Kane Cornes is concerned Melbourne will let themselves off the hook this season, after key recruit Ben Brown was sidelined by injury.
A four-time leading goal kicker with North Melbourne, Brown will be off his feet for at least a month following surgery to address cartilage damage in his left knee.
“I’m nervous for the Melbourne Footy Club,” Cornes told SEN SA Breakfast.
“There’s not one excuse the Melbourne Football Club now have from their playing group.
“They’ve always had something, the missing link was a small forward then it was a key forward.”
The Dees converted a league-worst 38% of forward entries to scores in 2019, and languished in last place midway through 2020.
Small forward Kysaiah Pickett was drafted in the first round two years ago, and Brown was lured from Arden Street in November on a four-year contract.
With 23-year-old spearhead Sam Weideman also having experienced a breakout 2020, hopes were high the Demons could cobble a more coherent forward structure together.
However, Cornes fears complacency may set once more in now Brown is hurt.
“They just keep having little setbacks, and this is a big one,” he continued.
Melbourne has been publicly optimistic Brown will return and have an impact in the early rounds, but Cornes isn’t so sure.
“It’s really difficult for an AFL player to have a successful year without having a pre-season,” he explained.
“Getting injured in February is about the worst time other than Round 1. I’d be nervous for him and how much footy he’ll play this year.”