Played: 22
Won: 3
Lost: 19
Finished: 16th
Best and fairest: Cameron Bruce
2009 IN BRIEF
Coach: Dean Bailey
Captain: James McDonald
Coaching staff: Josh Mahoney, Sean Wellman and Mark Williams (assistants coaches), Kelly O'Donnell (development coach), Scott West (part-time development coach), David Dunbar (innovations coach), Peter German (Casey Scorpions – VFL coach)
ARRIVALS & DEPARTUES
Arrivals
Rookie elevation: Austin Wonaeamirri
NAB AFL Draft: Rohan Bail (Mt Gravatt), Jamie Bennell (Swan Districts), Sam Blease (Eastern Ranges), Neville Jetta (Swan Districts), James Strauss (Oakleigh Chargers), Jack Watts (Sandringham Dragons)
NAB AFL Pre-Season Draft: Liam Jurrah (Yuendumu)
NAB AFL Rookie Draft: Rhys Healey (Bendigo Pioneers), Daniel Hughes (Melbourne), Jordie McKenzie (Geelong Falcons)
Departures
Retired: Ben Holland, David Neitz (veteran – outside list)
Delisted: Jace Bode, Nathan Carroll (second list lodgment), Chris Johnson, Isaac Weetra, Jeff White (veteran – inside list), Adem Yze (veteran – outside list)
FIXTURE
The Demons will kick off their season with a home clash against North Melbourne.
The Dees will play interstate five times in 2009 with one of those matches a home game against the Sydney Swans at Manuka Oval in round 17.
Of this year's finalists Melbourne will play the Kangaroos, Collingwood, Geelong and the Saints twice.
INJURY LIST
Daniel Bell (thumb) – to be assessed
Aaron Davey (bruised heel) – to be assessed
Mark Jamar (foot) – 3-4 weeks
Addam Maric (hip) – 3-4 weeks
Tom McNamara (groin) – 3 weeks
Ricky Petterd (hip) – to be assesed
Russell Robertson (achilles) – 4-6 weeks
Paul Wheatley (calf) – 2-3 weeks
Matthew Whelan (calf) – 2 weeks
Austin Wonaeamirri (hamstring) – may play round one
MATT BURGAN’S PLAYER RATINGS
5 – No players (0 players - 0 points)
No Melbourne player is among the game’s elite although Brock McLean and Aaron Davey have the ability to become All-Australian-type players.
4 – Matthew Bate, Cameron Bruce, Aaron Davey, Colin Garland, Brad Green, Nathan Jones, James McDonald, Brock McLean, Brad Miller, Cale Morton, Matthew Warnock (11 players - 44 points)
Bruce, Green and McDonald remain among the club's most reliable. Garland is now one of the club's most important players and will continue to prosper. Morton (in just his first season), Miller and Warnock claimed top six best-and-fairest finishes last year. Morton is a beauty; Miller and Warnock structurally very important now for Melbourne. Expect Jones to also bounce back hard in 2009.
3 – Clint Bartram, Daniel Bell, Simon Buckley, Lynden Dunn, James Frawley, Jack Grimes, Paul Johnson, Stefan Martin, John Meesen, Brent Moloney, Michael Newton, Ricky Petterd, Jared Rivers, Russell Robertson, Colin Sylvia, Paul Wheatley, Matthew Whelan, Austin Wonaeamirri, Jake Spencer (rookie), Shane Valenti (rookie) (20 players - 60 points)
Moloney, Rivers, Robertson, Sylvia, Wheatley and Whelan need injury-free runs for Melbourne to have a good year. Despite just one match to his name, Grimes looks like he will be a solid performer. There is a lot to like about Martin and he is one to monitor. Meesen and Spencer will play important roles due to Jamar's long-term foot injury. Valenti will push for promotion from the rookie list.
2 – Rohan Bail, Jamie Bennell, Sam Blease, Kyle Cheney, Mark Jamar, Neville Jetta, Liam Jurrah, Addam Maric, James Strauss, Jack Watts (10 players - 20 points)
The first and second-year Dees in this group are likely to play at some point in 2009. Mature-age recruit Bail could step-up and become a regular. Watts will debut and Blease should also gain a taste, and they will be beauties long-term. Bennell, Jetta and Strauss are others likely to play a handful of matches in their first seasons. Cheney could also play, as could Jurrah. Jamar's foot injury is a major concern this year.
1 – Tom McNamara, Rhys Healey (rookie), Daniel Hughes (rookie), Jordie McKenzie (rookie), Trent Zomer (rookie) (5 players - 5 points)
McNamara will need time after a groin injury interrupted his pre-season. With Spencer and Valenti all seemingly ahead in the pecking order, in terms of rookie elevation, expect Healey, Hughes, McKenzie and Zomer to feature for the Casey Scorpions this year. McKenzie has impressed over the pre-season, however, and is not without a chance of pushing up this season.
Total team rating – 129 (16 of 16, league-wide)
THE YEAR AHEAD
There’s plenty to be excited about for Melbourne fans, despite last season’s wretched run. Top talent has come to the club through the draft, led by No. 1 pick Jack Watts. The development of Austin Wonaeamirri and Cale Morton, and the expected returns of Russell Robertson, Aaron Davey and Jared Rivers are all good reasons to be hopeful.
But nothing can disguise the fact that the Demons have a long way to go. Dean Bailey will hope his senior players, including captain James McDonald, Brad Green, Cameron Bruce and Brad Miller, can instill the commitment and consistency so obviously lacking from last year’s campaign.
It will also be a critical year for the likes of Colin Sylvia, Brock McLean and Matthew Bate. These players have ability but must bring their best week-in, week-out if Melbourne is to provide a sterner test for the competition’s top teams.
WHAT THE CLUB SAYS
"The expectations are pretty simple. From a conditioning and mental aspect, we need to keep the players healthy. We need to keep them fit. We've put a lot of training into them, so we can maintain them during the year.
“I'd be fairly disappointed if our players do not improve their competitiveness. They can then compete for spots and push each other. I'd like to think all of our players will improve; everyone needs to improve.
“We need to attract people to come and watch us play."
– Melbourne coach Dean Bailey.
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
