Hogan, Viney and Toumpas walking into the club should be enough to lift the most pessimistic fans. Along with Kent, Barry, etc. it could be the best group of recruits since the formation of the draft in 1986.

There is a lot to like there. And the ethos at training will ensure that there is a better chance of these players (and the others) presenting to the best of their ability - Ben, you would have seen this.

I am ambivalent about the upcoming footy season. In the past I have got myself up for the new season with always a touch of optimism however, the lack of success is finally eating away at this supporter.

We have lots of young talent...and the best of luck to them, however the club still reeks of sustained on field failures and off field dramas.

The MFC is still a joke amongst the media and those informed in the industry....this makes me ill with contempt, but where is the success going to come from?

The late great Jimmy Stynes was our saviour......is there a hero or 2 ready to bring home the bacon for the MFC or are we totally irrelevant in this competition.

I truly hope I am proved wrong.

The problem & the answer lies within all of us Soidee..

we are a club, in comparison to the others who have much comfort in those who surround our Boards,Admins', & players.. have for generations.

... this in turn effects all who come continually under its magnetic charms.

We are too nice, too polite, too gentile, & too optimistic generally, when it comes to the bare knuckle fist fights of the AFL seasons...

our boys end up playing that way, & it eats up our fierceness, & delivers a soft style of football.

those performances would not be tolerated by clubs like the Pies, Bombers, Blues, Hawks of old, Tigers of old, Wet Toasters, modern Swans, even the Crows.

Its in our hands regard those who rub shoulders with our off-field leaders & players to not allow them to be Up on Pedestals.

.... its the self hoisted Pedestalites who keep failing us, & We allow them to hop up on the statue base, without any true critique.

Here you go fellas... Either it will be a terrible year and you'll need these or it'll be a great year and you'll need these....

if its gonna be a great year this isn't gonna be enough Stuie, better get out the mop and bucket

Medication helps..

The Australian cricket team helps even more.

Mind you, the collapse of interest in cricket has focused more attention on pre-season AFL than ever before which has provided non-stories and negative stories with more oxygen than they usually get. So perhaps I should re-visit my opening comment and say the the Australian cricket team hasn't at all been helpful.

Can sympathise with the OP. 2012 was the worse season I have experienced in my 30+ years. It was a season where there was no hope, it was a season that the players were so drained of confidence that it was ugly to watch. It was the first season where I stopped enjoying watching the MFC, mainly because the players weren't enjoying it.

Ben Hur mentioned that we should be excited with the inclusions of Viney, Toumpas, Hogan as well as Barry (why he named Barry is beyond me). True, they should be enough to get us off the canvas, but I felt that way when we we had just recruited $cully, Trengove, Gysberts and Tapscott. That draft was meant to be the one that produced a permiership midfield core, and what do we have, 2 left on the list, 1 of which is borderline best 22 (I still have a lot of hope for Tappy).

The MFC is a massive part of my life, but it's not the be all and end all. In the past few years I've had personal tragedies occur, so you look to something that makes you happy to get you through some dark days. In the past the MFC has been that for me, regardless of the result. However, in 2011 and 2012 when I needed it most, it wasn't there. Building excitement then within weeks falling back to earth takes its toll on us all in different ways. Currently, where I am in life, I won't let the MFC do it to me this season. Don't get me wrong, the passion remains, the support will never die, but the excitement of a new season just isn't there for me this year. I will watch the 22 games on TV (hope to get to a couple in the flesh), but I refuse to let the results get to me like they have in previous years.

I read a great quote on Twitter, can't remember who the USA athlete was that said it, but it was along the lines of "if you aren't there when I'm at the bottom, I don't want you celebrating when I'm on the top". I have mates that are MFC "barrackers" that this applies to, but if anyone EVER accused me of being the same (given my "meh" attitude at the moment), I would like that person to PM me so we don't have to bore everyone on an open forum.

I think we got used to fast turn arounds in our form when we yo-yo'd for about 10 years or so during the Balme and Daniher years.

This time we are enduring the slow progress of standards being lifted which will eventually result in better on field performances. Other teams aren't standing still either so results won't turn around like we saw in the past.

