TODD Viney, who headed up Melbourne’s recruiting in 2012, has told the club’s members at the annual general meeting that the Demons football department was “united” and had a “clear vision” in its acquisition of players last year.

The Demons were right at the forefront of player recruitment from October to December last year, when they gained 14 players (including Jesse Hogan, who will be listed in 2014) via the free agency, trade and drafting periods.

Viney said the coaches, list management committee and recruiters “worked very closely” in 2012 to produce the outcome it did.

“It’s very clear the way that our coach Mark Neeld wants us to play and the roles that we need to be able to exhibit,” he said.

“We were very clear and we worked together and were able to educate our recruiting department, so when we went out looking at talent, we knew what we were looking for.”

The former captain and caretaker coach of Melbourne reiterated at the MCG on Wednesday night that the club selected its players based on four pillars: competitiveness, football talent, physical talent and character.

“They had to be competitive. How did they rate with their competitiveness? They certainly needed football talent. How was their football talent and [what was] their role that they had to play within the structure? How was their physical talent? [Did they have what was] required to play the role?” Viney said.

“And last but not least, [what] was their character [like]? We wanted to bring [good] character to the Melbourne Football Club. We had to have a buy in [from the players] to the elite performance model that Mark Neeld, Neil Craig and Dave Misson are putting forward for players to follow. They needed to be able to tick off those boxes.

“Unless they ticked off those four boxes (competiveness, football talent, physical talent and character], they didn’t come in.”