SUMMARY
Everything Melbourne does starts at the contest. One visit to training over pre-season will tell you that. The coaches make a specific point of drilling those principles into their players and it showed out in games last year, with the Demons ranking No.2 in the AFL for contested possessions. Their game style is built on that and that's why the Demons were so proficient in finding the football, and then possessing it, last season. However, some commentators were critical of the Demons for over-possessing the football at times and that shows out in the uncontested possession differential stat. When the opposition had the ball in their hands, the Demons worked overtime to win the footy back which is reflected in their tackling numbers. - Ben Guthrie