'Stands for nothing': Matthew Lloyd rubbishes Demons' pre-season talk after miserable start to season
Essendon great Matthew Lloyd believes the Demons have failed to back up their talk of "love" for their teammates and the club from the pre-season with poor performances on the footy field.
With a horror 0-3 start to the season, the Demons look like a shadow of the club's 2021 premiership powerhouse.
The club's off-field culture has taken a serious beating in recent years with a spate of off-field issues creating what some believe to be a hostile environment.
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Melbourne star Christian Petracca was disgruntled and wanting out at the end of last year. Josh Chadwick/AFL Photos via Getty Images
In previous years, the club has been rocked by several high-profile scandals, including a public brawl between Steven May and Jake Melksham and Joel Smith's breach of anti-doping rules.
However, more recent incidents, such as Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver's attempts to be traded at the end of last season and unrest in the board room, have kept the Demons in the headlines for all the wrong reasons.
Speaking on Nine's Footy Classified, Lloyd explained that Richmond got through a similar experience in 2017 with action, not words.
"[Richmond] found the belief out of winning and doing things on the field," he said.
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"Melbourne refused to run on the weekend, Melbourne refused to chase, Melbourne refused to defend.
"So, that is garbage, absolute garbage, and stands for nothing — they're just talking.
Demons players look dejected after losing their round three match against the Gold Coast Suns. via Getty Images
"Melbourne have talked and talked for a number of years."
In an attempt to patch up their culture, Melbourne has tried to implement measures, including leaning on the services of renowned mindset and leadership coach Ben Crowe.
The team also came together at an external pre-season camp in Bright last November, where players were encouraged to have "heart-to-heart" discussions.
But Lloyd was unconvinced the moves were having an impact behind closed doors.
"You can't fabricate it," he said of team cohesion.
"You can't just go, 'OK, we're going to bring love as our term and we're just going to try and generate it [and] get it back at the football club.
"It all comes from actions, words mean nothing."
The Demons will next meet the Cats at Kardinia Park on Friday night as they chase their first win of 2025.
