{"id":220181,"date":"2026-08-17T16:36:38","date_gmt":"2026-08-17T06:36:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/?p=220181"},"modified":"2026-08-17T16:36:40","modified_gmt":"2026-08-17T06:36:40","slug":"dees-not-content-as-new-coach-eyes-continual-progression","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/2026\/08\/17\/dees-not-content-as-new-coach-eyes-continual-progression\/","title":{"rendered":"Dees “not content” as new coach eyes continual progression"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

DESPITE a solid 19-point win over Hawthorn at Ikon Park last Thursday, Melbourne coach Tom Wilson<\/em><\/strong> said his side was not going to get swept up one way or another in the results this season. Claiming the four points on debut having taken over from the Dees’ inaugural coach Mick Stinear<\/em><\/strong>‘s post over the off-season, Wilson said he was “pleased” but there were plenty of improvement areas in the 9.6 (60) to 6.5 (41) victory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“”Pleased to get a result, but ultimately we’ve still got areas to grow,” he said. “We were far from a complete game tonight and that’s the exciting part, that we’ve got room to grow and get better. But ultimately very happy for the playing group.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When asked if he felt the Dees could challenge for the flag at their best, Wilson backed in his troops, but also said the focus for season 2026 was process-driven.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I’d like to think so (among the best sides), but again we won’t be focused on win-loss, we’ll be focused on Monday to Friday and the process and what that looks like and live in a space around getting better every day and making sure that we’re not content and not sitting still,” he said. “We want to keep moving forward, and to do that we need to keep finding avenues.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was positive signs all round for the Dees’ stars as midfielder Liv Purcell<\/a> returned after playing just two games last season – and six in the past two years – to produce a brilliant best on ground performance of 32 disposals, nine tackles, three clearances and five score involvements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wilson praised the midfielder’s work over the preseason, as well as the performances of key playmakers, Tayla Harris<\/a> (17 disposals, five marks) and Kate Hore<\/a> (22 disposals, five marks and a goal) who continue to be headaches for the opposition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I thought Tay was really strong, she started the game really well,” Wilson said. “She’s had a bit of an interrupted preseason with a calf, so for her to come out and compete the way that she did was really impressive, and then to be able to go and absorb some minutes in the ruck as well I thought was really strong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Being consistent with Kate, the footy world understands who she is and what she can do on the field. We’re in the privileged position of we get to see the person and the competitor and the individual that she is inside the four walls as well. “There’s probably not enough words to describe Kate, but we’re just really lucky and privileged that she’s wearing the red and blue.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tayla Harris was busy against Hawthorn. Image credit: Daniel Pockett\/Getty Images via AFL Photos<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The story of the night alongside Purcell’s return was the inclusion of ex-Blue Mia Austin<\/a> who slotted four goals from seven disposals on club debut, which Wilson said was proof her big preseason had been worth it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Ultimately the reward of four goals is nice for her and nice for us, but I think the body of work that she’s done over the preseason allowed her to go out and perform.” he said. “Four goals on club debut, we’ll take that.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While there were plenty of promising signs out of the win, Wilson said he would take a look at the drop off during the middle two quarters where Hawthorn kicked four goals to one and levelled the scores at the final break prior to the Dees kicking away again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I think my initial reaction is probably our ability and the way that we defended the ground,” he said. “We probably went away that were working for us in the first and ultimately in the fourth quarter, which seemed to fuel a little bit of Hawthorn’s offence and they got some momentum and then when you give Hawthorn a team like that some momentum, they can be hard to stop.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, another focus will be on ensuring that defender Tahlia Gillard<\/a> does not get caught up the ground and outside her comfort zone compared to where she can intercept and spoil in the back 50 where the Dees need her. Hawks’ forward Aine McDonagh<\/strong> was able to transition the ball quickly and ensure she had the advantage over the talented tall rather than engaging in one-on-one battles deep inside the defensive half.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I feel as though at times, she probably did get dragged up fairly high, and we understood that’s probably McDonagh’s strength at times as well, being able to get up and turn her opponent around and use her athletic ability,” Wilson said. “We were well aware of that and I felt as though we could have been better at delaying the ball a little bit more and not allowing Talia feeling like she had to get so high up the ground, so that’s an area of growth for us.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Melbourne heads to Casey Fields on Sunday to host a GWS Giants side that is buoyed coming off a hard-fought win over West Coast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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