So, we all know that we'll have a huge tilt at the flag in 2013-2015.

What if we won the premiership around that time, in 4 years or so, and then the next year we crashed a la Hawks 2009, and missed the finals?

We can all say that we would be thrilled enough to win one flag- I know I would; and that it wouldn't matter about the next season.

But it would also be immensely disappointing, as I have heard from Hawks supporters this year.

Your thoughts.

So, we all know that we'll have a huge tilt at the flag in 2013-2015.

What if we won the premiership around that time, in 4 years or so, and then the next year we crashed a la Hawks 2009, and missed the finals?

We can all say that we would be thrilled enough to win one flag- I know I would; and that it wouldn't matter about the next season.

But it would also be immensely disappointing, as I have heard from Hawks supporters this year.

Your thoughts.

Bit Early to be talking premierships yet, We haven't even got our Draft picks yet!!

Hawk Supporters have won 10 Flags in the last 50 years, no sympathy. They can get stuffed.

So, we all know that we'll have a huge tilt at the flag in 2013-2015.

What if we won the premiership around that time, in 4 years or so, and then the next year we crashed a la Hawks 2009, and missed the finals?

We can all say that we would be thrilled enough to win one flag- I know I would; and that it wouldn't matter about the next season.

But it would also be immensely disappointing, as I have heard from Hawks supporters this year.

Your thoughts.

if we dont achieve success like no other team has done before us then i will be dissapointed. i want this melbourne group to remembered in history as the greatest team ever

Obviously we want sustained success, but if you offered me that one premiership as a certainty, I would take it in a heartbeat and not give a crap what happened after. The fact is that we are in a different situation to the Hawks fans, most of who had previously tasted the ultimate success in their lifetime (late 80's and early 90's). We haven't won a flag since 1964, meaning most of us on this site have never experienced a win on te last Saturday in September and would do anything to do so once before we die. Personally I still doubt it will ever happen in my lifetime, and years of disappointment have left me feeling that way. But I still live in hope. Go Dees.

I think it is fair to say that if we win a flag we will still be celebrating it well into the next couple of years to even know what is happenign on the field. By the time I'm sober again the team will already be on the rebound going for a second.

Edited August 14, 200916 yr by 1858

I want a flag and bloody soon any thing after that i have not even thought about.

I. JUST. WANT. A. FLAG!!!!!!!!

I would hope our window opens before 2013...

We should be in contention by 2011 at the latest.

I want a flag and bloody soon any thing after that i have not even thought about.

I. JUST. WANT. A. FLAG!!!!!!!!

Yep. Give me the flag and then I'll worry about the other stuff.

I would hope our window opens before 2013...

We should be in contention by 2011 at the latest.

Im with you there. IMO a prelim should be well within reach in 2011. Teams can go up very quickly

Give me that flag..... and i will die a happy man....

If my dad is able to see Melbourne win a grand final it would be the happiest moment in my life.

The other day I asked him if he cared that Melbourne was tanking.

He said "fcuk winning, I haven't seen a premiship since i was 14 years old" and proceeded to describe to me how my mother wouldn't see him for a week if Melbourne won.

If we win and its a massive if it will mean so much more to us than any other club.

If my dad is able to see Melbourne win a grand final it would be the happiest moment in my life.

The other day I asked him if he cared that Melbourne was tanking.

He said "fcuk winning, I haven't seen a premiship since i was 14 years old" and proceeded to describe to me how my mother wouldn't see him for a week if Melbourne won.

If we win and its a massive if it will mean so much more to us than any other club.

You Bet, My dad is in his 70's now & i want to see a flag(s) with him. We have gone through a lot of thermos coffee & cake watching the Demons in the Members!

We were both there in 2000 but hey it didn't happen-still had a great day, but....

At least 2 weeks off work when it happens!!!

At least 2 weeks off work when it happens!!!

i was thinking a month myself!!!!!

i was thinking a month myself!!!!!

Ha!!! I did say at least!!!!

So, we all know that we'll have a huge tilt at the flag in 2013-2015.

What if we won the premiership around that time, in 4 years or so, and then the next year we crashed a la Hawks 2009, and missed the finals?

We can all say that we would be thrilled enough to win one flag- I know I would; and that it wouldn't matter about the next season.

But it would also be immensely disappointing, as I have heard from Hawks supporters this year.

Your thoughts.

Disappointing maybe, but every hawks supporter would take that flag last year knowing they would strugggle next year. You need to take your chances when they come. My best mate is a hawks supporter and was overseas last year when they won. He sat on the phone to me for the entire second half and was just beside himself when they won.I just want to experince what he did and i would swap anything for it

A single premiership in my lifetime would be enough, anything on top of that would be a massive bonus.

As for Hawthorn, sure they are going to miss the finals this year but atleast they know they have a list capable of closing the deal. Their premiership window is still well and truly open, just not this year.

I want a flag.

Couldn't give a stuff after that.

For me, I absolutely hate it when Hawks fans start abusing their club because of their year this year. I mean, they've won so many flags in the past 3 decades. But then again, I guess after you've had so much recent success, you just can't except mediocrity. The current generation of Melbourne fans are sort of used to it, and I think that if we won a flag, and then crashed the following year to 10th or 11th, I seriously wouldn't care. I'd probably think, "well, we won last year."

