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“The era is over”: Melbourne’s fear factor is gone… and they know it
Andrew Slevison • March 24th, 2025 9:59 am
David King has some damning news for Melbourne - “the era is over”.
The Demons were crushed to the tune of 59 points by North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium on Sunday, despite producing more inside 50s (56-53).
Kangaroos great King believes the invincibility and the fear factor once held by Simon Goodwin’s Dees has now dissipated, and wonders if the love they rediscovered in the off-season has any substance.
“It was a tale of two cities - the era is over for Melbourne,” King said on SEN Breakfast.
“They’ve lost their invincible appearance. That genuine fear factor is now gone. They look a shell of what we have seen the last few years.
“Let’s see how long the love lasts now. It’s easy to talk about, love, but when things tip and turn like they have and like they are, it’s a long way back.
“They know this. That’s why they’re playing so many youngsters in this line-up at the moment. They’re aware of this, they’re rebuilding on the run.
“I think that this is no surprise to Melbourne, but where does that leave them at the end of this year if this is a so-so season?”
Co-host Kane Cornes questioned the club’s plans to renovate the game style, seemingly moving away from their destructive stoppage and contested game which was ripped away from them by the Roos.
He was alarmed by the fact that they scored just 66 points against a North side that conceded 100 or more on 18 occasions in 2024.
“Where does it leave them after the extensive review that detailed their game plan, the issues with that and how they’re going to have to revamp it,” he said.
“(President) Brad Green has released statements about that, Simon Goodwin has spoken about the fact that it was a too-brutal style of play.
“If you lose your brutality around the football, your damage from stoppage - they were absolutely destroyed - so you lose that and then you’ve always had the inefficiencies going forward.
“How many entries and they kicked 66 points. North Melbourne never keep anyone under 100, and they did that under a roof yesterday with as many entries as Melbourne had.
“That was alarming.”
The Demons will be doing some soul-searching this week after starting the season with two defeats.
They find themselves sitting 15th on the ladder ahead of a crucial clash with the Gold Coast Suns at the MCG on Saturday afternoon.
