Why Melbourne could be the team to beat in 2021
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Since 2000, of the 11 teams who went 7-0, only Essendon (2000), Hawthorn (2008) and Geelong (2009) went on to win the premiership.
Teams with a 7-0 record that did not win the flag were Hawthorn (2001), St Kilda (2004 and 2009), West Coast (2005), Geelong (2008 and 2013), Fremantle (2015) and North Melbourne (2016).
But with Melbourne having out-muscled and outplayed Richmond two matches ago to win by 34 points – with the latter arguably the toughest team going around for the last four seasons in terms of its attack on the ball – the Demons sent a message to the other 17 teams by overcoming an early three-goal deficit against the premiers.