THE ONLY way is up for the Demons, who will be hoping their handful of veteran stars can combine with their talented youngsters to move the club out of the AFL cellar....

PRE SEASON REPORT

I wonder if Brock is on track for round one? Doesn't really sound like it, but i guess we are a fair while away.

McLean, Rivers, Robbo and PJ on the injury list isn't great.

At least he doesn't mention Moloney or Sylvia.

@ how thin wonna looks and @ how big Davey's arms are.

Davey's arms have always looked big imo.

Wonna did look very fit, looks 5+ kilos lighter.

Great to see Davey having a good pre season. He along with Sylvia must have a good season if we are any chance of surprising a few teams next year.

I wonder if Brock is on track for round one? Doesn't really sound like it, but i guess we are a fair while away.

He was always going to resume full training at the start of Jan. This gives him 2 full months of preparation before hopefully playing in the final 2 practice matches. I'm optimistic he'll be there for round 1.

He was always going to resume full training at the start of Jan. This gives him 2 full months of preparation before hopefully playing in the final 2 practice matches. I'm optimistic he'll be there for round 1.

Don't you mean hopefully play the last 2 nab cub games??

Don't you mean hopefully play the last 2 nab cub games??

LOL! I like your optimism. Just have to get over the Hawks.

In all honesty I go into every game expecting to lose after 2 years from hell.

LOL! I like your optimism. Just have to get over the Hawks.

In all honesty I go into every game expecting to lose after 2 years from hell.

2 things that I have in my optimistic mind at the moment.

1/ The gap b/w the top and the bottom is as close as it has ever been - therefore a little confidence, bonding, momentum can be the difference refer WB last couple of years.

2/ We have been decimated by injuries to key players for 3-4 years. If we are lucky enough/manage injuries well who knows. All top sides for the last 10yrs have had wonderful runs with injury. The filth is a perfect example, top of the ladder one year, bottom the next.

therefore am I wrong to be feeling a little optimistic about the NAB cub?

That belting Geelong handed out disagrees with point 1

That belting Geelong handed out disagrees with point 1

A more solid preseason with less injuries in the lead up may have given a far different outcome. we may not have beaten them but the result would have been less likely. We gave them a real run for their money only a few weeks later at their home. What was different that day?

We had not won a game preseason, we had issues off the field before that, a massive injury list around the new year, new game plan, leadership issues with the snr players (green/mclean) etc etc. I think this supports pt1. Currently all of these issues have been crossed off and there seems to be a real belief and momentum building (fingers crossed) and hopefully that can turn into confidence in NAB cup and carried into rd 1.

A more solid preseason with less injuries in the lead up may have given a far different outcome. we may not have beaten them but the result would have been less likely. We gave them a real run for their money only a few weeks later at their home. What was different that day?

We had not won a game preseason, we had issues off the field before that, a massive injury list around the new year, new game plan, leadership issues with the snr players (green/mclean) etc etc. I think this supports pt1. Currently all of these issues have been crossed off and there seems to be a real belief and momentum building (fingers crossed) and hopefully that can turn into confidence in NAB cup and carried into rd 1.

I think he means the belting later in the year on a Friday night.

I think he means the belting later in the year on a Friday night.

Yeah, depleted side playing with no confidence or "momentum" this was always going to happen. My point is this can be traced to late 07. Plus the conditions that night did not help a side with no confidence.

if one was to substitute this years oct-jan in last years development the nab cub/challenge games + early season games may well have been a different outcome. I'm not suggesting we would have turned 100pt thrashings into wins but the "competitiveness" that DB kept talking about last year would have been much more apparent.

Hence at this stage I believe we have every right to feel optimistic about the 1st 1/4 of next year. Who knows a couple of confidence building wins preseason in what ever format it is in may well build the momentum and translate into some real suprises early in the season proper. Young players will continue to develop and hopefully a couple of real exciting 1st year players to come through as well. It's 09 tomorrow and time to really start looking forward........

Here a quick check list of where I see us ATM to expand on my last points.

Current

1/ Oct - Off Field - Progressing well (el president, coach, operations etc) - minus sponsor though.. plus membership up!

2/ Nov - List Management - Excellent group and mix of talent

3/ Dec - Team bonding - Excellent, by all reports

4/ Dec - Fitness base - excellent by reports

5/ Jan - Injuries - OK only a sml part of the main group and all are on track by reports

6/ Jan - Confidence/Game plan - Looks to be growing at this stage

7/ Feb - Confidence/Momentum - Turn confidence in each other on the track into wins preseason + carry "momentum" into rd 1

8/ Mar - Beat nth rd 1 in a "big" upset!

Compair this with where we were this time last year

1/ Oct - Off Field - New coach, unsettled start with much upheaval

2/ Nov - List Management - aging group with many retirements/delistings, ground floor rebuild

3/ Dec - Team bonding - off field issues, leadership group unstable (dec-feb)

4/ Dec - Fitness base - avg refer point 5

5/ Jan 08- Injuries - many players in rehab well behind in preseason

6/ Jan 08- Confidence/Game plan - new game plan, coaching style etc

7/ Feb 08- Confidence/Momentum - no wins preseason, not much to get excited about as a group refer point 5+6

8/ Mar 08- Smashed in rd 1 = no confidence/momentum. this continued for weeks adding to this extra injuries to "key players"

So a very simple equation can be drawn from this.

new coach + off field issues + Injuries + no wins preseason = no Confidence+no Momentum

Whereas now...

Core group + better list + reduced injuries + Confidence = likely preseason wins = confidence/momentum into rd 1

In all honesty we were a rabble this time last year, a lot to do with bad luck as much as anything but again theres a lot to like with exactly where we are at as a whole ATM