If the AFL's opening round is any guide, speed will kill in 2026.
Max Gawn says it's lucky Steven King likes fast footy, because the new Melbourne coach never really had a choice.
"You can't really move it slow when you've got two Picketts in the team," Gawn told AAP.
"Even if Kingy wanted a slow game plan, I think with (Caleb) Windsor, (Kozzy) Pickett, (Latrelle) Pickett, Harvey Langford … it's not really going to move slow."
The game has changed since 2021, when Melbourne won the premiership as the AFL's contested ball kings, led by midfield bulls Clayton Oliver, Christian Petracca and Jack Viney.
But after losing four straight finals across 2022 and 2023, it was clear inside grunt wasn't enough.
To address a lack of pace and midfield class, Melbourne drafted speedster Windsor, silky left-footer Xavier Lindsay and clearance specialist Langford with first-round picks.
Electric forward Latrelle Pickett is the latest addition, with his chemistry with star cousin Kozzy Pickett a pre-season highlight.
Gawn believes these young Demons can help the club back up the ladder, after Oliver and Petracca were traded in October.
"I think the game going forward is going to be about speed and transition, and you can see the AFL made all these rules to make sure the ball's in play more and it's going quicker," Gawn said.
"The fact that we're not getting left behind with that, and we're schooling ourselves up on how to move the ball quickly, I think will help us."
Gawn's 17th pre-season has been one of change, with King bringing a new perspective, along with a new game-plan.
"He's definitely challenged me in the way I've thought the game should be played, and the way I think clubs should be run," Gawn said.
In return, Gawn has challenged King.
"Although I'm always going to take Kingy's side - he's the coach - we've had some fun conversations.
"There are always going to be slight teething problems, working out if I induct Kingy to the Melbourne way or does he induct me to the Kingy way."
The pair speak most days, but Gawn says their relationship is yet to be road-tested, with Melbourne's round-one clash against St Kilda their first real challenge.
"We haven't really had any adversity yet, to be fair.
"It's all sort of been happy and smiles for three or four months - but at some point we're going to be down, at some point a team's going to kick three or four goals on us.
"It's weird to say this, but I'm keen to get some adversity and see how we go."
