Some may take the opening title as a slur. I mean nothing of the kind.

We have as a club..as followers been throught the mire and in the doldrums for many a season now. We have seen false dawns..and many promised ressurections come to nought..or too little too late.

There is SO much to be positive about. Yes very little on the scoreboard but all the blocks are being put into place.

Is it possible that now the players and the playing group (this includes coaches), now that they see the future of the club becoming more cemented ,that they have an assurance that efforts will be rewarded etc...that there is real hope ? So much of life is between the ears.. I think the change at board room and the recent efforts to assure a future wil lhave positive flow ons to the group.

Am I alone in this ?

There is really a new feeling about this club isnt there

Agreed i think we can build something here and as big kev would say i am so exited.

From what I have seen of Melbourne in the pre-season and with all of the developments off-field (sponsorships, Casey and potentially the MCC) I think all supporters have every right to be optimistic.

I would be very surprised if Melbourne finish last again this year.

There's belief in this corner - I frankly think anyone who is still clinging to hopes of a priority pick needs a good reality check.

The challenge is going to be to hold onto that through the first 12 rounds - all finalists except for Richmond, and Port at Aami and West Coast at Subiaco.

If we've got four wins by halfway through the season, mark us in for finals!

I have belief that we'll do a LOT better than all the critics say, we've been completely written off by the general public so we are guaranteed to surprise a lot of people. I still see us in the 9-12 bracket though.

Regardless of what's happened over the last month it doesn't change the facts about our playing list, the main issues being a lack of tough mature leaders, depth and stars in the midfield, and a poor forward.

Green has taken leaps and bounds over the last two seasons, he definitely stands out game in and game out, putting his body on the line. But sadly he's a minority with our older guys.

Our midfield has potential, sure, but it's brittle. McLean, Moloney, Grimes, Davey and Sylvia have great potential but I'm more and more concerned that we'll never see them all firing together due to injuries.

Our problems with our forward should be well known, our best chance is on the wrong side of 30 and is recovering from a serious injury. This will most likely be his last year, if we get 40 goals out of Robbo I'll be pleasantly surprised.

Our next best forward is Brad Miller who has kicked 60 goals, in his entire career, his season high being 26. At the age of 26 I just can't see him completely turning his career around and producing a miracle.

Bate and Newton may have the occasional day out but they both have chinks in their armour to have doubts over their ability to consistently kick big bags.

It will pretty much be left to the smaller guys to do the damage, ie Wona, Davey, Maric etc.

I don't think we should set our expectations too high this year, we need another year of pain before climbing the ladder again.

In terms of immediate future i don't expect much from us this year, the fact that some of the players are coming out and actually saying that results and ladder position aren't a focus this year leads me to believe that they can see the areas in which we'll struggle (highlighted by Jarka). The hole left by Neitz was all too obvious last year and i just can't see who's going to help us to kick a winning score.

Sylvia is probably the most likely here, he consistent(ish) last year with kicking 1-2 goals but his kicking in front of goal isn't up to it and he doesn't create as many opportunities as Buddy to make this alright.

Newton is, well, nothing atm. After late 2007 we all expected him to flourish, and it hasn't happened, the club gave him a two year extension on his contract so maybe they see something we don't.

Bate has been earmarked as a target this year, but goes missing. That said, i think this could be a break out year for him and it could come from being a focal point.

We all know what Robbo can do, but he's had a horrible injury and will take time to get back to physical and match fitness.

Miller was good last year, but i still think his best position is CHF, still needs to kick more goals.

The small forwards are where we have some gems; I foresee Davey being more of a midfielder who kicks goals, but it's the likes of Wona, Maric, and Jetta that i'm looking forward to seeing. Will be very interested to see how Aussie goes this year after bursting onto the scene in '08.

I didn't mean to make this a negative post, but it sort of came out that way. It answer to your question, yes i think we can get excited and optimistic, but we have to remain vigilant because we are still the most vulnerable club in the AFL and we must give Vlad every reason NOT to make us fold. My prediction of wins is between 4-7 for the year (to win 5 would be a disaster!).

i just can't see who's going to help us to kick a winning score.

