Not to take anything away from our sublime 2021 flag but it's now Sixty years since we have won a granny at our home ground.

Let's hope after dropping out in straight sets two years in a row we can win this year.

I dearly want to be able to attend a grand final with us winning.

Do most of us think we will be in the mix again?

We would need a hell of a lot to go right. Already a gun down in the midfield, who can step up? Petty will be missing for the first few, we cant rely on BBB to fill that void, nor TMac who has been training with the defenders anyway. Max and May nearing the twilight. So I suppose my answer is no.

Petracca has improved every year and has come back to training looking extraordinary. With him, Viney, Sparrow and (we hope) Gus, our midfield will be fine. Max is still going strong and we might blood some backup this year. Our defence is the best in the league although I agree, May is getting on, unfortunately. Our forward line is immensely improved on paper at least and if Fritta is fit and firing, and if we can get Petty back relatively soon, I see us having a great year. And if Clarry is in there, and I hope for his sake as much as ours that he is, we will be almost unbeatable IMV.

47 minutes ago, bobby1554 said:

We would need a hell of a lot to go right. Already a gun down in the midfield, who can step up? Petty will be missing for the first few, we cant rely on BBB to fill that void, nor TMac who has been training with the defenders anyway. Max and May nearing the twilight. So I suppose my answer is no.

What a horrible half glass empty future you are predicting. 

I can easily come up with the half glass full story completely the opposite and believe it’s far more likely than your dire negativity.

For starters Clarry is not missing yet. It’s his situation that we don’t know or can’t predict but I believe we will have him back fit and firing at some stage.

Who has ruled Petts out of the early rounds ? Even the additions of McAdam Billing’s Kolsthrup and Fullarton would transform our goal scoring plus a fit Fritta. 

Also BBB might just be match fit again and fill the Petty void for a few rounds. 

So Max and Stevie are going to fall off a cliff in 2024. Not on their watch! 

Count on improvement of Rivers in the middle a revitalised Lingers and Hunter or Howes or Taj plus Mc Vee improved and Salo back fit like in 2021. 

Tom Sparrow taking the next step and Joel  Smith and Melky to return later in the season. Trac couldn’t kick any worse and can straighten our inaccuracy horrors.

Oh and Mini gets the forward line and connectivity issues solved and improved.

I don’t believe any of my glass full points are unachievable or some even unlikely. That is the potential of our list existing and new players for 2024 and a flag at the G is a very real possibility given a great injury run. 

We have had our down years and 2024 is a great chance to right our wrongs and misfortune of 2022 and 2023. 
Three wins at the G.

Go Dees!! 
 

We've invested heavily in fixing our biggest weakness (both with players and coaching acquisition) and our list overall is stronger and deeper than 2023, with the sole exception of the ruck.

We were 3 points and 8 points from winning each of our finals, including against the eventual premier, in difficult circumstances and with our forward line thrashed by injury.

I don't see how anyone could seriously think we're not a credible contender going into 2024.

23 minutes ago, Little Goffy said:

We've invested heavily in fixing our biggest weakness (both with players and coaching acquisition) and our list overall is stronger and deeper than 2023, with the sole exception of the ruck.

We were 3 points and 8 points from winning each of our finals, including against the eventual premier, in difficult circumstances and with our forward line thrashed by injury.

I don't see how anyone could seriously think we're not a credible contender going into 2024.

Thanks L G

The big take away from last year was we almost made it with a plethora of injuries.

I'm confident we will be top four again this year as well.

24 minutes ago, Little Goffy said:

We've invested heavily in fixing our biggest weakness (both with players and coaching acquisition) and our list overall is stronger and deeper than 2023, with the sole exception of the ruck.

We were 3 points and 8 points from winning each of our finals, including against the eventual premier, in difficult circumstances and with our forward line thrashed by injury.

I don't see how anyone could seriously think we're not a credible contender going into 2024.

So true but it’s always the lot of some to use worst case scenarios really like 2022/3 to occur again. 

The theory is that we all start equal again in Round Zero/1 or whatever. 

One player in my previous post I didn’t even cover was JVR. I can see him having a real breakout year if we get the forward options we have deliberately targeted plus our existing talent all around him. 

