MELBOURNE ended a 57-year premiership drought last September and the Demons are now looking at how dynasties of the modern era reset after achieving the ultimate success.
Brisbane went back-to-back-to-back under Leigh Matthews at the start of this century, before Geelong won three flags in five years. Hawthorn also completed the magical three-peat under Alastair Clarkson, while most recently, Richmond went all the way three times in a four-year span.
Demons half-forward Alex Neal-Bullen, who finished eighth in the best and fairest last year following a career-best season, said 2021 counts for nothing in 2022 with the club ready to transition from the hunters to the hunted.
"The language that we're using there is a desire to be a great Melbourne team. That's something we've got front of mind is to be the next greatest Melbourne team. That's going to be a hard challenge, but it's one we're willing to step in front of," Neal-Bullen told reporters at Casey Fields on Wednesday morning.
"I look at those generations of the Brisbane teams, Hawthorn, Geelong and now the Richmond side: one thing they all did is they respected the game and how hard it is each year.
"You have to have a real balance coming into a new season understanding that everyone is at the start line – there is no one with a head start – you've really got to make the early part of the season worth it.
"For us, we're going to attack that and give ourselves the best opportunity to be there later in the year. Teams will certainly come for us. It's something that we're going to have to balance, understanding that teams will come looking to hunt us."
Hawthorn great Jordan Lewis spent the final three seasons of his illustrious career at Melbourne and was still desperate for more success until the end of his 319-game career, despite winning four flags at the Hawks.
"We had Jordy Lewis who came across from Hawthorn. He won a few flags and he'd come across at the end of his career still hungry as ever," Neal-Bullen said.
"There is no way I'm sitting here now having one good season from a footy perspective. I'm a competitor – we are all competitors out here – and the time in the game is short."
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Key defender Adam Tomlinson was the heartbreak story of last year, missing out on a premiership after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in round seven.
The 28-year-old has transitioned back into full training over the past month and is driving standards on the track as he looks to win back his spot in Simon Goodwin's back six.
"'Adsy' has been tremendous. I've never seen him as fit as he is at the moment and he's been able to transfer that on to the field with how he's going in the one-on-ones with the key forwards," Neal-Bullen said.
"He brings a great energy to the group, he's got a level head. In my opinion, he's a future coach; he reads the game really well."
Melbourne acquired unwanted Saint Luke Dunstan as an unrestricted free agent in October, adding depth and a different dynamic to a midfield stacked with Therabody AFL All-Australians in Christian Petracca, Clayton Oliver and skipper Max Gawn.
Despite averaging 25 disposals and polling 11 Brownlow votes from 12 games in 2021, the 27-year-old wasn't offered a new contract at St Kilda and now finds himself back with former South Australian underage teammate, Neal-Bullen.
"I played a lot of footy with him as a junior – we're both from Adelaide – and he's brutal in the contest. We like to think we're branded a contest side and he fits that for us - that model of how we play our footy," he said.
"He's a great pick-up and he's got a great head on his shoulders. I think he has a huge leadership capacity and is someone I can't wait to play with this year."
With just 42 days between now and the season-opening Grand Final rematch against the Western Bulldogs at the MCG, Melbourne is making every day count as it prepares to defend its premiership in 2022.
