“You have to call it as you see it”: Buckley doubts Dees' fitness after Freo drubbing

Nathan Buckley believes there are lingering issues beneath the surface at Melbourne, stating top four teams “just don’t have a performance like” the Demons’ 92-point loss to Fremantle on Sunday.

Hosting the Dockers in Round 12 in Alice Springs, Simon Goodwin’s men were in the match for no more than 10 minutes and were completely humbled across the stats sheet.

The loss was the biggest of Goodwin’s senior coaching career since he took over in 2017, allowing Fremantle to kick 22.9 (141) – it’s biggest score since 2019.

Buckley voiced his concerns about Melbourne’s effort and game plan on show on Sunday.

“Plenty of sides have got players out at the moment and to only get 37 inside 50s against any opposition is a concern,” he told SEN Breakfast, syaing injuries were no excuse.

“Three weeks they only got 36 inside 50s against West Coast. In between that was a win against the Saints, but there are some real questions to be asked.

“The gameplan makes sure you have bodies where you need them in the doses you need them… but then those bodies need to win the contest that needs to be won. And neither of those two things happened for Melbourne.”

The former Collingwood coach and club great also suggested the Demons didn’t appear as fit as they should be for a club in contention.

“There was vision after the game… all I’ll say is looking at the Melbourne rooms after the game, they don’t look as hard and fit as I would expect a top four AFL team to look. And they don’t have a lot of injuries,” Buckley continued.

“From the vision I saw of their warm down… you have to call it as you see it, there were some players there I thought didn’t look in the condition that you would expect them to be in if you’re going to be coming up against the AFL’s best teams and expecting to win them.

“The performance was terrible and they just don’t look hard and fit.”

The Demons lost the disposal count by 78, inside 50s by 31, clearances by 25, contested footy by 42, marks by 46 and even laid less tackles than the men in purple.

They’re numbers that simply don’t add up for a team that has finished in the top four for three years running.

“You just don’t have a performance like that if there’s not something underneath the surface that isn’t quite right,” Buckley added.

“Melbourne is going to have to ask those questions and answer them. I’d expect a response on King's Birthday, and that’s going to be a fascinating watch.

“Collingwood are banged up and undermanned and Melbourne have to find something.”

Melbourne had started the season under the spectre of a drug culture following Joel Smith’s charge and Clayton Oliver concerns, although the Demons had responded to win four of their first five games.

The Round 12 loss has seen the Demons fall out of the top eight, with a game against Collingwood next week to say plenty about both side’s finals hopes.