Look, credit where its due, Melbourne were a good team, and played exceptionally well this season.
My personal suspicion, is that in the end they let the shellacking on Friday get to them, and I don't think they were in the right head space for this game. Possibly already thinking ahead, that even if they won they were due for another whooping in Perth.
Boone is a very good player. For a couple of seasons he has easily the dominant big man in the league. In a way, Pledger was a good backup for him, means you have a consistently strong inside presence, even if one or the other is injured or in foul trouble.
On the other hand, when your only other front court options are Barlowe, or playing Moller or Kennedy in the 4, then it leads to a lack of flexibility.
Barlowe's had a great season, and a good finals, but they need some other option going forward. I thought maybe that was Jois, but he still looks very raw.
One of their issues is that they have probably the two best Aussie SGs in the league, and playing them together is problematic. You either have McCarron running the point, or one of them playing SF. As we saw in Perth, deny their 3-point shooting and they're in trouble.
Vickerman is a great coach. Not sure he deserved CoTY this season, but still done a great job.
I'd suggest that maybe they replace Boone with more of an athletic 4/5? Somebody that can play PF alongside Pledger if need be.