IT'S BEEN a long 12 years since Melbourne last played finals football.

Long-suffering supporters were finally able to celebrate being part of September action when the club overcame its demons and recorded a 17-point victory against West Coast at Optus Stadium in Perth in round 22 to secure its finals spot.

AFL.com.au has taken a comprehensive look at the highs, the considerable lows and the downright bizarre events that have transpired during what is widely regarded as the lowest period in the club's 160-year history.

After "12 years of misery" – as coach Simon Goodwin put it recently – it is fair to say that Friday night's elimination final clash against Geelong has been a long time coming.

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The last hurrah

Melbourne defeats St Kilda by 18 points in an elimination final in 2006, but falls to Fremantle by 28 points in the semi-final a week later. After being touted as a potential premiership threat in 2007, the Demons plummet to 14th on the ladder in 2007, starting the season with nine successive losses and finishing with just five wins for the season. During his 10th year at the helm, coach Neale Daniher quits mid-season after the board tells him he would have to re-apply for his job. Port Adelaide assistant Dean Bailey is appointed as coach in September, with former Fremantle coach Chris Connolly (who missed out on the coaching role) appointed as football operations boss just four days later.

Neale Daniher and David Neitz leave the field after Daniher's last game in charge. Picture: AFL Photos





The Bailey/Stynes era begins

CEO Steve Harris is forced out of his role on the eve of the 2008 season, less than four years into the job, with Paul McNamee selected as the replacement CEO ahead of Stuart Fox, who went to Hawthorn instead. Paul Gardner resigns as president in June 2008 with the club struggling to deal with a huge amount of debt. Melbourne great Jim Stynes immediately takes over as president after Gardner resigns. McNamee is sacked as CEO in July, after only four months in the role and Cameron Schwab is appointed as his replacement. For all the off-field upheaval, Melbourne fared no better on the field in 2008 as it collected its first wooden spoon since 1997.

More on- and off-field turmoil

Schoolboy and No.1 draft pick Jack Watts makes his ill-fated debut against Collingwood on Queen's Birthday in 2009, despite not being physically ready to play at AFL level. In July, president Jim Stynes announces he has been diagnosed with cancer. Vice-president Don McLardy steps into the role while Stynes takes time away from the club. Melbourne wins the wooden spoon for the second-straight season, as questions are raised about some of Bailey's coaching moves during the round 19 loss to Richmond, sealed by Jordan McMahon's match-winning goal after the final siren. The Demons select Tom Scully with pick No.1 in the 2009 NAB AFL Draft, with Jack Trengove (No.2), Jordan Gysberts (No.11) and Luke Tapscott (No.18) among their other high draft selections.

The Demons' form improves in 2010 with eight wins and a draw, but not enough to seriously challenge for finals. Captain James McDonald retires after not being offered a contract at the end of 2010. The Demons spend two weeks in China as part of a post-season exhibition match played against Brisbane, costing the club plenty of money amid allegations of bad behaviour. Melbourne drafts forward Lucas Cook at pick No.10 and he never plays a senior AFL game.

Jack Watts was out of his depth in his Queen's Birthday debut against Collingwood. Picture: AFL Photos





Demons hit rock bottom

The fallout is significant following Melbourne's 186-point loss to Geelong in round 19, 2011, which was the second largest-loss in VFL/AFL history. Coach Dean Bailey is sacked just days later despite looking like he would be re-appointed, while CEO Cameron Schwab survives the axe and has his contract extended even as speculation bubbled away that he would be the one to lose his job.

After the improvement of 2010, the rebuild stalled in 2011. The Demons missed finals again, Brent Moloney relinquished the vice-captaincy after a drunken night out in April, promising young player Jack Grimes sustained a season-ending foot injury in May, Austin Wonaeamirri retired during the middle of the season and former No.1 draft selection Tom Scully decided to leave Melbourne to take up a lucrative six-year deal at expansion club Greater Western Sydney.

