even got the chance to really gel together. Don't get me wrong, I think they have some quality players, but they're the ones we only hear about. Half of their senior list at this stage are "literally" who's. Keep hearing comparisons between them and St. Kilda...St. Kilda are so far ahead it's not even funny. You only have to look at last year's results and compare them with each other. I'm not saying St. Kilda will win a flag before Melbourne, both teams have a long way to go and a lot can change in the years to come. But at this stage to be saying both teams are on par with Melbourne is ridiculous.

There is a slight chance Melbourne could make the 8, and if they do it should be regarded as a success. At this stage I have 6 teams clearly ahead of them, and I've been generous enough to exclude Adelaide and Hawthorn from that 6. It's even debatable whether Melbourne are better than Essendon, Collingwood or Richmond right now.

Good metrics for a team's year are 'percentage' and 'quarters won'. We finished with a higher percentage than St Kilda and won more quarters. We did this as the youngest and most inexperienced team from a "games played" perspective over the course of the 2016 season. We fielded younger and less experienced teams more often than even Brisbane. Despite this we won 10 matches at almost 100% and had only one 10 goal + loss. Btw, I'm not knocking the Saints, just providing some perspective re your assertion.

If I asked you to name the strengths and weaknesses of Oliver, Petracca, Brayshaw, Tyson, Salem, Viney, Hunt, Oscar McDonald, Stretch, Hogan, vandenBerg, and Kent I doubt I'd get awe-inspiring analytics. If I asked you for a summation on Wagner, Hannan, Joel Smith, and Mitch King I know I wouldn't. Maybe you'd have a clue re Melksham and Hibberd or Gawn, Tom McDonald, Vince, Jones and Lewis.

When we beat Hawthorn in round 20 last there was a reason Jonathan Brown said "Melbourne are building a premiership quality midfield" and that they have "stars across every line" (an exaggeration in my view). There's a reason Jordan Lewis chose Melbourne and not Essendon. Gawn to Oliver, to Lewis to Hogan is a handy nucleus.

It's great to have an opinion, but naturally some are more informed than others.