With the list completed for the next season with the finalization of the rookies, I wanted to know the realistic expectations people have for next season.

For myself, I can see a very improved list with the removal of a few NQR players and the introduction of a lot of experience and potential. After the trading and draft periods I would say we have a list that is 10 to 15% better than it was this time last year. I will add into my expectations improvements to lot of our younger players that are coming into their 2nd or 3rd seasons and i expect us to be in the bottom half of the 8 with 13 or 14 wins.

I will nominate 6th with no limit placed on the finals.

I believe 2017 will be the year where we beat a lot of teams we have struggled with in the past. St Kilda, North Melbourne, Carlton, West Coast, Essendon etc. If we can get the monkey off the back with games like those and continual to reign supreme over teams like Richmond, Port, Hawthorn etc. We should see a 6-8th finish. 

Expectations? Same as usual at this time of the year: premiership.

Finals.

Time for Finals this year..anything less is a fail.

I would think we can play in an Elimination Final (win it a bonus). I really hope its in Melbourne but i suspect we will be 7th/8th so it will be hoping and praying that we end up against a fellow victorian team. Saints, Hawks or Cats might be the ones. Would love it to be the Hawks, Nice passing of the baton as one Era ends and another begins.  

Wins against the Pies, Saints, Carlton and the Roos are a must. Playing them twice we should really be able to chalk up 6 or 7 out 8. Doing that means we only need to find another 7 wins for the rest of the year and we're in. Easier said than done but our draw really means there's no more excuses.

Id like to see us create a fortress at the MCG. I really want to begin hearing people say "We could beat the Dees but just not at the G"

And a big interstate away win would be nice GWS, Adelaide or WC. 1/3 is good enough 

And finally the Friday night against the Swans. We need to perform, assuming they will be premiership contenders again, the win is not a requirement but we need to push them all the way. 

as others have said, its vital to win against bogey teams such as the roos, bombers and saints.. just not sure that the saints are a lock, as they are pretty close to us in my opinion. a tricky, fast side. we have to remember that most other teams will improve their lists in the off-season and the saints are no exception. i would think we will lock in sides like the roos, bombers, port, carlton, etc.. the only sides that i think we may still struggle with are the giants, swans, dogs. reckon we might have the hawks measure now (but def not a lock against them yet). i expect a top 8 finish and would love a finals win. this will improve how the rest of the comp (and opposition players) view us. further highlighting the mfc as a destination club. 

Finals

1 hour ago, juzzk1d said:

I believe 2017 will be the year where we beat a lot of teams we have struggled with in the past. St Kilda, North Melbourne, Carlton, West Coast, Essendon etc. If we can get the monkey off the back with games like those and continual to reign supreme over teams like Richmond, Port, Hawthorn etc. We should see a 6-8th finish. 

We "reign supreme" over Port and Hawks???

There is no reason why we should not aspire to the Grand Final.

The power teams are on their way down. Only GWS are a stand out.

In reality we will most likely continue in our mediocrity but one can hope. Probably 8-11 at end of home and away. Maybe win a final depending on who and where we play.

I will preface  my expectations  with an overview of how I see us ,,,,,now,

For many many years you could look at our list and think, well,  of the 44 or so only a dozen are really good AFL players., another dozen can be more than useful  "on their day" half a dozen would be...I'm not too sure why we have them. The rest were either noobs or nqr's

It's been a long time since I looked at our list and thought ( really thought, not hoped ) we actually have the possibility ( very real) of assembling something quite potent here.....and there's depth in most places  ( * ruck worries me still )

From back through the guts to the pointy end we have ability.

It could be very easy to get carried away and I have done in the past, but I'll temper my expectations to, we will play finals and wont just make up the numbers there either. I expect us to play a more consistent winning brand of footy and string  games together on more than a couple of occasions through the season.

Teams we should have beaten we now will.  I dont think we'll fully get a 'well oiled machine " act happening just yet in 2017...2018 with another season and preseason ..yes.

2017..finish...13-14 wins  place 6-8. make 2nd week of finals...scare the bejeebus out of a lot of teams !!  Make Collingwood cry twice again !!always good value

There are the usual caveats

2018....in the Granny !!

Go Dees

( thread needs a poll btw ) 

6th or 7th

31 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

We "reign supreme" over Port and Hawks???

The last games we played against them we won. Hence, we reign supreme..

15 wins.

2017. In Three Stages.

1. Start of season - all minty fresh and full of hope.

2. Halfway through season - wild expectations, dreams of finals after winning 3 in a row.

3. End of season - dashed hopes, bitter taste in mouth as we limp into 9th place. 

It's tempting to give it the Veruca Salt treatment, but I still see 2017 as a steadily building year.

The positive thing is that finals is now more than pie in the sky. It will widely be deemed a pass mark for next season. My personal prediction is making 8th place by the skin of our teeth.

There are however bigger things on the horizon. A finish of 9th or 10th won't stop me from thinking a jump into the top four can be achieved in 2018/19. That's when I will start to think seriously about the damage we can do in September.

It's worth noting that however smooth the transition might appear, this is still going to be Goodwin's first season as senior coach. Zero teething problems seems unlikely.

2017 will continue to be a bumpy ride, but a fun one all the same.

Not nearly so bumpy i think

Will be disappointed with anything less than 8th.

The building blocks are in place. It's time to deliver now.

 

I expect to ride the highs and lows of the demonland match day and post match threads, shifting and accelerating between deelusion and deespair 

Seriously I am quite bullish about the MFC next year

14 - 15 wins , 5th 

week 1 finals win at the G

we are ready now, its our time... the ride has started 

 

Whilst it's 30 years on from 1987 and there are some interesting parallels between then and now, I'm not sure I could survive the last round sneaking into the finals that we did back then if it were to happen this year. 

The two thumpings of North and the Swans in the finals, however, I'd be more than happy to watch

I would say anything less than finals would be disappointing.

The only thing that would make me truly filthy is if we finished 11th or worse. A 9th finish would be a bitter pill to swallow but I don't think that the baby should be thrown out with the bathwater in that case.

12 wins with a percentage of over 100 would be a very good result.

As well as not losing games when we're $1.25 favourite. 

Scary to think that had we'd beaten Essendon and Carlton as well as only losing to Geelong by 40 points in the last game, we would've played finals.

5th or 6th. Gawn has to stay fit. 

26 wins.  Easy.

Awesome thread, love hearing everyone's expectations and thoughts for next year.

In my opinion our list has definitely improved over the off season - by exactly how much is hard to say - but I'd suggest with Melksham, Hibberd and Lewis at the very least joining our best 25 we are adding some extra quality. Include a fit Salem and some more fitness into last years recruits and we're looking even better. Our depth across the board is pretty solid and I reckon if we get a decent run with injuries we can improve on last year with a similar bump up in wins from the year previous. Looking for at least 12 wins.

If everything is truly right in the world and 2017 treats us nicely - then North will plummet, Pies lose their coach and implode, similar story with Tigers if they don't fire, Carlton begin to stumble, Port have the pressure on and are almost in the same boat, Weat Coast might drop away again in an off year, Hawks might have lost their soul and most importantly St Kilda begin to top out with a lack of true talent (they worry me) then we might just jump a few more places than previously expected and imbed ourselves in the finals. Can't wait!