A month or so ago I was bullish about us being able to achieve 8 or 9 wins. After the pre-season however my enthusiasm has been diluted. I think 6 wins is more realistic, hopefully including a couple of solid wins over half decent Melbourne clubs later in the year.

I see a lot of pain in terms of losses from rounds 1 - 11. It keeps coming back again and again to the midfield. Ours is clearly bottom four quality at this stage.

I'm tipping we'll see improvement during the second half of the year but will have to wait until 2014 - when we bring in midfield reinforcement - to get genuinely excited about our on-field prospects.

Edited March 19, 201312 yr by Range Rover

C&B, when was the last time we put a solid effort and beat a good side? That description sounds very last decade-ish.

2010 we should have beaten the Pies twice and they won the flag

Hard to believe the draw with collingwood was only 29 games of football before Bailey's infamous end

and prior to that awful game we were in 11th place sitting on 7 wins 8 losses 1 draw

we would kill for those numbers this year

there's an argument we jumped the gun sacking him I reckon

Edited March 19, 201312 yr by Curry & Beer

I think we are a lot better than our results suggest n the preseason, but only if injuries are kind. I've seen all the games a few times now (except for GC but with 2 less rotations the result was a foregone conclusion in those conditions)

If we get close to full seasons out of blease, dawes, trengove and clark we will win upwards of 7 games, I'm very confident of that. We are sooo much fitter than last year and our fitness was the reason we didn't get a handful more wins last year.

Am I excited? Bloody oath. Is that tempered by the heartbreak of 2012? Hell yeah.

Roll on Sunday week and let's get this show on the road...

I'm not excited at all.... If anything I'm losing interest in footy altogether......

I agree with most of the posts above, there is of course some excitement/hope. However I think the NAB cup has dulled my expectations significantly. I think we will improve as the year progresses, all I ask for is no more 100 point losses - not one this year! I think all we need is a spark that two wins in a row to get the ball rolling , get some momentum and belief in the group - if we can go on to do that we will improve immensely, the players will actually go into games knowing they can win.

Its when this spark occurs (2 wins in a row) that will decide how well we do this year! It could take till round 22 for the team to gel together and play as a team with desire.

I agree with most of the posts above, there is of course some excitement/hope. However I think the NAB cup has dulled my expectations significantly. I think we will improve as the year progresses, all I ask for is no more 100 point losses - not one this year! I think all we need is a spark that two wins in a row to get the ball rolling , get some momentum and belief in the group - if we can go on to do that we will improve immensely, the players will actually go into games knowing they can win.

Its when this spark occurs (2 wins in a row) that will decide how well we do this year! It could take till round 22 for the team to gel together and play as a team with desire.

Once again YD i agree with all you say

I still have that excitement /hope

NAB was underwhelming but tinged with experimentation and individual development there were some highlights.

We do need early wins to get the confidence back and to get the ball rolling for supporters also.

I hope that they play as a team and with desire from game 1

This is the test of Neeld. I support him and have been satisfied with his approach so far analyze skills, improve performance, recruit and dispose

His structures and game plans now really come under scrutiny. He has the players he wanted He has had two seasons to get the buy in and a solid pre season for players to learn patterns etc( these are full time footballers)

His game day performance will now be the critical issue.

I remember Balme was never proactive in his coaching He always seemed to me to be reacting and always too slowly to opposition tactics.

It will be interesting to see how Neeld structures and changes, How many plans he has. THat is what is really exciting

I too was excited following the draft and trade period but the NAB cup has dashed all that. Was all keen to get Foxtel for the first time so I could watch all the games (we get about 4 or 5 Demon games a year on FTA in Perth), but think I'll hold off for another season. Reckon we'll finish bottom 4 with about 4 wins.

2010 we should have beaten the Pies twice and they won the flag

Hard to believe the draw with collingwood was only 29 games of football before Bailey's infamous end

and prior to that awful game we were in 11th place sitting on 7 wins 8 losses 1 draw

we would kill for those numbers this year

there's an argument we jumped the gun sacking him I reckon

No coach could or should survive 186.

The die was cast

Neither GWS or GCS in their infancy put up figures approaching that result .

Edited March 20, 201312 yr by old dee

A month or so ago I was bullish about us being able to achieve 8 or 9 wins. After the pre-season however my enthusiasm has been diluted. I think 6 wins is more realistic, hopefully including a couple of solid wins over half decent Melbourne clubs later in the year.

I see a lot of pain in terms of losses from rounds 1 - 11. It keeps coming back again and again to the midfield. Ours is clearly bottom four quality at this stage.

I'm tipping we'll see improvement during the second half of the year but will have to wait until 2014 - when we bring in midfield reinforcement - to get genuinely excited about our on-field prospects.

You have pretty much covered my feelings RR.

I have not felt like this since the start of 2008 when we knew we were headed for the bottom.

NAB Cup form means nothing.

Now that doesn't mean that we will smash PA because I think they will be decent this season.

I want us to play 4 qtrs of good footy on regular occasions.

I don't care about periphery issues like skills out of the backline, speed in the midfield, and cohesiveness in the forward line - I want us to put in effort, without fall or failure, for 120 minutes every week.

That is the first step to being relevant.

You have pretty much covered my feelings RR.

I have not felt like this since the start of 2008 when we knew we were headed for the bottom.

