Why we will improve rapidly next season

[Bitter but optimistic 22,289]

You are little over the top there bbo

we have 6 or 7 good ones over the half century

You're very positive today OD!

[old dee 24,028]

You're very positive today OD!

Just a statement of fact Bbo.

[inanunda 363]

Our climb up the ladder started last Thursday by getting the draft right! Getting the two best mids will be a building block and another two quality later picks make the 2014 draft look even sweeter.

Read more about how we have exorsised our demons here: http://www.thepeptalk.com.au/has-melbourne-exorcised-their-draft-demons/

Quality drafting and quality off-field staff will pay massive dividends for this fantastic club.

[rpfc 28,966]

Sorry to sound like OD once again but all this talk is just that.

I completely understand the desire to hopeful again, but there is an air of fait accompli regarding our renaissance and our performance at this draft.

Well, Father Time will judge that for us and there is no-holds-barred in his assessment either.

The shoulders of these kids can have a few years to fill out before we lump all of our expectations and neuroses can't they?

[stevethemanjordan 6,952]

Our climb up the ladder started last Thursday by getting the draft right! Getting the two best mids will be a building block and another two quality later picks make the 2014 draft look even sweeter.

Read more about how we have exorsised our demons here: http://www.thepeptalk.com.au/has-melbourne-exorcised-their-draft-demons/

Quality drafting and quality off-field staff will pay massive dividends for this fantastic club.

Sounds like a 'land dweller wrote it...

[inanunda 363]

Sounds like a 'land dweller wrote it...

???

[beelzebub 23,390]

Sounds like a 'land dweller wrote it...

maybe.......

[BAMF 4,465]

Sorry to sound like OD once again but all this talk is just that.

I completely understand the desire to hopeful again, but there is an air of fait accompli regarding our renaissance and our performance at this draft.

Well, Father Time will judge that for us and there is no-holds-barred in his assessment either.

The shoulders of these kids can have a few years to fill out before we lump all of our expectations and neuroses can't they?

I agree.

I'm with everyone on here. We nailed the draft. Nailed it. No skinny kids. All ready to go.

But that doesnt mean they will dominate straight away. Nailing the draft will pay off big time in 2 - 3 years time.

Demonlanders and falling into the old 'high draft pick messiah' rubbish.

I dont think we have improved our starting 22 midfield enough to rise up the ladder too far.

I am optomistic that this year will be the year that we show something though. Hopefully get out of the bottom 4 and show that we are heading in the right direction.

We really need to so we can lure a couple of ready made A-graders at the end of 2015.

[old dee 24,028]

Sorry to sound like OD once again but all this talk is just that.

I completely understand the desire to hopeful again, but there is an air of fait accompli regarding our renaissance and our performance at this draft.

Well, Father Time will judge that for us and there is no-holds-barred in his assessment either.

The shoulders of these kids can have a few years to fill out before we lump all of our expectations and neuroses can't they?

Not sure why you would apologise for sounding the voice of reason and sanity rpfc.

[Sambo06 222]

Sorry to sound like OD once again but all this talk is just that.

I completely understand the desire to hopeful again, but there is an air of fait accompli regarding our renaissance and our performance at this draft.

Well, Father Time will judge that for us and there is no-holds-barred in his assessment either.

The shoulders of these kids can have a few years to fill out before we lump all of our expectations and neuroses can't they?

Reason, what is this a Fan Forum or something??? Well said rpfc.

[obbafan 128]

I hate Hawthorn supporters because they didn't know the draft was on.

Melbourne supporters look forward to it every year.

I look forward to next year finishing 9th and not knowing when the draft is on.

Everyone forgets how recent this is.(in old person terms). Hawthorn were a shambles in 2005 and we were the highest finishing Victorian club. ADMINISTRATION is what they got right and what we now enjoy with PJ at the helm.

Hawthorn supporters are the most arrogant wankers in the competition. They are the worst losers (what do I care) and the worst winners (we were always the best so stuff you).

The true spirit of Kennet. Only domination will do and if we don't manage that it is everyone else's fault.

When our success comes, and I am clearly an eternal optimist, I very much hope our years of longing lead to humility.

[obbafan 128]

Except with Hawthorn supporters and Carlton. Tossers!

On the previous statement was that 2006?

[Earl Hood 6,152]

Everyone forgets how recent this is.(in old person terms). Hawthorn were a shambles in 2005 and we were the highest finishing Victorian club. ADMINISTRATION is what they got right and what we now enjoy with PJ at the helm.

Hawthorn supporters are the most arrogant wankers in the competition. They are the worst losers (what do I care) and the worst winners (we were always the best so stuff you).

The true spirit of Kennet. Only domination will do and if we don't manage that it is everyone else's fault.

When our success comes, and I am clearly an eternal optimist, I very much hope our years of longing lead to humility.

They also got the 2001, 2004, 05 and 07 drafts right. They tanked within the rules to get early picks in 04 and 05 and they had Freemantle chumps in 2001 that has paid big time. No doubt they have made great management decisions but they also had some luck to have extraordinary talent available in those drafts and to keep those top picks on the track and playing career best footy for so long.