The scoreboard at the Cattery told a sorry tale in round 19, 2011. Picture: AFL Photos





The short-lived Neeld rebuild

Stand-in football director Garry Lyon, CEO Schwab and vice-president Don McLardy appoint the untried Mark Neeld as coach in September 2011. Jack Grimes and Jack Trengove are named co-captains, with Trengove the youngest player in League history to serve in the role. Liam Jurrah is charged with an alleged machete attack in the Northern Territory. He was later found not guilty of the charge in March. Club great Jim Stynes passes away after a long and public battle with cancer on March 20, 2012. A month later, Melbourne terminates its $2 million deal with major sponsor Energy Watch after the company's founder posts racist messages on Facebook.

In a TV interview on Fox Footy in July 2012, former Melbourne midfielder (and listed Carlton player) Brock McLean implies the Demons tanked for draft picks in 2009, prompting the AFL to re-open its investigation. Senior player Brad Green departs the club at the end of the season with suggestions he has been forced out the door, while former NAB AFL Rising Star winner and unrestricted free agent Jared Rivers leaves the Demons, signing a two-year deal with Geelong. Jurrah stunningly quits Melbourne and moves to South Australia. The Demons select South Australian Jimmy Toumpas with pick No.4 in the 2012 draft, with the midfielder going on to play 27 games for Melbourne in three seasons before being traded to to Port Adelaide at the end of the 2015 season.

'Not guilty' of tanking as another cleanout begins

Melbourne is found not guilty of tanking or throwing games in February 2013 as a result of the AFL investigation into the club's performance in 2009. However, then-football manager Chris Connolly, who was still at the club but in a different role outside the football department, is suspended from serving in any position at the club for a year. Bailey, who was an assistant coach at Adelaide, was suspended from his position for the first 16 weeks of the season. Melbourne was fined $500,000 as Connolly and Bailey's employer.

After Melbourne loses its first two games of 2013 by a combined 227 points, Schwab is sacked and paid out after having his contract extended for three years in August the previous year. Peter Jackson takes over as CEO in May 2013, while Glen Bartlett assumes the position as Melbourne president in August, replacing Don McLardy who resigned his post. Neeld is sacked in June after the club loses the first nine games of the season. Neil Craig takes over as caretaker coach, with the club going on to win just two games (against Greater Western Sydney and the Western Bulldogs) for the year, finishing with a percentage of just 54.1 per cent.

CEO Peter Jackson and outgoing coach Mark Neeld in June, 2013. Picture: AFL Photos





The AFL bailout and 'The Messiah' arrives

The club was in crisis after it reported a $3.1 million loss in 2013, as the AFL stepped in with a $1.45 million bailout package. Melbourne and Jackson identified the need to bring in an experienced coach and Sydney premiership coach Paul Roos - known to some Demons fans as 'The Messiah' - was duly appointed in September 2013. Roos signed a two-year deal (later extended to three) with in a deal worth close to $2 million, while Josh Mahoney is named as football operations manager. Long-time Demon Colin Sylvia leaves the club and joins Fremantle as a free agent. Melbourne trades pick No.2 (Josh Kelly) in the 2013 draft to Greater Western Sydney, in exchange for Dom Tyson and pick No.9 (Christian Salem). A swap of later picks sees pick No.53 (Jayden Hunt) also traded to the Demons.

The Roos revival

The 2014 season was a tough initiation for Roos, with the Demons winning four games (doubling their wins from 2013) but finishing in 17th position on the ladder. The start of the season was particularly tough, with the news in February that former coach Neale Daniher had been diagnosed with the incurable motor neurone disease.

Tragedy struck again in March when former coach Dean Bailey died of lung cancer. Highly paid recruit Mitch Clark retired in the pre-season after a series of foot injuries that he couldn't get right, only to make a comeback with Geelong a year later. Promising forward Jesse Hogan, taken in the GWS mini-draft in 2012, suffers a stress fracture in his back in March, forcing him to miss the entire season. Former skipper Jack Trengove sustains a season-ending navicular foot injury in April, which puts his career in doubt.

In a media conference after a late-season loss to Brisbane , Roos points to the "mental scars" the team has to overcome to change the negative culture at the club. Following speculation all season that he would leave, James Frawley departs to Hawthorn as a free agent. Simon Goodwin is signed to a five-year deal, with a succession plan for him to take over from Roos as senior coach at the end of 2016. At the end of the season, the Demons select Christian Petracca (No.2) and Angus Brayshaw (No.3) in the 2014 draft.

