Pressure on Melbourne has significantly lifted ahead of the 2024 preseason after Steven May made the unwavering confidence he has in his team known to the world.
The superstar backman was interviewed at Melbourne's best & fairest and, without hesitation, voiced a controversial opinion on the Demons' superiority to reigning premier, Collingwood.
"We lose to Collingwood and they go on to win the flag and it f--king hurts... because we're a better team than them, we should've smoked them," May said after a fifth place best & fairest finish.
"To sit there on grand final day and watch them hoist the cup and get the medals I'm sitting there and going 'jeez our team is so much better than these guys'", he added.
The comments continue a minor trend of Melbourne's public shots at Collingwood, following Ed Langdon's mysterious "all duck, no dinner" description of the Magpies ahead of last year's Big Freeze clash.
They also come after recent controversy regarding their four-time best & fairest, Clayton Oliver, where tension arose between the midfielders' professionalism and Melbourne's injury management.
The clubs' transparency over that situation suggests it may have been unsettled by how publicly the affair unfolded, raising concerns about Melbourne's status post 2023.
May's comments may be an attempt to rejuvenate confidence into his side before preseason training begins, or to divert public attention away from Clayton Oliver's apparent intervention.
Either way, the microscope is fixed on Melbourne heading into 2024, as the pressure of building the dynasty that many believe they can build lifts further while their list ages.
Steven May passionately praised his side during the contentious B&F interview, saying "it is a bit of a 'pinch yourself' moment to be named in the top 5 along some of these superstars", including Oliver, Christian Petracca, Max Gawn, Jake Lever, Kysaiah Pickett and others.
"I'm blessed to be apart of this team and looking forward to next year," he added.
Melbourne will enter 2024 as one of the flag favourites, but before they are confronted by finals next September, all eyes will be fixed on their King's Birthday matchup against Collingwood.
The Demons will be tasked with taking down Fly's Pies for the second time in back to back 'Big Freeze' blockbusters, to back-up May's comments and argue their potential edge over Collingwood.
Melbourne's preseason training times are yet to be announced as they gear up for a an eventful trade and draft period.
The Demons hold picks 5, 13, 25, 33 and 39 in the upcoming National Draft.