Racing
League
Rugby
Football
Cricket
Golf
Sport Nation
Olympics
Motorsport
Netball
Combat Sports
Basketball
Other Sports
FWC Final from 6am Monday"Could do anything": Are the Demons the joker in the finals pack?
Nicholas Quinlan • July 19th, 2026 2:10 pm
Following their remarkable rise up the ladder in 2026, Brenton Sanderson believes Melbourne is capable of being the joker in the pack of this year’s finals series.
With a coach in his first year in Steven King and getting rid of All-Australian calibre players in Christian Petracca, Clayton Oliver and Steven May, not many expected the Demons to improve on their 14th-placed finish from 2025.
But under King, Melbourne have blown everyone's expectations out of the water, having found themselves in the top six with wins against fellow contenders in Brisbane and Hawthorn (twice).
Following their 16-point win against North Melbourne on Saturday, the former Adelaide coach believes they could pose a serious threat in finals with so many of their players playing above their expectations.
“That was so impressive yesterday,” Sanderson explained on SEN’s Crunch Time.
“I thought that was a game that North might win and they played really well.”
“You know, North fans, I know this has been a really slow process for you, but there was enough there yesterday to say or to think we're on the right track.
“But they just met a Melbourne side (that) every time they make a mistake, it's like they go twice as hard again; they never go into their shell.
“They've got some kids who are playing out of their skin at the moment; their forward line is in great shape, they're getting the ball there faster.
“Kozzie Pickett and Max Gawn, they are just playing so well.
“It's a fun club to watch at the moment, and they're probably…I mean, we have the wildcard round, so wildcard is the wrong phrase to give a team at the moment like them.
“But maybe they're the joker in the pack that could do anything in September.”
Melbourne will be under the Friday night lights next week when they take on Geelong at the MCG in an important clash of both sides’ top six chances.
The match will begin at 7:40pm AEST.