Enjoy the ride and don't let it dictate your emotions.

The problem & the answer lies within all of us Soidee..

we are a club, in comparison to the others who have much comfort in those who surround our Boards,Admins', & players.. have for generations.

... this in turn effects all who come continually under its magnetic charms.

We are too nice, too polite, too gentile, & too optimistic generally, when it comes to the bare knuckle fist fights of the AFL seasons...

our boys end up playing that way, & it eats up our fierceness, & delivers a soft style of football.

those performances would not be tolerated by clubs like the Pies, Bombers, Blues, Hawks of old, Tigers of old, Wet Toasters, modern Swans, even the Crows.

Its in our hands regard those who rub shoulders with our off-field leaders & players to not allow them to be Up on Pedestals.

.... its the self hoisted Pedestalites who keep failing us, & We allow them to hop up on the statue base, without any true critique.

You've been in fine form lately Dee, but this tops the lot... What a load of rubbish.

I read a great quote on Twitter, can't remember who the USA athlete was that said it, but it was along the lines of "if you aren't there when I'm at the bottom, I don't want you celebrating when I'm on the top". I have mates that are MFC "barrackers" that this applies to, but if anyone EVER accused me of being the same (given my "meh" attitude at the moment), I would like that person to PM me so we don't have to bore everyone on an open forum.

This is largely what kept my head above water in the abortion that was the 2012 season, and several seasons prior. You have to be there through the hard times in order to truly enjoy the good times. I think most of us can lay claim to having done the hard yards.

Ben Hur mentioned that we should be excited with the inclusions of Viney, Toumpas, Hogan as well as Barry (why he named Barry is beyond me). True, they should be enough to get us off the canvas, but I felt that way when we we had just recruited $cully, Trengove, Gysberts and Tapscott. That draft was meant to be the one that produced a permiership midfield core, and what do we have, 2 left on the list, 1 of which is borderline best 22 (I still have a lot of hope for Tappy).

I look optimistically at recruits to take the club forward but like you mentioned Billy, the drafting under Bailey was meant to be the fix and everyone was massively excited at the time and look how thats turned out. So whilst I am excited about the likes of Viney, Toumpas and Hogan I will keep my powder dry.

What does give me optimism is Neelds ( and by extension the FD's) approach to the football club. I have no idea if he is a good "game day" coach or not but I cannot recall a coach of ours who has dropped Ex Captains, best and fairest winners and club favourites. Whether his approach is ultimately successful or not remains to be seen but I am really excited to have a professional football department that thinks nothing of reputation or past performance or "bleeding red and blue" - all that matters is to perform on and the off the field the way the FD want or be gone. I believe this approach will bring success.

The problem & the answer lies within all of us Soidee..

we are a club, in comparison to the others who have much comfort in those who surround our Boards,Admins', & players.. have for generations.

... this in turn effects all who come continually under its magnetic charms.

We are too nice, too polite, too gentile, & too optimistic generally, when it comes to the bare knuckle fist fights of the AFL seasons...

our boys end up playing that way, & it eats up our fierceness, & delivers a soft style of football.

those performances would not be tolerated by clubs like the Pies, Bombers, Blues, Hawks of old, Tigers of old, Wet Toasters, modern Swans, even the Crows.

Its in our hands regard those who rub shoulders with our off-field leaders & players to not allow them to be Up on Pedestals.

.... its the self hoisted Pedestalites who keep failing us, & We allow them to hop up on the statue base, without any true critique.

And we all drive range rovers and go to the snow instead of supporting our team - I beg to differ

After watching the Bulldogs and GWS this week, and the obvious progress they have made, my own expectations have altered somewhat. I assumed we'd be ahead of both. I'm not quite as confident now.

I really hope there isn't more pain like 2012, but I won't be shocked if there is.

I think you've nailed it. 2012 was the worst since the 70's and early 80's - too much rubbish for too long - we're entitled to expect improvement, just not sure I've seen any evidence yet

I think you've nailed it. 2012 was the worst since the 70's and early 80's - too much rubbish for too long - we're entitled to expect improvement, just not sure I've seen any evidence yet

the only evidence I have seen so far Weedster is we still could not beat North or Tigers

Does that sound familiar ?