Nathan Jones, Paul Roos and Jack Grimes embrace after a win over Essendon. Picture: AFL Photos





Stepping stones in place

There are bumps along the way, but for the most part, Melbourne shows steady improvement with a six-win season in 2015. Roos again slams the "negative environment" and is widely criticised, while former No.1 pick Watts "drops himself" after poor form at senior level in May. The Demons trade for Jake Melksham (Essendon), Ben Kennedy (Collingwood) and Tomas Bugg (Greater Western Sydney), but lose Jeremy Howe to the Magpies. Melbourne drafts Clayton Oliver, considered a boom or bust pick, with selection No.4 in the 2015 draft. Craig Jennings is appointed in a newly created position as game analyst and education coordinator.

The transition from Roos to Goodwin

Melbourne's leadership group is overhauled ahead of the 2016 season, with only Nathan Jones (who remains as captain) keeping his position. As part of his increased responsibilities, Goodwin coaches during the pre-season competition. Melbourne and Richmond successfully pitch for the Anzac Day Eve clash, which is a financial success for the club. Roos' final season in charge yields 10 wins for 11th spot on the ladder – the club's best season since 2011. However, his final game as coach is a 111-point loss to Geelong, the largest of his coaching career.

The tough decisions are made in the off-season, with former captain Jack Grimes delisted by the club, while the Demons pull off a stunning trade move to land four-time premiership Hawk Jordan Lewis on a three-year deal. The Demons also trade for Essendon defender Michael Hibberd. Ruckman Max Gawn is rewarded for his breakout season, named in the All Australian team.

Simon Goodwin and Paul Roos in conversation at training in 2014. Picture: AFL Photos





Hooroo to the hoodoos

Simon Goodwin's first pre-season at the helm strikes controversy when Dom Tyson suffers a dislocated knee cap during an army-style SAS pre-season training camp and Christian Salem sustains a concussion after a brick falls on his head during an exercise. But the incident is put in the rear-view mirror as Melbourne breaks a 14-match losing streak against St Kilda in round one of the 2017 season.

Injury and illness hits hard throughout the season. Star ruckman Max Gawn rips a hamstring from the bone in round three and misses nine games, Jesse Hogan is diagnosed with testicular cancer in May, Tom Bugg is suspended for six games for an off-the-ball strike on Sydney's Callum Mills in round 15 and co-captain Jack Viney suffers a stress fracture in his foot and misses four of the last eight games.

The Demons fall excruciatingly short of playing finals for the first time since 2006, with a last-round loss to Collingwood and West Coast upsetting Adelaide causing the Demons to miss September action by just 0.5 per cent – the narrowest margin in VFL/AFL history. Former co-captain Jack Trengove is delisted by Melbourne but picked up as a free agent by Port Adelaide for the 2018 season. Former No.1 draft pick Jack Watts is traded to Port Adelaide for pick No.31 (Bayley Fritsch) in the draft.

There was unimaginable heartbreak for Demons players and fans in round 23, 2017. Picture: AFL Photos





Final-ly

Heavy criticism is levelled at Melbourne after players raise safety concerns about a pre-season boot camp planned for December. It was the same SAS army-style camp that saw Tyson and Salem injured the year before. Jack Viney and Tom McDonald are ruled out with foot injuries on the eve of the home and away season, sparking concerns about Melbourne's finals aspirations. In round one, Max Gawn misses a regulation shot in the final minute to hand victory to Geelong. The Demons finally break their 18-game losing streak to North Melbourne in round three, with Melbourne's six-game winning streak from round six to round 11 is its largest since 2006. A run of three consecutive losses from rounds 12 to 15 has pundits questioning the Demons' finals credentials. Melbourne gives up a 29-point fourth-quarter lead to Geelong in round 18, as Zach Tuohy kicks a set-shot goal after the siren to earn the Cats a two-point win.

The Demons blow a golden opportunity to secure their finals berth in a nine-point loss to Sydney in round 21. After fierce public scrutiny, Melbourne books its long-awaited return to September with a gutsy 17-point victory against West Coast in Perth. A week later, the Demons thump Greater Western Sydney at the MCG to earn a home final and roll into its first finals campaign for 12 years with plenty of momentum.