DOM Tyson says next Sunday’s clash against Greater Western Sydney at Spotless Stadium will be “critical” for Melbourne as it aims to bounce back hard from a miserable display against the West Coast Eagles in round two.
The former Giant, speaking after Melbourne’s 93-point loss at the MCG on Sunday, said he was “nervous and very excited” to be lining up against his ex-side for the first time.
“I’ve had it in the back of my mind now for a little while now, so it’ll be good to get up there and see a few boys and really dig in,” Tyson told Dee TV.
“It’s a critical game for us … we’ll go up there and really set [ourselves] to win and they’ll be thinking the same thing.
“We’ve just got to prepare well … do the right things, get our bodies right, feel fresh and be ready to go for a good contest, because they’re in pretty good form.
“A lot of those third year boys are starting to harden and run out those four quarters.”
Tyson said Melbourne’s poor start against West Coast, when it booted 0.1 to 6.5 in the first quarter, was simply too much to peg back against a quality side.
“We gave them too much of a start in that first half and I thought we were able to claw it back a little bit in the second half, but we still played in patches,” he said.
“We were just beaten by a better side over four quarters and I think it was our turnovers that hurt us and they were able to get on the end and kick 10 or 11 goals from our turnovers.
“That doesn’t win you a footy game at all.”
Tyson said midfield coach Ben Mathews told Melbourne’s engine room post-match that it needed to “keep the faith in the process”.
“We’re not quite there over four quarters and we gave them (West Coast) too much of a start in that first quarter. They won centre bounces eight/nil, before we were able to dig in and win a few back,” he said.
“It’s too much of a head start … we really just need to work both ways, as hard-running mids.”
Tyson, who has accumulated 62 disposals in his first two matches for the Demons, after playing 13 with GWS from 2012-13, said he was growing each week at his new club.
“I was able to get my hands on the ball a bit,” he said.
“Probably at times I could’ve used the ball a little better.
“I thought I was running to good spots and could’ve been a bit cleaner around the hunt of the ball. But I definitely feel like I’m building into some decent form.”
