So after the excitement of last weeks wheeling and dealings of bringing in some solid midfield grunt it got me a bit excited for season 2014. It got me thinking. Are we a chance of doing a Port Adelaide and making a run for the 8? or would we be a better side than last year with about 5-6 wins and a % of around 85-90?

To be honest I will not be disappointed if it is the 2nd option. This year I would not mind if we won 5-6 games as long as the consecutive thrashings stopped. This is where Roos comes into play plus the new midfield. Lets hope for a competitive side for 2014 and stick it up the arses of those [censored] like Caroline Wilson, Greg Denham, Damian "[censored]" Barrett.

Let me know what your realistic expectations are this year. Remember to take into account that Clark, Dawes and a few others didn't play a lot this year. Bring on 2014

I am very excited about next season however I am also very very wary of what will happen next season cause I have been so badly scared from the last 7.

It's not the first time we have been excited after a trade period so I await with anticipation but will be relieved and excited come round 1 if we are competitive or maybe just maybe WIN a game of footy for a change.

I will say this though it does feel different to last preseasons and trade periods and have no doubt that's cause we have Roos at the helm.

I'd say lets not get ahead of ourselves but somehow last night I put a keg on that we will finish higher than the Bulldogs.

I'm excited about our trades this draft period but what I'm most excited about is to see Toumpas' and Viney's improvement.

Go Dees!

i think 12th should be achievable if not 11th. that will get us up to where we were under bailey, except with a better coach and arguably a better forward and back line and now a midfield that should be competitive.

No. Shut it down,

We haven't won a first round since 2005.

Take a big cold shower.

The trades we've made will definitely help us, but if we are to rise up the ladder

then we need improvement from our existing list.

Trengove, Watts, Viney, Toumpas, Blease, Gawn and Tappy. If these players take a step

forward next year it will go a long way to ending the mediocrity we've been watching for the past few years.

Edited October 22, 201311 yr by Mallee Bull

I agree - I'm trying to be realistic about things.

That said, we could win the flag next year.

This trading period has been a great start... We might wins some games next year... But we won't be making the 8, because of these additions...

I want to get off the reality bus!

It isn't what it isn't.!

I don't want to take it one week at a time.!

I just want wins and lots of them.!

Am I asking too much?

The trades we've made will definitely help us, but if we are to rise up the ladder

then we need improvement from our existing list.

Trengove, Watts, Viney, Toumpas, Blease, Gawn and Tappy. If these players take a step

forward next year it will go a long way to ending the mediocrity we've been watching for the past few years.

We must have been watching different games over the past few years Mallee. I buggered if I can recall anything approaching mediocrity.

I want to get off the reality bus!

It isn't what it isn't.!

I don't want to take it one week at a time.!

I just want wins and lots of them.!

Am I asking too much?

No.

8 - 10 position is possible and doable next year.

If we can keep our best team on the park, in racing parlance 'he went good.'

Looking forward to it.

Half dozen wins would be nice, Wife would be happy as I would be moping around all winter.

In the illustrious words of a new Demon

Asked if he thought the Dees, now led by Paul Roos, were likely to spend another year on the lower rungs of the ladder, he responded by saying: "I guess you can't really say stuff like that anymore, watching what Port Adelaide were able to do this year.

"I guess that was a side blessed with not many injuries, so if we can stay pretty fit, get Mitch Clark on track … you never know what we could be capable of."

Dom Tyson

I like this guy

Half dozen wins would be nice, Wife would be happy as I would be moping around all winter.

You are like me.

My wife looks forward to footy season.

She gets a half day to do what she wants.

She doesn't want me coming home at 1/2 or 3/4 time.

Opened the finals fund account already and have blocked out every weekend in September in the Calendar to avoid conflicts. All relatives advised not to plan a september wedding, engagment or event that includes me.

In the illustrious words of a new Demon

Asked if he thought the Dees, now led by Paul Roos, were likely to spend another year on the lower rungs of the ladder, he responded by saying: "I guess you can't really say stuff like that anymore, watching what Port Adelaide were able to do this year.

"I guess that was a side blessed with not many injuries, so if we can stay pretty fit, get Mitch Clark on track … you never know what we could be capable of."

Dom Tyson

I like this guy

Can we lock him into the ROOS succession plan?

The only problem is Roos may have to sign on for 10 years LOL

If we dont make the grand final its another wasted year

Opened the finals fund account already and have blocked out every weekend in September in the Calendar to avoid conflicts. All relatives advised not to plan a september wedding, engagment or event that includes me.

Oh Bugger. I've booked a European trip for Sept - Oct.

Tell me we will only finish 9th please!!

WTF. I've been quiet for a few weeks; just sitting and watching. I've tried to put my natural optimism aside and adopt some of Old Dee's cautious pessimism, but I just can't keep it bottled up any longer.

Trading has gone well. We've addressed our midfield needs and brought in a mix of youth and experience. This has to make us at least a little bit better. I'm hoping that, if we can stop the beltings and be competitive, players like Watts, Blease, Tapscott might just gain the confidence they need to become the players they could be. If we can get even a 20% improvement out of these guys, along with the natural improvement we can expect from Viney, Toumpas and others, we must be a better team.

I'm absolutely, positively almost certain we will win 10 games next year. I'll be a happy man and will be using the single malt for a different purpose.

GO DEES!

Oh Bugger. I've booked a European trip for Sept - Oct.

Tell me we will only finish 9th please!!

ye of little faith !!!

better find bars with tellies showing sports whilst away

The massive hidings will cease but the losses will continue.

Top 4.

WTF. I've been quiet for a few weeks; just sitting and watching. I've tried to put my natural optimism aside and adopt some of Old Dee's cautious pessimism, but I just can't keep it bottled up any longer.

Trading has gone well. We've addressed our midfield needs and brought in a mix of youth and experience. This has to make us at least a little bit better. I'm hoping that, if we can stop the beltings and be competitive, players like Watts, Blease, Tapscott might just gain the confidence they need to become the players they could be. If we can get even a 20% improvement out of these guys, along with the natural improvement we can expect from Viney, Toumpas and others, we must be a better team.

I'm absolutely, positively almost certain we will win 10 games next year. I'll be a happy man and will be using the single malt for a different purpose.

GO DEES!

I am having trouble disagreeing with you Reverend.

However I am still firmly on the Cautious bus.

I prefer to call it the reality bus.

If we could get 6 wins and stop the beltings I will join you on a regular basis in raising a single malt.

This trade period has been really positive and I feel really good about 2014. But I can't trust the MFC enough just yet to make a full emotional commitment. I will be attending a lot of the preseason training at Casey like I do every year, and I will take the usual interest in all the build up. But I am keeping expectations to a minimum. The last 2 years tore my heart out so my trust quotient is running at an all time low.

I am absolutely loving the quiet but strong approach of Bartlett, PJ, Roos and Mahoney.

The trade ins have been outstanding.

But we haven't trained or seen how Roos' game style impacts our existing players.

Because of all this, the only commitment to hype I will make is I reckon we will only suffer one big loss in 2014, and in the games we lose we will be only 20-25 points away. 6-7 wins.

We must have been watching different games over the past few years Mallee. I buggered if I can recall anything approaching mediocrity

Being kind, I know. I was there in round 2 against Essendon, flanked by Essendon mates.

But this time of year always brings out the rose colored vision.

Edited October 22, 201311 yr by Mallee Bull

Oh Bugger. I've booked a European trip for Sept - Oct.

Tell me we will only finish 9th please!!

You are safe as a church Chippy, you will enjoy the trip safe in the knowledge that 2015 is the big improvement year after a slow but steady improvement in 2014.