MELBOURNE coach Dean Bailey believes football pundits may have jumped the gun by writing off the club for the 2008 season.

Bailey suggested most observers had predicted Melbourne's fortunes on its NAB Cup performance - a 72-point loss against Geelong - but said it was far too early to tell how the club's campaign would transpire.

"Most of the punters have judged us on what we've done in the NAB Cup, so that's their call," Bailey said at the Junction Oval on Tuesday.

"They've put their names to where we'll be finishing, so we'll wait and see at the end of the year."

As the club celebrates its 150th year, Bailey concedes there is pressure to perform, but it is primarily focused on on-field success, rather than its historic milestone.

"I think the 150th year is a great opportunity for the club to think about and reward the past and identify those people who have put Melbourne where they are, you should always recognise and respect your history," Bailey said.

"The pressure on us this year is great because of how we performed last year. It happens to be our 150th year and if it hadn't been our 150th year, we'd be under pressure because of what we've done last year.

"Our players will hopefully learn about the Melbourne Football Club and what we're doing, so you'd like to think we'd have a greater appreciation and a greater respect for those that have been before them and let's hope that they can take it on and start to develop a really successful era from this day onwards."

Despite the pressures associated with his own club, Bailey said there was plenty of scrutiny surrounding its round one opponent, Hawthorn.

While Luke Hodge, Shane Crawford, Jordan Lewis and Campbell Brown will be missing due to suspension, Bailey was not taking the Hawks lightly.

"If I sat here and said, 'Isn't it great that four Hawthorn players are out now and we're going to win', that's not the answer at all," Bailey said.

"They've still got 22 players, they're well coached and they were very successful last year, the Hawks, and they're planning to be top four and I think when you start talking about top four, it's a launching pad for a premiership.

"It'll be interesting to see how the game unfolds on Sunday, but the pressure is on them and the expectations are high of them - top four finish, premiership at the end of the year, it's a long season."