For the past 2 seasons I have turned up with no expectations on the team and sat back and watched the team play. Shockingly if we won I would think we can only afford to win 1 or 2 more to get the priority pick. But this season I exepected more improvement and we have it.

I have loved the last 3 weeks. Our crowds are up, supporters are on there feet cheering our players and we are winning. I have loved watching our backline, love how Trengove and Scully have slotted right in, loved when Scully kicked that goal last night everyone ran to him, , have enjoyed watching Jamar turn into an awesome ruckman, loved seeing Bate and Pettard improve, loved seeing Jim there and congratulating every player as they come off the ground and lastly its great to see Dean Bailey get rewarded for his coaching efforts.

Lets just keep on winning.

Not as good as growing up in the 50,s i can assure you

Not as good as growing up in the 50,s i can assure you

it will be, and on a national stage

Yeah I agree with you OP. The last four weeks have been like heaven after what we've been through. So pumped for Nth.

Not as good as growing up in the 50,s i can assure you

AGREE TOTALLY- But Saturday was special for current times.This developing team seems to be going to do the 50's proud.

Yeah unfortunately some of us were not lucky enough too see such a team in the 50's and early 60's. I have barracked for melbourne since the early 80's when i was a little tacka, obviously my passion has grown over the years now i am 30 and have never been so excited about watching the dee's play and grow (together). I have always been proud too be a dee but we have seen some pretty dark days like the Merger wonder what Ian Ridley thinks about the dee's now? Anyway I love this club we have great supporters and the ones that stuck by through thick and thin are now enjoying what we are about too become. I even hope some of those bandwagon barackers buy there memberships now!

Not as good as growing up in the 50,s i can assure you

Agree Swampy, bit it could get there ...... and if it does it will be even better because of the pain and deprivation we have endured since 1964.

Beats the hell out of going to the football and hoping for a loss.

I just can't believe how we have transformed our game plan. Jamar is on fire, Scully, Trengove and McKenzie are all legends and we are moving the ball better than any other team in the competition, and we are getting an even spread of goal kickers. Things are going to be very good

wonder what Ian Ridley thinks about the dee's now?

I'm guessing not a great deal considering he passed away in 2008. Pretty cheap shot.

I just can't believe how we have transformed our game plan.

There was one key change from Round 1 that has helped us no doubt.

We almost always now have someone forward of centre, and more often than not we leave 2 to 3 players well forward of the ball.

Last year, and in Round 1, we didn't have this. We continually allowed our forwards to come up the ground. Now we leave ourselves with at least 2 or 3 options to go by foot, and it makes a hell of a difference.

The rest of it is the same as it always was. Based largely upon running.

Edit: Have a look at Essendon. They look just as bad as we did last year because they largely refuse to leave themselves a get-out option up the ground, and when they do they don't kick it to him/them. They try too hard to handpass and retain possession along half back.

Beats the hell out of going to the football and hoping for a loss.

Yeah Ill second that one !!

Will be a rollercoaster year where the boys are up and down. What is exciting is that a there will be some up times. The last few seasons have been so dark for the club and its fans.

Sadly I was 30 years to late for the 50s, I too am a child of the 80s. I was lucky enough to get to speak 1 on 1 with Stuart Spencer, and from his tales I could start to piece together just how special the decade was for the MFC.

What I enjoy most, is having opposition supporters coming to me asking me about the Dees for their footy tips. "You think they are a chance" they say. For the first time in a number of years, I can honestly say "mate, tip em if you want 8 this week!"

Yeah Ill second that one !!

I'll third it. I am missing the calls for Bailey's sacking though.

Record membership here we come. Return to prominence for the MFC here we come.

I'll third it. I am missing the calls for Bailey's sacking though.

Just wait for the club to lose a few games in a row and the threads will start to appear.

Not as good as growing up in the 50,s i can assure you

Not yet anyway. :D

Naah, I think the days of THAT kind of dominance are gone. The draft is on one hand the catalyst for our resurrection, and also the reason any success is rarely going to be long-lived.

For the current generation... and anyone younger than about 45-50, there are elements of the Brissy game that are completely new sights for demons fans. I think that's what I'm the MOST excited about. I never saw Robbie Flower play, so I think the midfielders we have are probably the best I've ever seen in their positions. The hardness has been a rarity. The few times I've seen us be dominant in games have had a lot to do with Neitz, and superb kicking skills from guys like Ooze, Green, Bruce etc etc.

I've also never seen opposition supporters get excited about us before.

Small things, but they hint at a great shift at the club.

The last two seasons I've asked myself "why do I put myself through this torture every week?". I tried to convince myself we had to suffer pain to see some gain. At last it seems to be happening. It's been fantastic looking forward to going to the footy, then watching our boys in action. Long may it continue!

It's great to see the improvement in the players, and have them rewarded for the effort they have put in........there would have been some dark days over the last few years where they probably wondered what they had got themselves into!

I also love the fact that the club had a plan and a vision, and is sticking to it.

The future is bright on the back of good management across all areas of the club as much as anything.

There are still considerable off field hurdles to jump over, but we are on the right track.

The best analogy I can come up with for the club at the moment is that it's like a dorment volcano that is steaming and starting to rumble that is about to explode!

The club has sold us hope, and I've bought a truckload of it!!!!!!!!!!!

GO DEES!!!!!!!

There was one key change from Round 1 that has helped us no doubt.

We almost always now have someone forward of centre, and more often than not we leave 2 to 3 players well forward of the ball.

Last year, and in Round 1, we didn't have this. We continually allowed our forwards to come up the ground. Now we leave ourselves with at least 2 or 3 options to go by foot, and it makes a hell of a difference.

The rest of it is the same as it always was. Based largely upon running.

I don't think anything changed other than execution, we're doing it properly and not getting sucked quite as far up the ground.

When we won the ball in the backline players streamed forward and tried to get behind their defenders. The lead seemed to be heading towards goal nearly as often as it was coming out from goal on Saturday night. And with players like Sylvia, Bate and Green bringing the ball in they can have shots at an open goal from 70m out, a few of them narrowly missed against the lions.

I don't think anything changed other than execution, we're doing it properly and not getting sucked quite as far up the ground.

When we won the ball in the backline players streamed forward and tried to get behind their defenders. The lead seemed to be heading towards goal nearly as often as it was coming out from goal on Saturday night. And with players like Sylvia, Bate and Green bringing the ball in they can have shots at an open goal from 70m out, a few of them narrowly missed against the lions.

That's what I meant. Whether it's that our players are better adapted to the plan, or the coaches have made a change, it's still a change. We see our forwards coming less often up the ground.

Bate also makes a difference. He plays that 'traditional' CHF role, leading up at the ball carrier, providing an option in most plays.

The club has sold us hope, and I've bought a truckload of it!!!!!!!!!!!

GO DEES!!!!!!!

I find myself on the point of tipping us to win this week.

a paradigm shift.

I am yet another child of the 80s and I agree regarding the current level of excitement. The anticipation of acheivement surrounding the current group is the highest I can remember.

1994 & 2000 were exciting years but the improved performance was not as a result of significant long term planning and hard work such as what has been in play since 2007.