So, you know in the last fortnight I’ve been quite vocal and critical of the messaging coming out of the Melbourne Football Club.
Well, it’s time I give them some credit … it has been an exceptionally good week for the Demons.
Firstly, let’s start with the performance against the Crows in the first hit-out of the season.
They were back playing that aggressive, contested footy that made them so successful in 2018.
Without their best player – Max Gawn – they looked a class above Adelaide.
That’s what I was talking about when I said let the team’s actions do the talking rather than the words.
Then on Monday they announced Max Gawn as the stand-alone captain of the club.
Prior to Christmas, I said it was time for Gawn to take over, everything about him screams captain and I think he is going to do an outstanding job.
My criticism was around Melbourne talking too much in the pre-season and getting ahead of itself. I dunno if big Maxy Gawn was listening but have a listen to the new skipper when he answered a question at half time of Saturdays game about the team’s prospects in 2020.
"We’re 17th at the moment, so we’ve got to get off the bottom of the ladder first," Gawn said.
"We all want to hit these goals that the club want us to hit, but at the moment we’re 17th."
Could not have answered that better myself.
We are 17th he said. Further to that they made the shock call that they are having two people only on the leadership group!
Hoorah. Finally, a club gets it. Leadership groups are overrated, full stop. Just because every other team has five, six, seven, or if you’re Brisbane, nine in the leadership group, that doesn’t make it right.
I applaud Melbourne for bucking the trend and just going with two. Gawn and (Jack) Viney are perfect for it and I’m sure will do a fine job.
Then lastly, they don’t get sucked into the Christian Petraca pre-season hype and sign him to a five, six or god forbid a seven-year contract. How long does he get? He gets two.
How refreshing is that, a two-year deal. It’s fair for the club who have been patient with the frustrating forward who clearly hasn’t been as professional as he could have been in the past. After all, he only averages 18 possessions and under a goal per game in his career.
He hasn’t been fit enough or presented in the physical shape he should have in the past. Now that he’s out of contract he decides that to play AFL football to the best of your ability you actually need to be fit.
And it’s fair for Petracca, if he performs to his potential over the next two seasons, he will be rewarded with a massive contract that pays him close to a million per season.
A win-win.
After a questionable summer that included loads of media, a five-year plan and a five-part documentary it has been a very, very good week for the Melbourne Football Club.
Credit where credit is due.