Call me a cynic and I will call you naive. Call me bitter and I will call you shamelessly optimistic. I’m proud to say that the bitterness that previously pervaded my every sentence has subsided somewhat, wholly because of Melbourne’s 2010 performance. Predictions of wild success have been made by all competent football analysts, and friends and acquaintances must surely shudder at the thought of how self-loathing and morbidity will manifest once the Demons become the best team in the country.

- Call me a cynic and I will call you naive

A bit too much of an unstructured ramble for my liking, and that bloody betting ad made it hard to read.

From that I agree with this at least:

'sometimes its nicer to be in a period of rapid improvement than having the weight of expectation that comes with being a legitimate contender'

It's what made this season so enjoyable. Now, bring on the expectation.

The link is down ATM so I haven't seen it .

I will say this . Got along way to go before my glass is over half full as I've seen a couple of false dawns that keep me praying that we've got it right this time . As you know its 1 thing to have the blocks in place but we also need a healthy dose of luck when the premiership window truly opens .We'll need our current crop of youngsters to develop to their potential , we'll need 'em to stay injury free , we'll need more inspired drafting and we need to be able to keep them together . I've got the butterflys going as the next 10 years will make us or break us as a club IMO .

From that I agree with this at least:

'sometimes its nicer to be in a period of rapid improvement than having the weight of expectation that comes with being a legitimate contender'

It's what made this season so enjoyable. Now, bring on the expectation.

We don't have the List, Yet,,, to be a legitimate contender. We still have holes to fill,,, & the unforeseen yet to come our way.

There's more to do as we build.

We don't have the List, Yet,,, to be a legitimate contender. We still have holes to fill,,, & the unforeseen yet to come our way.

There's more to do as we build.

That's true. But in my 50+ years of following the Red & the Blue, this is first time I have really felt, there is a plan.

This year was enough to tell me, it is the right plan.

As we all have been told over the past couple of weeks, we're only at "base camp" - true.

But, I also believe, at last, we can see the mountain ahead and finally know what we must do, to climb it and more, reach the summit.

For so many years, we have been little more, than a disparate group of individuals, with a million different agendas.

We are now, a club with a single goal in mind.

And that agenda is success!

Go Dees!!!

On our list, I think this is the first time we've got a best 22 where I don't feel like at least a few players aren't up to scratch.

Some of them are young guys that haven't proven their worth yet, but there aren't too many guys you might term 'scrubbers', who can play footy but aren't up to the standard in a good team.

I agree that the list might not be quite there yet - it'll depend on how many young guys make it - but natural improvement of plenty of young guys, plus the lack of guys we're going to lose due to age over the next few years, makes me pretty excited.

A bit too much of an unstructured ramble for my liking, and that bloody betting ad made it hard to read.

Yeah he's defentely articulate with his words ha

Edited August 21, 201014 yr by half back