This is the time to get excited........We have not lost a game in 2013........Win lose or draw we get to watch our players play and the coachs coach......Even when we lose you get the chance to see a great team goal or a great mark and talk about the great game of football......

I too, could be a misery guts and go "Woe is me and my footy club" but at least the first few games I have hope.........

This is the time to get excited........We have not lost a game in 2013........Win lose or draw we get to watch our players play and the coachs coach......Even when we lose you get the chance to see a great team goal or a great mark and talk about the great game of football......

I too, could be a misery guts and go "Woe is me and my footy club" but at least the first few games I have hope.........

Not quite sure what happened last weekend Bossdog and three weeks back.

Normally i would agree with you because this is the best time of the year for dees fanatics

but this year I have zero enthusiasm

I can't wait too see Clark and Dawes together.

I think We are like a doughnut. We seem to have a decent back line and fowadline but are missing in the middle. Unfortunately that's where games are won and lost

None the less bring on 2013. It's like Hiesenberg's cat. 2013 might be terrible, it might be good but we won't know till we look

Penned an article on just this: http://backpagelead.com.au/afl/8863-afl-supporter-hope-springs-eternal

Stupidly optimistic as always.

Not quite sure what happened last weekend Bossdog and three weeks back.

Normally i would agree with you because this is the best time of the year for dees fanatics

but this year I have zero enthusiasm

Wow old dee

Havent seen your posts so disconsolate.

Some one suggested on another thread that you could do some pre season training by saying something positive every day.

Not sure I agree with that radical proposal You do have to believe it

But if you are old as I most certainly am we have seen some even more desperate times and even more depressing times

But there was and is always something that you can get excited about.

I know we can handle defeat weve seen enough of it, as I have said before I am really excited to see how Neeld and the team goes. This is surely the greatest test for him and if that aint exciting I dont know what is.

Wow old dee

Havent seen your posts so disconsolate.

Really?

They are rarely consolate...

Not quite sure what happened last weekend Bossdog and three weeks back.

Normally i would agree with you because this is the best time of the year for dees fanatics

but this year I have zero enthusiasm

I just had a dose of deja vu.

Really?

They are rarely consolate...

you could say anticonsolate

Really?

They are rarely consolate...

Maybe its just me and my selective memory chip failure

But there does seem to be a bit of a downward spiral

Perhaps was trying to console OD?????

I am just itching to see four quarters of Football played with the new look team, sick of Internet single cam replays quarter by quarter. Itchen to see the boys have a really good crack at another AFL team with premiership points on the line. I am excited by the chance to see some of our new recruits running around in the Red and Blue. Young players such as Toumpas, Viney and Barry Mature age rookies such as Terlich or Matt Jones, New veteran such as Byrnes, Rodan and Dawes. My expectations are low in regards to wins but excitement is high to see some real football.

Edited March 20, 201312 yr by Felix da Dee

I'm not excited at all.... If anything I'm losing interest in footy altogether......

Maybe I'm missing the irony but your posting on a fan forum...

Wow old dee

Havent seen your posts so disconsolate.

Some one suggested on another thread that you could do some pre season training by saying something positive every day.

Not sure I agree with that radical proposal You do have to believe it

But if you are old as I most certainly am we have seen some even more desperate times and even more depressing times

But there was and is always something that you can get excited about.

I know we can handle defeat weve seen enough of it, as I have said before I am really excited to see how Neeld and the team goes. This is surely the greatest test for him and if that aint exciting I dont know what is.

I am sure the last 5 years have worn me down dpositive.

you are right we have seen some very poor times but so far this year I am struggling to see many positives

culminating in getting beaten by GCS.

I have sunk into the "I will believe it when I see it group"

If that offends some of the eternal optimists on here well so be it.

That is my view right or wrong.

Really?

They are rarely consolate...

now that has cheered me up rpfc

Surprised you see your self in such a positive light.

You should re read a few of your posts.

Quite a few of which I agree with.

But we all have our own view

I am sure the last 5 years have worn me down dpositive.

you are right we have seen some very poor times but so far this year I am struggling to see many positives

culminating in getting beaten by GCS.

I have sunk into the "I will believe it when I see it group"

If that offends some of the eternal optimists on here well so be it.

That is my view right or wrong.

Old Dee,

I posted the message below on the "boundary line or direct" thread. Seriously mate, you need to do some positive self-talk and get out of the morass into which you seem to have sunk. I'm on a new crusade now - it's called the "cheer up Old Dee campaign".

Hey listen Old Dee,

You have to pull yourself out of these doldrums. It's just as easy to look on the bright side as it is to be all gloomy about something over which we have no control. Lift your game sunshine.

My challenge to you is to post a positive thought every day until our season starts. Let's call it some pre-season training to prepare you for the glory that awaits all loyal Demon supporters as this year unfolds and reveals the light we've been waiting for. Our time is coming OD but you've got to believe!

Can you do it?

GO DEES!

I can't wait too see Clark and Dawes together.

I think We are like a doughnut. We seem to have a decent back line and fowadline but are missing in the middle. Unfortunately that's where games are won and lost

None the less bring on 2013. It's like Hiesenberg's cat. 2013 might be terrible, it might be good but we won't know till we look

Schrodinger had the cat Josh, Heisenberg had an uncertainty principle. And in principle I am very uncertain about how we'll go this season!