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Former Western Bulldogs coach Terry Wallace is seeing signs that Melbourne could be this year’s team to come from the middle of the pack to win the flag.
The Bulldogs in 2016 and Richmond last year both went from the middle of the pack at this time last year to eventual premiers.
Wallace believes the numbers support the Demons being the team that could do some damage in September.
“They’re the number one contested possession team in the competition at 19.4, the second is 10, so they’re just dominant,” Wallace told SEN’s Crunch Time.
“They’re number two in centre clearance differential, scores from opposition turnover, they’re number two, defensive rebounding to inside 50, they’re number one and they’ve had the most inside 50s since Essendon in 2000.
“They’re doing so many things right that you think when we look at the ladder, you’d think they’re either one or two, but they’re not.
“I just sit there and go, are they last year’s Richmond or the Western Bulldogs from the year before?
“If they can get it right towards the end of the year, are they the side that can make a run at it?”
Two-time premiership player David King believes Melbourne is so dominant in the contested possession game, they need to sacrifice some of it to improve other areas.
“I’ve got a theory with Melbourne, I think they’re so strong and so tough around the football – guys like Nathan Jones, Clayton Oliver, Jack Viney, Angus Brayshaw and Max Gawn, they’re so good around the ball, they smash team in contested footy, but there’s no one of the outside, no one who’s a first-receive type player,” King said.
“They’re missing a player that can get them going and drive it forward with quality. So they can get it forward, but there’s no quality ball.”
King looks to Clayton Oliver as someone the Demons could afford to use differently.
“Clayton Oliver’s the best ground-ball player in the competition, he played 20 per cent forward last week and in my opinion I don’t think they’re maximising Clayton,” he said.
“Put him forward. They’re tough enough. He’s often competing with Jack Viney for the same ball. You can only win it once.
“I think they’ve got to spread their talent through the forward 50. There’s nothing wrong with what they’re currently doing inside 50, but it’s about maximising their talent.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if Oliver spends 30 or 40 per cent of the game forward over the next few weeks, just to have a look at it and if he does kick a bag, that just may be enough to bridge the gap on Richmond.
“This kid is a superstar, they just need to work out how to use him. It took Richmond a long time to work out Dustin Martin. It doesn’t just happen straight away.”
Melbourne will host the Western Bulldogs at the MCG this afternoon.
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