Who knows maybe we will pick or have picked some elite talent and will develop them and actually be able to keep them at the club and they will be able to put together 10 to 15 years of great football. Gee what are the odds? For an MFC supporter that would be about a 100 to one bet to happen in any year. For clubs like the Hawks it is business as usual. Why is that?

[dee-luded 2,959]

• We have an easy draw
• We have the best culture building coach in the league who has had a season to repair us
• We showed massive improvement at times last year and had a couple of losses that should have really gone our way
• We have plenty of early draft picks as a result of the 8 years of meritocracy who are now in the right environment and are ready to go
• Harry O and Garlett are both great players in their own right but also play roles we desperately lacked last season
• Hogan won the b&f at Casey as a 17 year old power forward. That is unprecedented. I stand to be corrected but I don’t think Dermie even won the b&f as at 18 year old when he played the season in the reserves and then debuted for the Hawkes in the finals and dominated.
• Petracca and Brayshaw are built and skilful enough to play roles and have an immediate impact.
• We now have almost no “project” players taking up room on the list. There is real competition for spots.
• We have been terrible at winning stoppages and clearances over the last 5 years. We have addressed that and now have a stockpile of extracting / ball winning midfielders who will get it out to Salem, Watts and Toumpas
• Garland was in our top 3 players 2 years ago but never got going this year after having an injury interrupted pre-season and season proper. He will be like a new recruit
• Tyson and Viney will both improve
• Essendon will likely be penalised so there is one less team to contend with
• It is not uncommon for a team to go from near the bottom and charge right up the ladder. We did it under Daniher.

Off season talk. Love the optimism but lets wait till the end of round one before we get our hopes up.

We are coming from a long way back. Let's not forget that.

My optimism for 2015 extends to thinking we will get out of the bottom four, with a comfortable win or two coming amongst the likes of St Kilda, Carlton and Footscray. I also expect the Etihad curse to finally be broken.

I've been burned too many times in the last years to do anything but hope that we win what we should, one or two we shouldn't, and don't get beaten up by the big boys.

But if I haven't kicked my TV in by the 20 minute mark of the 2nd Q, round one, then I might just jump on board that train Wrecker.

only one thing to sing

[Adam The God 30,644]

Our climb up the ladder started last Thursday by getting the draft right! Getting the two best mids will be a building block and another two quality later picks make the 2014 draft look even sweeter.

Read more about how we have exorsised our demons here: http://www.thepeptalk.com.au/has-melbourne-exorcised-their-draft-demons/

Quality drafting and quality off-field staff will pay massive dividends for this fantastic club.

Waaaaay too early to judge that. Hope you're right though.

[AzzKikA 2,371]

I just want the players to believe that they can do it, week in week out, and the rest will take care of itself.

[HEMLOCK 39]

a reasonable person will look at the changes and say yes there must be improvement but at the expense of which team, what teams do we think will fall away to allow us a victory?

[PaulRB 6,435]

If the pieces click, we are capable of going over Carlton, Collingwood, Adelaide, Essendon, Richmond, GWS, Saints, Doggies, Lions, and maybe Weagles...

[jabberwocky 2,301]

If the pieces click, we are capable of going over Carlton, Collingwood, Adelaide, Essendon, Richmond, GWS, Saints, Doggies, Lions, and maybe Weagles...

I would love to pass Geelong...highly unlikely but that would be fun.

[RalphiusMaximus 6,110]

Today on SEN they were discussing snakes and ladders. Lots of impartial commenters had Melbourne going up. Funny thing was the Carlton supporters saying they were a shot at the top four, but you always get that.

[daisycutter 29,914]

those blue baggers always confuse bottom with top

[Biffen 12,949]

Socrates never made such a mistake.

[PaulRB 6,435]

Critical pieces that need to click for us to rise significantly over 2014 (4 wins)... in order of impact:

1. Hogan - If he is injury free, fit and firing to his potential for 22 rounds we're a two goal per week better team.
2. Garlett and Lumumba - at their best these two would add a lot, Garlett the wildcard, on form should add/defend a couple of goals per week between them.
3. Gawn and/or Fitzy - if these two can consistently find their best form we have a third forward (with Jamar).
4. Dom Tyson - his improvement in 2014 was amazing, if he can keep improving on the back of a great pre-season, he could be anything.
5. Young Mids develop - Kent, Viney, Kennedy-Harris, Mitchie, Riley, Salem, Toumpas.
6. Enigmatic ones step ups find their roles - Watts, Howe, Grimes, Garland all seem to have questions over their best position and role, if these boys can get settled and find their role and mojo we will start to motor.

[Biffen 12,949]

Peptides.

Delivered by Gatorade,without the players knowledge.

[Ron Burgundy 8,588]

Today on SEN they were discussing snakes and ladders. Lots of impartial commenters had Melbourne going up. Funny thing was the Carlton supporters saying they were a shot at the top four, but you always get that.

We're on the way up. Make no mistake about that.

And it's because of the stability and quality we now have in the coaching ranks.

And increasingly also in our back office, led by Peter Jackson.

That we're also building and developing a better list will help too.