Melbourne still have edge over St Kilda in premiership race

[spert]

I think we need to do whole lot more this season before I'm convinced we are on the up. We need to get better defensively for starters, and looking at a few games yesterday, it reminds me just how poor our disposal quality is compared to those we hope to get above on the ladder. We need to get a win against one of the more fancied teams, and North are due for a fall.

[BigMart]

I think Melbourne are just ahead of us for building a team that will challenge

[Bluthy]

I wonder though, if we might end up a bit more even across the ground. A bit like Geelong in the 2000s.

That's how I feel. As crazy as it sounds I almost wouldn't mind not having an out and out superstar - they tend to become the focus too much. And we don't know how these Melbourne high draft picks will develop under Goodwin. Our development environment driven by Richo looks first class.

[Johnny Favier]

Our spine is better than theirs and sorted for the next ten years. Midfielders are easier to come by . Look at freo trying to secure a decent forward . Saying that there seems to be no free agents available to us this year so that's one more year we have to rely on drafting mids or trading for them

This.

IMO We've filled in the more difficult spots on our list early on (which take more time to develop mind you) and can now start going for the "low-hanging fruit" of picking up decent midfielders to complement the already well developing engine room.

[magnifisaint]

Love low hanging fruit is always nice

[degruch]

This is hilarious...the writer is a Melbourne supporter by any chance? Melbourne seem to be on the verge of avoiding another rebuild this decade, they may even beat us during the same period.

[Animal Enclosure]

This is hilarious...the writer is a Melbourne supporter by any chance? Melbourne seem to be on the verge of avoiding another rebuild this decade, they may even beat us during the same period.

He's an Essendope supporter.

Old De Stoop made international news when a sports report he was doing was 'crashed' by Patty Mills & Aaron Baynes who had just won an NBA Championship with the San Antonio Spurs. De Stoop told them to piss off... as a sports reporter you reckon he may have recognised them, especially considering they were carrying the Larry O'Brien Trophy (the NBA Championship trophy).

He's a goose. Another low level sports reporter who loves the sound of his own voice.

[borderbarry]

It will be interesting to see if they can hang onto Hogan long-term.

[saynta]

This is hilarious...the writer is a Melbourne supporter by any chance? Melbourne seem to be on the verge of avoiding another rebuild this decade, they may even beat us during the same period.

He's an Essendope supporter.

Old De Stoop made international news when a sports report he was doing was 'crashed' by Patty Mills & Aaron Baynes who had just won an NBA Championship with the San Antonio Spurs. De Stoop told them to piss off... as a sports reporter you reckon he may have recognised them, especially considering they were carrying the Larry O'Brien Trophy (the NBA Championship trophy).

He's a goose. Another low level sports reporter who loves the sound of his own voice.

yeah, I was watching when that happened. 360 recently replayed the footage. a goose is right.

[Sainternist]

Gee whiz, Melbourne have been rebuilding a bloody team for the good part of ten years and now they are apparently ahead of us. What a joke!

[magnifisaint]

Gee whiz, Melbourne have been rebuilding a bloody team for the good part of ten years and now they are apparently ahead of us. What a joke!

They've been building since 2007.

They say Rome wasn't built in a day. Very applicable to Melbourne too. Oh the irony!

[degruch]

Gee whiz, Melbourne have been rebuilding a bloody team for the good part of ten years and now they are apparently ahead of us. What a joke!

Melbourne FC CEO, Mr Maxwell Smart, was quoted as saying "This time, definitely".

[Sainternist]

Melbourne FC CEO, Mr Maxwell Smart, was quoted as saying "This time, definitely".

Precisely! Some of the football public are eager to tout them as finals bound, but we're only seven games into the season. Also, Paul Roos said he'd only do it for a few years until handing the reins over to a new guy. Who will that new guy be? Nathan Buckley?

They say Rome wasn't built in a day. Very applicable to Melbourne too. Oh the irony!

Yeah I didn't bother reading the article in OP, but I assume the writer failed to mention that we were in the finals for fours years straight (two of those years qualifying for GFs) whilst Melbourne were fumbling about in vain to even get their rebuild on the rails.

Everyone is harping on how good Melbourne are this year, but I'm not entirely convinced.

[Saint wagga]

I think some of our 3-5year players aren't getting the credit they deserve in these comparisons - i mean everyone is waxing lyrical about the melbourne midfield, just because they're high picks - they have been down that road before and have next to nothing to show for it...We need to see a decent body of work from players before saying they are going ot be a 10 year + a grader like some are already doing for Petracca and Brayshaw, based on very little...they seem to fall for that all too often the media re: Melbourne.