Yes I know it has been a season of pain. We are all sick of not being able to tuck into the Sunday roast with any gusto after watching the Dees turn the ball over for the previous 2 hours in their weekly televised smashing.

But, just keep in mind how quickly it can turn.

Looking back through results I found this one. Friday 19th May 2006. I remember watching an absolute rabble by the name of Hawthorn get smashed across the park by a ruthless Dees outfit.

Even though we may have a few more smashings on the way I am looking forward to seeing this group develop into what I hope is the fulfilment of a dream in seeing with my own eyes the Dees win a flag.

How much do we need to get an a Hawthorn tragectory? This could be a goood start

• 3 top 20 picks at a minimum coming up (I hope we can trade for 4)
• a out of contract starting 18 player via PSD
• the debut of the rest of the class of 2007. Morton, Maric look good. Grimes, T Mac & Cheeney sound promising.
• The continued improvement of our under 23's
• Bailey continuing his player development focus and evolving as a match day fox.
• Our young defense becoming a miserly multi dimensional wall with the addition of Frawley & Rivers.

The darkest hour is before dawn. We have an exciting 3 years coming up make no mistake. Hopefully the 2008 Dees can become the 2010 Hawks.

Go Dees!

Hopefully the 2008 Dees can become the 2010 Hawks.

Oh no, not the merger, I was hoping to go it alone!

Yes i thought of that game last Friday night as i watched the Hawks have a crack, the have improved but still won't go close in september. They "choked" twice in the last Q. They should have won.

[*]3 top 20 picks at a minimum coming up (I hope we can trade for 4)

Go Dees!

I hope we can get 4 out of the top 20 picks as well. The top 20 look pretty good.

I hope we can get 4 out of the top 20 picks as well. The top 20 look pretty good.

This is being done to death, but, I don't know how this could possibly happen. Sylvia is about the only expendable bloke on the list worth trading and even he would only be worth about 25. Remeber everyone else also knows that not only is this a great early draft but future restrictions increases their value. Couldn't possibly pinch anyone's first rounder IMO

I was at that game and remember how bad the Dawks were. What stood out more than anything was how badly they turned the ball over and kicked to 1 on 2 and 1 on 3 contests, just as we are doing right now. They had a team of relative no names. How quickly it can turn around. I see some amazing similarities in our team and for the first time I can remember I think we are going to have one of the best backlines in the comp within 2 to 3 years. For so long its been the backs that have let us down but right now they are the reason we are not copping 100 point floggings. Our midfield has been woeful with the way the ball has been coming out of the middle. Forwardline has been pathetic apart from Miller, Wonna and M Bate in patches. The backline has stood up very well under enormous pressure for the past 7 or 8 weeks. I expect another average year next year, maybe 7 wins, but we will see some very good signs appear by the last 4 or 5 rounds next year. Believe it!

As much as it's exciting that we've got lots of promising youngsters and some good picks in what shapes to be a strong draft, to be truly succesful we must also cultivate a 'strong' culture. Obviously, this is very difficult to quantify and even more difficult to achieve but all premiership teams have it. Amongst other things, it requires placing the team above the individual, maximising potential, expecting success, togetherness and unyielding self-belief. This list doesn't pretend to be exhaustive.

Although it is only early, and I am only a another fan who is passing opinion from the outside, this group, led by these coaches appears to be in the seminal stages of creating such a culture. The way Bails, after an honourable loss at the cattery said, 'we still lost by 5 goals', the way the likes of Dunn and Garland have the confidence to play on and beat some of the premier players in the comp, the way Nathan Jones always talks in 'we's' and 'us's' rather than 'I's'. These, in isolation, obviously mean absolutely nothing. And maybe I'm constructing something I want to see rather than something that is actually there. But, to me, these are indicators of a wider shift in culture which has only just begun. To win the flag you need the right culture and the talent. Having one or the other is not enough. I reckon we are making small steps on both fronts.

I'll tell you what, I'd love to beat the scum on Saturday.

The darkest hour is before dawn.

I believe in Harvey Dent.

This current group will take time though. The next few drafts after 2008 will be pillaged by the new expansion teams, and we won't be afforded the same blind charity offered to Hawthorn when they offloaded the likes of Hay, Rawlings, Croad and Thompson for top price.

Maybe we could trade Sylvia, Bell and a pick in the 30s for a top 20.

But as stated previously with the depth of class reported in the upcoming draft and the impacts the Gold Coast team are going to have after this year its hard to see any clubs being prepared to part with any picks let alone a top 20

Age Sport section today predicts the Hawks will make a profit of $4M if they make the grand final this year, with the new pokies deal they've signed getting them around and extra $1M profit a year. We are over $5 in debt, and have one more draft to improve our list before the draft is gutted by the new teams for the next three years. We do, however, have a cool calm collected development coach ala Clarkson. And we still fail to find a home beyond the Junction Oval.

This is being done to death, but, I don't know how this could possibly happen. Sylvia is about the only expendable bloke on the list worth trading and even he would only be worth about 25. Remeber everyone else also knows that not only is this a great early draft but future restrictions increases their value. Couldn't possibly pinch anyone's first rounder IMO

Yes, its definitely a long shot it seems, what pick would you rate Davey at just out of interest?

That Hawthorn side that night probably had Hodge and Franklin in it, albeit 2 years less experienced than they are right now. Who out of our current side can we seriously see being an A-grade onballer and forward respectively?

Yes, its definitely a long shot it seems, what pick would you rate Davey at just out of interest?

Aaron Davey would fetch very close to a first round pick IMO.

The ability to break the lines is something that Melbourne is lacking so keeping, and drafting more players of this ilk is imperative.

That Hawthorn side that night probably had Hodge and Franklin in it, albeit 2 years less experienced than they are right now. Who out of our current side can we seriously see being an A-grade onballer and forward respectively?

Fair point, butt Watts might be, and I'm sure we're lining up to take a mid in the draft. So as stated by another, things can turn around very quickly. Also I'm confident our back 6 will outdevelop Hawthorn's over the next 3- 4 years.

Aaron Davey would fetch very close to a first round pick IMO.

The ability to break the lines is something that Melbourne is lacking so keeping, and drafting more players of this ilk is imperative.

And if we could secure a early first round draft pick for him that breaks lines and highly skilled would it be worthwhile in 5 years time?