It's about mindset, blokes like Viney can't stand losing. This for mine is a key factor when recruiting, not the most important but it's up there. Recent example Sylvia. No one said play in a grand final, aim for finals. Yes, we most likely won't make finals but if we don't have it as a goal why bother running out. Players must be made to sit in the stands as a group during this years finals and start dreaming .

Between this and the guy who reckons Cameron Ling is the worst option as coach because he's too ugly, Demonland is firing on all cylinders at the moment.

Not to mention the poster who claims a voodoo cure involving dried up chicken bones and handed down by an old Creole lady from New Orleans can fix up the Curse of the Red Fox.

Not to mention the poster who claims a voodoo cure involving dried up chicken bones and handed down by an old Creole lady from New Orleans can fix up the Curse of the Red Fox.

I think that was tongue in cheek though Jack (I HOPE that was said tongue in cheek).

Roos said after watching us last year and speaking to players there was no doubt that certain games the players were mentally beaten before running out. I don't think Geelong/Hawthorn or Freo planning on getting weaker any time soon. Roos said the playing group needs to believe every time they run out they are a chance to win. I wonder what mindset GWS ran out with for round 1 ...

The problem with the OP (amongst others, anyway) is that he seems to believe that if you don't think we can make the finals, you don't think anything productive can come out of the season.

The unfortunate reality of where this club has been of late is that we are able to draw significant progress out of a season that finishes with around 6 wins. That's just how things are right now.

Bulldust, we very easily could be 2&2, and a real shot to be in the 8 thus week if we beat gc.

Our team on paper looks rather good. I think frawley, hogan and Dawes, along with our bolstered midfield, strong disciplined backline and new game plan, headed by Roos, puts us in the position to definitely be aiming forca finals birth.

Really, some of you supporters are morbid.

This thread is just a vehicle for you to call posters losers...

We should just worry about the next game.

They are beginning to build the mentality that they can win any game they play in, I hope they keep their focus on that.

Saints having crack. Can they hang in.

I think we can beat Collingwood, Sydney, Kangas. Port and Essendon, from the last that I heard, are running onto the field with 18 players, same as us. Lets give it a shot.

Laugh away.

Saints(coach walked out, coach sacked, stars leave club, at least 3 first year players) defeat Bombers

GWS(stuffed full of third year players and a couple of seniors with varying experience) defeat swans(stuffed full of premiership stars, they had a massive injury list last year and still finished top 4).

No one picked those upsets except some woman in an office tipping comp that knows nothing about football. Mindset is a powerful thing.

Saints have lions next week and could be 4&2.

Shouldn't the Saints be tanking to land a tall forward to replace St. Nick?

How many wins can these teams expect ?

When North win it's the Shinboner spirit and when they loose it's.......?

18 v 18 , have a crack.

This thread is just a vehicle for you to call posters losers...

We should just worry about the next game.

They are beginning to build the mentality that they can win any game they play in, I hope they keep their focus on that.

Im sick of this club dismissing immediate success. Too much "negative talk" for my liking.

As supporters, we should be pushing for success or at least, determined improvement. No compromise.

To aim for 14th position is a frigging joke. Frankly, that's not what I stand for.

Im sick of this club dismissing immediate success. Too much "negative talk" for my liking.

As supporters, we should be pushing for success or at least, determined improvement. No compromise.

To aim for 14th position is a frigging joke. Frankly, that's not what I stand for.

Exactly, draft picks didn't work out like we had hoped. Why not bust your gut all year, enter every game with a "we can win mindset" as the Saints and Port have and as Roos is trying to install into us. After the Saints win tonight we are officially out of excuses.

Hey al, wanna join the board?

Hey al, wanna join the board?

Not enough hours in the day.

Im sick of this club dismissing immediate success. Too much "negative talk" for my liking.

As supporters, we should be pushing for success or at least, determined improvement. No compromise.

To aim for 14th position is a frigging joke. Frankly, that's not what I stand for.

Didn't you wonder whether the players were 'scarred for life' and that Roos has his 'work cut out for him?'

So we have gone from that to finals aspirants incredibly quickly...

