JUST three days away from Melbourne’s first premiership match, coach Dean Bailey says the team’s No.1 priority in 2011 is improvement.
Speaking at AAMI Park on Thursday in the lead-up to Sunday’s clash against Sydney Swans at the MCG, Bailey was asked what Melbourne’s expectations are this season. And when pressed by the media if it was to finish top four, eighth or 12th, Bailey was adamant in his response.
“Our expectations have been like what they’ve been last year and that hasn’t changed this year - we expect improvement,” he said.
“We expect to be a team that’s emerging out of last year.
“We can only really evaluate ourselves on last year, rather than the year before. The improvement will come with more games into our players, so they create a great deal of synergy.”
Bailey said the football community will place a greater demand on his squad this year.
“You’ll find that our players will be under enormous pressure to perform on a week-to-week basis, which is the same as what it was last year,” he said.
“Guys like Luke Tapscott, who are just starting their career, it’s going to be really important for him to have an impact.
“We know that the more games that we get into him, the better and the more consistent they’re going to be. We’re going to be inconsistent at times during the year, but we want to be more consistent than we were last year.”
Now entering his fourth AFL season as Melbourne coach, Bailey is confident his squad will progress this year.
“Improvement will come and I reckon we’ve got a good nucleus of young men, who want to make something of the opportunity that they’ve got,” he said.
“They’re going to grow as opportunities come. The great bond in young players or players who are just starting their careers together is an exceptional one to have.
“The stronger you make it, the more successful that you’re going to be.”
Speaking at AAMI Park on Thursday in the lead-up to Sunday’s clash against Sydney Swans at the MCG, Bailey was asked what Melbourne’s expectations are this season. And when pressed by the media if it was to finish top four, eighth or 12th, Bailey was adamant in his response.
“Our expectations have been like what they’ve been last year and that hasn’t changed this year - we expect improvement,” he said.
“We expect to be a team that’s emerging out of last year.
“We can only really evaluate ourselves on last year, rather than the year before. The improvement will come with more games into our players, so they create a great deal of synergy.”
Bailey said the football community will place a greater demand on his squad this year.
“You’ll find that our players will be under enormous pressure to perform on a week-to-week basis, which is the same as what it was last year,” he said.
“Guys like Luke Tapscott, who are just starting their career, it’s going to be really important for him to have an impact.
“We know that the more games that we get into him, the better and the more consistent they’re going to be. We’re going to be inconsistent at times during the year, but we want to be more consistent than we were last year.”
Now entering his fourth AFL season as Melbourne coach, Bailey is confident his squad will progress this year.
“Improvement will come and I reckon we’ve got a good nucleus of young men, who want to make something of the opportunity that they’ve got,” he said.
“They’re going to grow as opportunities come. The great bond in young players or players who are just starting their careers together is an exceptional one to have.
“The stronger you make it, the more successful that you’re going to be.”