Kicking a winning score is as much about how than who. And that's my concern. Geelong and the Bulldogs don't have star-studded forward lines, yet don't have problems with kicking winning scores. Nothing that's happened in the trial games suggests that we've remedied this problem from last season.

Your prediction of 4-7 wins is on the money.

Yep forwards are what's going to kill us, 4-7 wins will be acceptable, it's more the development and the hunger at the ball which I will be looking for.

In terms of immediate future i don't expect much from us this year, the fact that some of the players are coming out and actually saying that results and ladder position aren't a focus this year leads me to believe that they can see the areas in which we'll struggle (highlighted by Jarka). The hole left by Neitz was all too obvious last year and i just can't see who's going to help us to kick a winning score.

Sylvia is probably the most likely here, he consistent(ish) last year with kicking 1-2 goals but his kicking in front of goal isn't up to it and he doesn't create as many opportunities as Buddy to make this alright.

Newton is, well, nothing atm. After late 2007 we all expected him to flourish, and it hasn't happened, the club gave him a two year extension on his contract so maybe they see something we don't.

Bate has been earmarked as a target this year, but goes missing. That said, i think this could be a break out year for him and it could come from being a focal point.

We all know what Robbo can do, but he's had a horrible injury and will take time to get back to physical and match fitness.

Miller was good last year, but i still think his best position is CHF, still needs to kick more goals.

The small forwards are where we have some gems; I foresee Davey being more of a midfielder who kicks goals, but it's the likes of Wona, Maric, and Jetta that i'm looking forward to seeing. Will be very interested to see how Aussie goes this year after bursting onto the scene in '08.

I didn't mean to make this a negative post, but it sort of came out that way. It answer to your question, yes i think we can get excited and optimistic, but we have to remain vigilant because we are still the most vulnerable club in the AFL and we must give Vlad every reason NOT to make us fold. My prediction of wins is between 4-7 for the year (to win 5 would be a disaster!).

It certainly not a negative post mate, but a realistic one.

I am excited as anyone about this season, but you have to take a serious look at the side and say not yet...but soon.

We still have the 2nd youngest side in the comp ( hanks too Essendon for taking that role ). Our forward line, wont really change that much from last year, and thats where the goals come from. We dont have anyone that can kick a bag, or even really consistently kick 4-5 a game.

The only thing we can really do this year, is just throw our selfs into each contest, and try and win some respect back.

Having said that, I dont think we will be getting priority picks this year.

It's definitely not about being negative, rather realistic as others have already mentioned. We just need to keep reminding ourselves that this is another year of transition where we give guys like Frawley, Dunn, Newton etc a chance to prove themselves.

We will still have our bad losses, and that's when our resolve will be tested.

We will still have our bad losses, and that's when our resolve will be tested.

I agree. I think there'll be less of them though, even if we don't see too many more wins.

We are the worst team in the comp, and I say that as someone with a great deal of optimism about the near term future of the club.

3-6 wins is realistic, and I hope only 2 or 3 blowouts.

If we do better than that I will have underestimated the value of McLean, Rivers, and Moloney.

We are just so young, and our forward line so impotent.

If we lose badly against North I believe we will just get to 3 wins for the year.

If we gallantly lose it could be touch and go with regard to our priority pick as we have home games against ADE, PORT, WCE, and Freo. We lose it with 5 wins (or 4 wins and a draw).

If we manage a scrappy win over North, I believe we can say goodbye to that extra pick and look at 5 - 8 wins.

And if we send a message and destroy them on Sunday... Look out!

Right now I think the percentage is on the second scenario. But, sh!t, I'd love to see the 4th scenario.

If we lose badly against North I believe we will just get to 3 wins for the year.

If we gallantly lose it could be touch and go with regard to our priority pick as we have home games against ADE, PORT, WCE, and Freo. We lose it with 5 wins (or 4 wins and a draw).

If we manage a scrappy win over North, I believe we can say goodbye to that extra pick and look at 5 - 8 wins.

And if we send a message and destroy them on Sunday... Look out!

Right now I think the percentage is on the second scenario. But, sh!t, I'd love to see the 4th scenario.

Your 2nd and 3rd scenario seem more than likely to me than scenario's 1 and 4. I'd also love to see the 4th scenario.