I just need to see us win something.

As for Hawthorn, sure they are going to miss the finals this year but atleast they know they have a list capable of closing the deal. Their premiership window is still well and truly open, just not this year.

Do you think?

I still think that they pulled off a heist last year, got to finals on the strength of their "rolling zone" game plan which only a few clubs had worked out how to combat during the season, then to the GF because they happened to play teams in the finals that hadn't worked it out, then beat a superior team who had worked it out but who got major stage fright. Now most other teams have worked out how to beat their one and only game plan, they've been shown up as a one-trick pony.

I think they've got a quickie premiership by ambush, but their list is always going to struggle against capable teams with good footskills. But it DOES show: (1) the value of a novel game plan; (2) that come finals time, anything can happen; and (3) god it would be great to get a premiership any old how, by ambush, grand larceny, high treason or whatever.

Clarko did a brilliant job of pinching a premiership. But I have real doubts as to whether they'll be able to sustain their 2008 performance in any year, with the midfield they've got, which will smash lower teams but always struggle against top teams. If we want to dominate for a few years either side of 2013, I think the St Kilda model of long slow build (i.e. exactly what we're doing) is the way to go.

Edited August 15, 200916 yr by Akum

I would hope that next year we win 7-10 games. That means we should be making finals in 2011, which means the premiership window should be open from 2012.

Let's not get greedy. A premiership is hard to come by, as we all know. One will do me fine.

There's plenty of teams that have had high draft picks and not done even made a grand final.

I'd be happy with a premiership in the window of 2011-15, it doesn't matter what else happens if we can win one.

We have a huge volume of talented 18-23 year olds, plus this year's intake.

We have relatively few older players who are critical to the team, and I mean even in the 25ish range. We will only occassionally be losing 'core' or 'irreplacable' players of the next fve or even seven years. After that we'll see a wave of retirements from our current 'demographic bulge'.

Remember that the compromised drafts of 2010-20?? will mean that other clubs won't be able to rebuild through the draft the way we have, and all clubs will be keen to collect tthe Brent Prismall types, decent looking players who aren't getting a chance at a power club. It also means that the 'penalty' of later draft order for top ranked teams is less significant. Meanwhile, we'll have the swell of talent that gives us the luxury of focusing on improving our picks, ie, late 1st round plus fringe player for slightly earlier first rounder. Throw in a few highly anticipated Father Son Selections (fingers crossed) and we're flying.

Think about that age group we have so much faith in - seven years from now Cale Morton will be 26. He'll barely be peaking! Might not even have a Browlow by then.

If these kids are as good as we feel they might be, good enough to win one premiership, then the fact is we're looking at a period of sustained success like no other since... ourselves. The stars are aligning for us, all we have to do is crush West Sydney and the Gold Coast.

So, we all know that we'll have a huge tilt at the flag in 2013-2015.

What if we won the premiership around that time, in 4 years or so, and then the next year we crashed a la Hawks 2009, and missed the finals?

We can all say that we would be thrilled enough to win one flag- I know I would; and that it wouldn't matter about the next season.

But it would also be immensely disappointing, as I have heard from Hawks supporters this year.

Your thoughts.

If we won the premiership and had a year like Hawthorn is this year - the following year with injuries and the like I wouldn't be too concerned. Mainly because I would have just seen a Premiership!

Obviously we want sustained success, but if you offered me that one premiership as a certainty, I would take it in a heartbeat

Given the odds of winning a premiership are decreasing with every new side introduced to the AFL (it's currently 1/16, will be 1/18 soon) and the fact we haven't won a flag since '64, I absolutely agree.

We were both there in 2000 but hey it didn't happen-still had a great day, but....

I'm glad you had a great day. Unfortunately the only positive I can remember from the 2000 grand final - and it's a very, very small one - is when a few bays of Essendon supporters to the left went wild when they thought Lloyd had kicked yet another goal. He'd only kicked a point and a couple of Demons supporters jeered.

As for Hawthorn, sure they are going to miss the finals this year but atleast they know they have a list capable of closing the deal. Their premiership window is still well and truly open, just not this year.

I definitely think that flag was a bonus. They should have a better list in a couple of years.

I would hope our window opens before 2013...

We should be in contention by 2011 at the latest.

2011 at the latest? You've gotta be kidding me. That impies we should be contending before 2011, ergo 2010 - next year.

There's no way we'll be a flag contender next year. We're going to lose another few senior players who, although past their best, are probably more productive/reliable. With a young list and inexperienced players forced to take on leading roles we're going to be somewhat inconsistent.

I also don't think we'll be a legit contender the following year either. The talent will be coming through, sure, but a bunch of players who will form the core of our next decent side will still be learning the game at senior level.

2011 at the latest? You've gotta be kidding me. That impies we should be contending before 2011, ergo 2010 - next year.

2011 is a bit early but things turn around fast.

Hawks and Blues couldn't see themselves out of the hole for 4-5 years in 2004-5 and 06-07 for the Blues but the wheel turns quick.

2010 will see a much improved team with core players playing more games together and combinations and trust build.

2011 will push for finals.

2012 Smash that window.