The players are working through their own confidence issues and they are progressing - other than losing, outsized expectations is the last thing they need.

Worry about GC, then worry about the Swans, then the next game after that.

Who knows maybe you were right about them being scarred for life...

As a club, we have not aimed to make a finals campaign since 2007.

I'm just talking about the aim. Incredible

As a club, we have not aimed to make a finals campaign since 2007.

I'm just talking about the aim. Incredible

The 'aim' is to win your next game. You have to win a few games to play finals from memory.

That has been hard to do these last few years.

Good teams worry about their next game, and here you are calling posters losers because you are getting 11 wins ahead of yourself.

Im sick of this club dismissing immediate success. Too much "negative talk" for my liking.

As supporters, we should be pushing for success or at least, determined improvement. No compromise.

To aim for 14th position is a frigging joke. Frankly, that's not what I stand for.

I don't think the club has ever aimed for 14th position.

Last, maybe...

But jokes or tanking references aside, like rpfc says, it's all about focusing on the next game.

Once you start winning more games than you lose, that all adds up and you get a higher spot on the ladder.

Even finals teams don't "aim for 6th or 7th."

They simply go out to win every game.

Bump.

One game and percentage away from 8th position.

I still think we can make it. Roos has us playing really good footy.

Jamar and Dawes really helps. Imagine when Hogan makes his debut in round 18 and we are only a game or two away from 8th. Things would be rocking.

Heres hoping.

Love the positivity, but let's just keep whatever kind of lid we have on things.

With games yet to play against Port Adelaide (twice), Hawthorn, Geelong, Fremantle, Collingwood, Essendon, North Melbourne (twice) and a trip to Perth, no one would begrudge us for missing the finals. Surely.

We're nearly one third of the way in to the season and we're second from the bottom. Let's not get too carried away.

It is nice to see us amongst a logjam of other teams on the ladder though. We might still be very close to the bottom, but we're hanging on to the tail of the pack. If we win next week we could end up as high as 12th.

Let's not get too carried away... We just won our first game in 12 matches.

Bloody oath.

Great that we are competitive. Great that our defence is stiffer. Great that Roos has us in the right direction. But gee wiz, Adelaide had 19 fit guys and with Tex may have converted a few more inside 50s.

Let's enjoy the journey of going from cr@p to competitve. A percentage of 80's this year will be a huge step.

Competitive to finals is a completely different ball-game.

Being Melbourne supporters we are fairly bereft of hope.

But there was a more optimistic time when I would not have lost hope at making a charge for September. Belief is a funny thing.

I remember in 1987 under Northey, we needed to win the last 5 games to make the final 5. We did it.

Except for the Eagles game, we very well could be 6wins, 1loss.

We are doing well, and getting better and better.

If we beat the dogs, and we can win a huge QB, the lid will be off, well and truly.

Backline:

FB: Garland Frawley Dunn

HB: Grimes McDonald ******

Potential: Jetta, Terlich, Clisby, Toumpas, Howe*, Salem*

Midfield

Foll: ????? N. Jones Cross

C: Vince Viney ?????

Int: Tyson ???? ?????

Potential: Jamar, Gawn, Spencer, Pedersen, Bail, McKenzie, Trengove, Michie, Riley, M. Jones

Forward:

HF: Howe* Dawes Kent

FF: JKH Hogan ******

Potential: Watts, Salem, Fitzpatrick

Gaps:
- Quality ball user at half back

- Midfield depth - will Trengove, Michie, M. Jones etc step up to good players

- Ruck and 2nd ruck. Is Jamar back? Will Spencer, Gawn, Fitzy or Pedo be classed as regular 22 players

The 8 is possible IF this years players on the rise - Tyson, Viney, Salem, Hogan (when we see him), Kent, JKH, Salem - show sustained development.

PLUS - experienced players in form this year carry it over season after season - Pedersen, Bail, Dunn etc

That's what separates the good and bad teams.

I love the idea of this thread.

Itll be very interesting to see our 2015 finals team- best 25..

Could be some very interesting names in there, im hoping a power forward is there, or midfielder