Melbourne’s Approach to the Upcoming Off-Season
Melbourne coach Steven King has expressed his interest in bringing Port Adelaide free agent Zak Butters to the club, but he also hinted that the decision might already be made. Butters is currently being pursued by several clubs, including the Western Bulldogs, with Geelong, Hawthorn, and Collingwood also showing interest in securing his services.
It is widely believed that if Port Adelaide fails to sign Butters, the Western Bulldogs are likely to strengthen their midfield. King acknowledged the challenge of competing for Butters’ signature, stating that while Melbourne would love to have him, they might not be part of the final decision.
“We’d be like every club that would love him, but from what you hear, it’s down to a couple and we might not be part of that discussion,” King said on SEN. “We’re certainly doing work behind the scenes in letting him know we’re an option. But that’s probably been played out for a year or so in advance already, so we’ll wait and see.”
Despite this, King and the Demons are not standing still when it comes to the off-season, which is still months away. The club is already working behind the scenes to continue improving its list, with a key focus on certain areas.
“We’ve got a good blend, but we’re still the fourth youngest team on the weekend,” King explained. “We had 11 players under 50 games (against West Coast). So we’re in that stage, we’ve got a lot of mature-age experienced players that are currently injured that will hopefully come back in the next 2-4 weeks, which will make spots more competitive.”
King praised the development of several players who have elevated their games, such as Tom Sparrow and Kade Chandler. He noted that these players have had more opportunities to showcase their talents to the football world.
“I’ve been thrilled with guys who have elevated their games like Tom Sparrow and Kade Chandler. They’ve had more opportunity to show the footy world what they’ve got.”
Looking ahead, King emphasized that everything is on the table when it comes to the off-season. The club has two first-round picks and room in their salary cap, which could open up new possibilities for adding talent.
“Hopefully, people among the industry are watching us play and think, ‘I’d like to be part of that’, and if they can make our club better, I think everything is on the table.”
King also mentioned that the club will take a comprehensive look at its list. While they are young in some areas, he believes there is always room to add a midfielder who can play both inside and outside.
“I think we’ll look at our list in its entirety. We’re young in some certain areas but you can always add a midfielder to your group with the way the game is played now. Someone who can play inside-outside. I like players who can play dual position.”
