Team looks significantly better on paper that's for sure,

a full pre season for guys like Trengove, Toumpas, Viney, Tyson, jones, Michie, Watts under Roos and Stone is just plane exciting, some of those guys might pick up their output 20-30%

far too early to say we will be the next port adelaide but i think we can have a year abit like the gold coast did if everyone stays fit, show the football world we are on the right track and we have just as much young talent as they do.

If we dont make the grand final its another wasted year

Give up now, if that's your baseline you'll be incredibly disappointed.

Jones still our best midfielder, yes we've got him some more support in Cross, Tyson and Michie.

Viney will make an impact.

Vince in for Sylvia out.

Can Roos rapidly elevate Trengove, Watts and Toumpas?

It's a long road. Bottom 4 a lock IMO.

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.

Clark, Hogan, Grimes, Fitzy, Howe, Frawley, Garland, Dawes, - need I go on? The point I'm making is that there is a huge upside in our current list if it is coached and led like an elite team should be. It will be, and that is where most of the improvement will come from.

The injection of good draft choices is the cream, and will fill our biggest void which is our midfield, and will be the glue which makes our very good forward and back half perform up to their potential.

The prospects are very good.

It's a long road. Bottom 4 a lock IMO.

Agree. Hopefully upper end bottom 4 though....

Jones still our best midfielder, yes we've got him some more support in Cross, Tyson and Michie.

Viney will make an impact.

Vince in for Sylvia out.

Can Roos rapidly elevate Trengove, Watts and Toumpas?

It's a long road. Bottom 4 a lock IMO.

Disagree, while i don't think we will make the 8 i think our forward line is one of the most powerful in the comp, need a small forward but if we break even out of the middle we are going to win games of footy.

we might well finish bottom 4 but i'd hardly say it's a lock at this point, plenty of reason for optimisim

Give up now, if that's your baseline you'll be incredibly disappointed.

Its a pitty for you because my baseline was on that comment was sarcasm FMD chill out a bit mate.

Edited October 22, 201311 yr by dazzledavey36

I'm just waiting for some nong to suggest a bottom 4 finish is okay we'll get a good pick next year

Footy is a funny game. So much flies on confidence and belief. Just look at where Jonesy was this season , battling his demons and the lack of real effort by some players. Change that for a red hot go ( and the red hot goers to do it ) Play with a bit of verve. Stop 5 goals and kick 5 more.. Games start looking very different. get a bit of momentum and who knows.

So much has changed about this club and the team who'll take the paddock I cant see why anyone would automatically preach doom and gloom..

We might surprise a few in 14.....and many of them might be amongst this forum

I'm done with hype and optimism. Too many false dawns at the MFC.

I thought Stynes will save us. I was wrong.

This is last chance saloon for this club. Nobody will save us after this, the AFL has done their best.

For me the main KPI for season 2014 is respect. I want to go to games where the opposition doesn't think "easy win", and doesn't treat us with total contempt. And I want to go each week without thinking "great, another smashing". If we can achieve these things, regardless of where we finish on the ladder, it will be a good season.

I'm just waiting for some nong to suggest a bottom 4 finish is okay we'll get a good pick next year

Footy is a funny game. So much flies on confidence and belief. Just look at where Jonesy was this season , battling his demons and the lack of real effort by some players. Change that for a red hot go ( and the red hot goers to do it ) Play with a bit of verve. Stop 5 goals and kick 5 more.. Games start looking very different. get a bit of momentum and who knows.

So much has changed about this club and the team who'll take the paddock I cant see why anyone would automatically preach doom and gloom..

We might surprise a few in 14.....and many of them might be amongst this forum

Inreally do think we just need a bit of good luck with injuries. Both a fit Clark and Dawes are massive for us plus Trengove to put in a full pre season aswell.

Interesting times ahead, anything is possible.

I'd be happy if we weren't completely blown off the park week in week out.

I think we'll make the 8, but I think this every year.

A lot of those terrible scorelines were reflective of opposition getting massive runs on. They had momentum and we hadnt the playets to stem it.

I just canteen see that happening any more.

We played like rabble often . Not making good use of ball when we did have it. We have some decent mids now. We have a guru to teach them also.

Im predicting we will hardly recognise Melbourne in 14.

I just don't see how the additions will lead to such dramatic improvement when the core as it stands is only a 2-win a year side, and, really, 3-win side in 2 years (if you don't count the GWS and GC wins in 2012).

I think 5-6 wins is a reasonably expectation. Anything more than that and I'll be very surprised and impressed. 2015 is probably a better placed year to expect 8+ wins. Still a ways off.

I'm done with hype and optimism. Too many false dawns at the MFC.

I thought Stynes will save us. I was wrong.

This is last chance saloon for this club. Nobody will save us after this, the AFL has done their best.

For me the main KPI for season 2014 is respect. I want to go to games where the opposition doesn't think "easy win", and doesn't treat us with total contempt. And I want to go each week without thinking "great, another smashing". If we can achieve these things, regardless of where we finish on the ladder, it will be a good season.

Stynes was a revolutionary. As was those before him, those after him, and those there now.

Jackson and Roos sell a great product but how it actually works...well, that remains to be seen.

I refuse to allow myself to be excited by revolutionary change at the club anymore. Stability and consistency remains to be seen.

Edited October 22, 201311 yr by Cudi_420

I'm excited at the beginning of every season... usually distraught by the end of round 3. However, in 2014 I will also have a sense of confidence which I haven't felt since I don't remember when.

