Dees can stay up the top, says Ox

MELBOURNE champion David Schwarz says his former club’s drought-breaking premiership could be the first of many.

With the “monkey off the back”, Schwarz has tipped Melbourne to be at the top for some time, saying the club’s list profile had it primed for sustained success.

“I have no doubt they will be around the mark for a fair while,” Schwarz said. “If you speak to any recruiting manager about their list profile it is one of the better lists they have ever seen.

“Their recruiting and list management has been unbelievable. They have got it right and they have been able to hold everyone together.

“It is high quality and when you have the NAB Rising Star winner in a premiership team it is pretty exciting, because not only have you got the topend talent with (Christian) Petracca, (Clayton) Oliver, (Max) Gawn, (Jake) Lever and (Steven) May but you have got the kids coming through, whether that is (Kysaiah) Pickett, Luke Jackson or James Jordon, and they are complementing one another.”