Melbourne fans should embrace the tough, hard-edged, uncompromising new Demons AFL style because Jack Viney says it’s here to stay.
It’s a brawling side, showing as much in a quarter-time scrap leading to four players being fined.
It’s the Melbourne of Tomas Bugg, just as effective with the lip as the foot, who bumped an injured Jack Riewoldt as he limped from the ground with a Dees win all but secured.
It’s the Melbourne of Viney, who leapt to his feet to show Alex Rance exactly how he felt about his elbow to the head of Jack Watts.
It’s a team who have won the contested footy count for the past three matches and, for the first time since 2011, will gun for a third straight win on Saturday when they play St Kilda.
And Viney wouldn’t want it any other way.
The 22-year-old midfielder said he couldn’t separate the side’s new hard edge from their winning record.
“The guys are playing on the edge,” he said.
“There’s times when we might go a bit too far. Like on the weekend, with Tommy Bugg coming out and apologising for some of the things we did.
“I’m really enjoying how we’re playing our football at the moment.
“We’re playing on the edge. We’re playing competitively. We’re standing up for our mates. That’s a team I want to be involved in.”
The Demons are also a team who make younger players earn their debuts, as Christian Petracca is learning.
Eighteen months after being drafted at pick No.2, the 20-year-old is still waiting for a taste of AFL football.
The club took a dim view of a broken toe while playing basketball in the off-season but, after three VFL outings, he could debut against St Kilda.
That’s if he can find a spot in the 22.
Viney nominated Jayden Hunt, Dom Tyson, Max Gawn, Ben Kennedy and Dean Kent among Demons in career-best form who Petracca might struggle to dislodge.
“(Christian) is a very excitable character and someone that’s extremely eager to debut,” he said.
“The club’s done a terrific job of just curbing his expectations.
“As much as I want him in the team, it’s hard to take someone out.”