I'm done with hype and optimism. Too many false dawns at the MFC.

I thought Stynes will save us. I was wrong.

This is last chance saloon for this club. Nobody will save us after this, the AFL has done their best.

For me the main KPI for season 2014 is respect. I want to go to games where the opposition doesn't think "easy win", and doesn't treat us with total contempt. And I want to go each week without thinking "great, another smashing". If we can achieve these things, regardless of where we finish on the ladder, it will be a good season.

You are Jaded

(but I agree with you)

I'm excited at the beginning of every season... usually distraught by the end of round 3. However, in 2014 I will also have a sense of confidence which I haven't felt since I don't remember when.

Round 3??

Round 1 smashings not enough for you? Its usually half time in rd 1 for me....

The kids saying "Dad we still suck can we go home"

I'm done with hype and optimism. Too many false dawns at the MFC.

I thought Stynes will save us. I was wrong.

This is last chance saloon for this club. Nobody will save us after this, the AFL has done their best.

For me the main KPI for season 2014 is respect. I want to go to games where the opposition doesn't think "easy win", and doesn't treat us with total contempt. And I want to go each week without thinking "great, another smashing". If we can achieve these things, regardless of where we finish on the ladder, it will be a good season.

It is amazing you have captured my thoughts with the above Jaded.

Like Jnrmac I agree

I just want to see tangible improvement. I think anything higher than 12th would be a positive season as long as we stopped getting belted by 100+ on multiple occasions. I'm looking for about 5-6 wins and a few honourable loses to top 6 sides. We have a really good spine with our forward and defensive set up but our midfield is still one of the worst in the comp, even with the off-season recruits.

Baby steps before we can start running.

I just want to see tangible improvement. I think anything higher than 12th would be a positive season as long as we stopped getting belted by 100+ on multiple occasions. I'm looking for about 5-6 wins and a few honourable loses to top 6 sides. We have a really good spine with our forward and defensive set up but our midfield is still one of the worst in the comp, even with the off-season recruits.

Baby steps before we can start running.

I agree with you Pates but can you please not use those words.

To me they represent every thing that has been wrong with the MFC for the last 48 years.

Edited October 23, 201311 yr by old dee

there is NO hype to contain, we are and will continue to be, the laughing stock of the competition until we win. this thread is cringworthy and in order to "contain the hype" should be shut down.

You know its one of those things I detest..."honourable loss" Its a loss, cant shine it up prettty, its a loss

To consider them honourable effectively suggests someone is content to lose.." yeah ,we lost.,..but "

Call me simple, but for me its a game to be WON. I want to win. I want our team to win, i want our players to play to win, I want the notion of anything ever being an honourable loss purged from our attitude. The minute 2nd best is OK... you are doomed to be that always.

Premierships arent won by the second best...they are won by THE best !!

Go ask Freo how they feel about their honourable loss !!

Edited October 23, 201311 yr by beelzebub

You know its one of those things I detest..."honourable loss" Its a loss, cant shine it up prettty, its a loss

To consider them honourable effectively suggests someone is content to lose.." yeah ,we lost.,..but "

Call me simple, but for me its a game to be WON. I want to win. I want our team to win, i want our players to play to win, I want the notion of anything ever being an honourable loss purged from our attitude. The minute 2nd best is OK... you are doomed to be that always.

Premierships arent won by the second best...they are won by THE best !!

Go ask Freo how they feel about their honourable loss !!

That is it bb do Hawthorn Geelong and Collingwood have honourable losses?

No not in their thought patterns

I'm done with hype and optimism. Too many false dawns at the MFC.

I thought Stynes will save us. I was wrong.

This is last chance saloon for this club. Nobody will save us after this, the AFL has done their best.

For me the main KPI for season 2014 is respect. I want to go to games where the opposition doesn't think "easy win", and doesn't treat us with total contempt. And I want to go each week without thinking "great, another smashing". If we can achieve these things, regardless of where we finish on the ladder, it will be a good season.

Totally agree with the above. This season will be a bit like the Bulldogs last year. It will become more about percentage. The thrashings have to end and I expect by and large, they will. From there we can focus on wins.

Roos has addressed the midfield with what look to be very prudent choices, but realistically it is two senior players and a handful of youngsters with very few games between them. They have a new gameplan to be learned and executed. Expectations are in check for next year.

Edited October 23, 201311 yr by P-man

I have to comment about some of the posts re: honorable losses.

Honorable losses are fine as long as they are treated as steps in the right direction along the way to the final destination (winning a premiership) and not the final destination itself.

I think Hawthorn and Collingwood would have considered many losses "honorable" as they progressed from wooden spooners to contenders and then finally premiers.

A team has to view every result (win and loss) with respect to where they are and where their opposition is. Some wins will be poor wins, while some losses will be good (or honorable).

Any aspiring Top 4 side last season would have considered any win over us of less than 30 points as a poor result.

If we lose to Hawthorn next year by less than 4 goals I will be happy for Paul Roos to call it an honorable loss as long as he doesn't then resign and consider his job done.

Bring on some honorable losses in 2014!!! Not as good as wins, but they will still be tangible evidence of improvement and steps in the right direction.

I am far more excited about George Stone looking after our midfield than anything else that has happened in the last few weeks.

Didn't matter who we added to the midfield, we needed a proven midfield coach to take the reins.

Edited October 23, 201311 yr by alias275