Melbourne Report Card

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This year: 8 wins, 13 losses, 1 draw, 94.52 percentage

This year's grade (A-F): C+

Positives from this year: After back-to-back wooden spoons Melbourne emerged in 2010 as one of the most exciting teams of the future. First-year players Tom Scully, Jack Trengove and Jordan Gysberts all showed class beyond their age and experience, while rookie Jordie McKenzie played 19 games and averaged just under 20 possessions. But it was the emergence of defender James Frawley and ruckman Mark Jamar that will be most pleasing to Demons fans as they both had career-best years that earned them a spot in the All Australian team. Veteran Brad Green also enjoyed his best season as he booted 55 goals to narrowly miss out on a spot in the prestigious team. On the field they matched it with the table-topping Magpies twice and achieved more wins than they have in the past two seasons put together. But perhaps the biggest positive to come out of Demonland this year was the successful debt demolition campaign led by inspirational president Jim Stynes that wiped away the club's money problems.

Negatives from this year: Injuries to key players really hurt Melbourne in their push towards to the finals. Big things were expected of Ricky Petterd this season and he looked set for a big year after he booted four goals in the one-point loss to Collingwood in Round 2, but his season was ended just a month later when he suffered a shoulder injury. Jack Grimes was another player who started the season well but a hamstring injury in Round 14 ended his year prematurely. Excitement machine Liam Jurrah missed the first 14 rounds but returned to form later in the year with 15 goals in his last four games. Consistency is still a major area of concern for the young Demons with the side struggling to string good performances together and they are prone to a shocker every now and then like the two losses in Adelaide this year. With the club solely focused on their youth departing captain James McDonald was harshly treated as he was effectively forced into retirement despite harbouring hopes of playing on for one more season.

Likely departures: As mentioned, McDonald called time on his career, while Brad Miller and Daniel Bell have already been delisted by the club. With such a young list it's hard to see where the other changes will come from, although Stefan Martin's time appears to be up having just played two matches this year for a total of 29 in his three seasons at the club. Addam Maric and Kyle Cheney have also struggled to cement their place in the team and could be given the chop, while Matthew Warnock has fallen behind Frawley and Colin Garland in the key defensive posts and could be used as trade bait.

Next year:

Type of Players needed: Melbourne desperately require a key target up forward if they are to develop into a premiership contender in the coming years. Miller won't be at the club next year and Michael Newton has failed to set the world on fire, leaving the Demons without a recognised big-marking forward going into next season. The club is hopeful No.1 draft pick Jack Watts will be that player in the future and he showed some promising signs this season, but he looks to be another two or three years away from really stamping his mark on the competition. A back-up ruckman to support Jamar also wouldn't hurt with Paul Johnson failing to produce the kind of form that saw him play 18 games in 2009. The club will be hopeful young talls Max Gawn and Jake Fitzpatrick push for senior selection next year, but with just one pre-season under their belt they may have to wait a bit longer.

Likely improvement: The signs are definitely there for Melbourne and big things are expected of them in the coming seasons and they'd be confident of further improvement next year. The younger brigade can only benefit from another full pre-season and should get even better, which is hard to believe considering how impressive they have been, in particular Scully and Trengove. If Petterd, Jurrah and Austin Wonaeamirri can all stay out of the medial room then suddenly the Demons have a potent forward line that is tough for oppositions to match up on. While much of their improvement will come from the youngsters, it will be important the club's middle-aged players such as Colin Sylvia, Brent Moloney, Lynden Dunn and Jared Rivers take on more responsibility and usher the new generation in.

Finals next year? Considering the Demons were in finals contention right up until Round 20 this year, there is no reason to suggest they won't be in the mix again next season. It might be coach Dean Bailey's last chance as well as his contract is due to expire at the end of 2011, but a first finals appearance since 2006 will surely earn him a new deal. There is no doubt they have the ability to match it with the best in the competition but whether they can produce that sort of consistency week in, week out remains to be seen. Even if they miss out next year, the club is very much heading in the right direction and they look destined for success down the track.

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