I'm also flat about this season. I bought into the Bailey years and the recruiting that went with that. The early picks we had around 07-09 should now be at 70+ games and making a real impact. And what's happened? Most of them are gone: Petterd, Bate, Martyn, Scully, Gysbert, Jurrah even McLean. These were the guys we were supposed to be patient for for 70-100 games and then we'd take off. Now we've got to wait for the youngest batch of youngsters to mature and hope the same thing happens and it is difficult to have faith in that story.

Whether or not they were duds is not the point, the point is they were selected, invested in and ultimately haven't delivered so we go back to
the drawing board yet again.

Look at it another way, we will run out in 2013 without our 2011 Captain (Green), 2011 B&F Moloney, 2011 2011 runner up Rivers, 2011 Leading Goalkicker (Jurrah) plus about 10 others. Expecting youngsters like Viney, Tompas etc to carry the can is simply unrealistic. And the expereinced recruits we got were all available for a reason........

A couple of years back I thought 13/14 was our "window" - our kids had matured and the Suns and GWS would still be too young. I suspect they'll now leave us in their dust.

Hope I'm wrong and have to eat my words!!

Is this thread some kind of preseason Rorschach test?

We still have a football club to talk about, and we have a coach who is one year into his tenure and has made a dramatic overhaul to an inexperienced list. Let's see what they can do.

FIRE UP YOU BUGGERS.

CARN THE DEMONS.

See you at Casey on Saturday.

FIRE UP YOU BUGGERS.

CARN THE DEMONS.

See you at Casey on Saturday.

Strange line wyl

I am too frightened now!

Strange line wyl

I am too frightened now!

You can do it O.D.

2012 is over. The list has been fumigated of disease!!

You can do it O.D.

2012 is over. The list has been fumigated of disease!!

Not this saturday wyl GD duties

and to be honest I would much prefer that to Cranbourne this saturday

I will end the day smiling that is far from guaranteed out east.

You can do it O.D.

2012 is over. The list has been fumigated of disease!!

That's what I keep hanging my hat on WYL. The fact that we have removed players from our list that were either cancers of the team, or players that were content with playing seniors (Petterd, Morton).

I have no idea if the blokes like Kent, Terlich, Taggert, and whoever else we haven't seen that we picked up in recent years, can play or not, but uf they can give me 100% each week, I'll be back on.

That's what I keep hanging my hat on WYL. The fact that we have removed players from our list that were either cancers of the team, or players that were content with playing seniors (Petterd, Morton).

I have no idea if the blokes like Kent, Terlich, Taggert, and whoever else we haven't seen that we picked up in recent years, can play or not, but uf they can give me 100% each week, I'll be back on.

Feel the same mate. Our B Side had a red hot go last week and hung on in very hot conditions (29 degs in the shade)

That is the attitude we must expect every week, if this club is going to get better.

Feel the same mate. Our B Side had a red hot go last week and hung on in very hot conditions (29 degs in the shade)

That is the attitude we must expect every week, if this club is going to get better.

well its going to be 33 degs on an open windswept ground

don't expect to see good football

well its going to be 33 degs on an open windswept ground

don't expect to see good football

Sounds like days of old dc.

Not sure too many on either team will know the conditions

But you are correct don't expect much in the way of a spectacle.

well its going to be 33 degs on an open windswept ground

don't expect to see good football

long as they hang in there like last week.

I am more than happy with ugly wins this year if needed.

Have to build character and trust into this list. It was getting there in 2010, but something broke the cycle.

I expect a win on Saturday. The Aints are at the crossroads, but still have good talent.

long as they hang in there like last week.

I am more than happy with ugly wins this year if needed.

Have to build character and trust into this list. It was getting there in 2010, but something broke the cycle.

I expect a win on Saturday. The Aints are at the crossroads, but still have good talent.

A win is a win is a win wyl

Happy with any sort

the only evidence I have seen so far Weedster is we still could not beat North or Tigers

Does that sound familiar ?

Yes, and therein lies the problem. Of all the teams and their respective stages of development over the past 5 years, those two could reasonably be regarded as our benchmarks yet I fear they are way in front of us - just hope I'm wrong