CONSIDER this.

Melbourne finished with more wins this year than it did from 2013-14.

That’s right Melbourne won just two matches in 2013 and four in 2014.

This year, it won seven and had its best season since 2011.

If that’s not improvement, I’m not sure what is?

Sure, seven wins is far from ideal. That’s obvious.

Sunday’s win over Greater Western Sydney at Etihad Stadium was important in Melbourne’s overall season. It needed to win and it did – against the odds. GWS entered as favourites among the bookies, but the Demons produced an impressive 26-point victory.

The win was important in its overall reflection of its season.

There were bumps along the way in 2015 and it didn’t go exactly as everyone hoped for – but that’s the reality of a club rebuilding. Remember, it was on September 6, 2013 that Paul Roos was appointed coach. It’s not that long ago.

This year was still a damned sight better than this time two years ago, when the club endured its fifth worst season since it became a foundation VFL/AFL club in 1897.

Based on its results, it really should’ve had at least nine wins. Melbourne let slip two matches against St Kilda (two points in round 11) and Essendon (nine points in round 15).

Add three other matches where Melbourne lost by 25 points or fewer to Adelaide (round three) Collingwood (round 10) and Carlton (round 21) – which were winnable matches, missed opportunities or possible victories, depending on your point of view – and the wins could’ve been greater.

For the record, Melbourne lost those five matches by an average of 16.8 points.

Sure, there were some disappointing performances along the way, but not like recent years.

The frustration came this year, because all could see improvement along the way. And there was greater hope going to each game. That hadn’t been the case in recent years.

The third rebuild since Melbourne’s most recent finals appearance in 2006 started two years ago – and it now appears on track.

Holding the nerve and staying the course is absolutely paramount to what everyone who loves the club wants to see – a 13^th premiership.

But the fact that the club has secured its coach until at least the end of 2019 is most encouraging. Paul Roos has one more season to go before handing the baton to Simon Goodwin. And with Brendan McCartney set to be Goodwin’s right-hand man, the club is in really good shape.

And the list is starting to make inroads.

Sure, there will be players come and go over the next few months. It will be another fascinating recruiting period for the Demons – and for the competition, for that matter.

But when you consider 11 players played their first match with Melbourne in 2015 – that’s a quarter of the list – and eight of those made their AFL debut in the red and blue, there is a lot to be excited about.

Every player recruited to Melbourne at the end of the 2014 season played an AFL match this year – except for Christian Petracca. Yet you would’ve suspected the No.2 pick in last year’s NAB AFL Draft would’ve been a regular, much in the way Angus Brayshaw was this year.

The fact that Brayshaw, Jesse Hogan, Aaron vandenBerg, Billy Stretch, Alex Neal-Bullen, James Harmes, Oscar McDonald and Mitch White all played their first AFL game this year can only be a good thing.

Match experience is such a massive thing in the game.

It’s fascinating to note that Melbourne entered this season 13^th on the list in that area. It ended up being the same ladder position in the end result.

It doesn’t always correlate. But the fact that finallists North Melbourne, Fremantle and Hawthorn entered the season as the three most experienced lists in the competition is interesting to note.

Ending some significant hoodoos – think the first win at the Cattery in 10 years, the ending of a 22-game losing streak at Etihad Stadium and the first win over the Pies since 2007 – were all important hurdles in Melbourne’s journey.

The fact it beat Richmond and the Western Bulldogs – two top eight teams – was also an encouraging sign this season.

Melbourne still has a way to go in its journey – no question – but there is genuine light, hope and excitement.

And who wouldn’t think that with the likes of these players, who are 23 years old or younger? Brayshaw, Gawn, Harmes, Hogan, Kent, T.McDonald, Neal-Bullen, Salem, Stretch, Tyson, vandenBerg and Viney … and that’s to name a few!

It’ll be worth keeping an eye on the red and blue in the next few years.