His body strength plus confidence and team values plus an X factor in his marking ( refer to the top 5 marks of the year for reference) he is a Monty to kick 40plus goals this season. 

Can’t wait for the season if our recruits and existing talent get a sniff of a good game plan and trust in each other. There are a dozen good players we can use to kick goals and not one of them is like each other. They all have separate skills and it would be a nightmare to mind them all. 

Let's hope they all get on the park at some stage. 
 

We can be a contender alright but I believe it is our last year.

The Year of the Dee… D for Dragon?

2024 is the Year of the Dragon, so you’re right Deeves, this is our year. Apart from 2021, our last three grand final appearances have all been in the Year of the Dragon: 1964, 1988 and 2000. 😉 

4 hours ago, leave it to deever said:

Not to take anything away from our sublime 2021 flag but it's now Sixty years since we have won a granny at our home ground.

Let's hope after dropping out in straight sets two years in a row we can win this year.

I dearly want to be able to attend a grand final with us winning.

Do most of us think we will be in the mix again?

I would be very surprised if we’re anywhere near the pointy end and expect us to potentially slide out of the 8. 
 

We’ve been exposed the last two seasons and nothing has ultimately changed over the past three draft/trade/FA periods (I’m not expecting Windsor and/or Tholstrup to take us to the promised land in their first season; this isn’t a comment on their long-term prospects).
 

An ageing list, coupled with off-field immaturity and a soft-underbelly that’s been present since post 2021. What’s not to like? 

Edited January 2, 20241 yr by BLWNBA

i reckon we'll be close if Clarry plays and we have better luck with injuries. 

26 minutes ago, BLWNBA said:

An ageing list, coupled with off-field immaturity and a soft-underbelly that’s been present since post 2021. What’s not to like? 

To whom are you referring? Because it can’t be Clarry, unless mental ill-health is now also known as immaturity. 

1 hour ago, WalkingCivilWar said:

The Year of the Dee… D for Dragon?

2024 is the Year of the Dragon, so you’re right Deeves, this is our year. Apart from 2021, our last three grand final appearances have all been in the Year of the Dragon: 1964, 1988 and 2000. 😉 

That's a good omen, I'll take that!

10 minutes ago, WalkingCivilWar said:

To whom are you referring? Because it can’t be Clarry, unless mental ill-health is now also known as immaturity. 

Here we go. 

Or…. If we lose our first few games, the season may drag-on… 

We'll be there on GF day.

52 minutes ago, Lexinator said:

That's a good omen, I'll take that!

Another good omen is that our last 5 grand final appearances (1960, `64, `88, 2000, `21) were all Summer Olympics years - so too is 2024. 😆

1 hour ago, BLWNBA said:

I would be very surprised if we’re anywhere near the pointy end and expect us to potentially slide out of the 8. 
 

We’ve been exposed the last two seasons and nothing has ultimately changed over the past three draft/trade/FA periods (I’m not expecting Windsor and/or Tholstrup to take us to the promised land in their first season; this isn’t a comment on their long-term prospects).
 

An ageing list, coupled with off-field immaturity and a soft-underbelly that’s been present since post 2021. What’s not to like? 

I'll be very surprised if you are right.

5 minutes ago, loges said:

I'll be very surprised if you are right.

 

6th - 8th with an elimination final win is my tip.

I have Collingwood, Carlton Brisbane, GWS, Sydney and Adelaide ahead of us this year.

Edited January 2, 20241 yr by Bring-Back-Powell

57 minutes ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

6th - 8th with an elimination final win is my tip.

I have Collingwood, Carlton Brisbane, GWS, Sydney and Adelaide ahead of us this year.

...but then you've always been a glass half empty kind of guy.

Well,  after a few weeks of total, well, boredom on this site, haven't things hotted up quickly in this thread?

 For some years, IMV people have rated out list really highly -as they should - but have forgotten that a couple of other teams had good lists as well. I think ours stacks up against anyone's. McQualter will be a great addition. Our forward line has dramatically improved thanks to some more recruiting brilliance. I am immensely confident. And to be honest, I would hate to go into a football season with anything but confidence and optimism.

Edited January 2, 20241 yr by Ollie fan
Typo

12 minutes ago, rjay said:

...but then you've always been a glass half empty kind of guy.

Hey, I tipped a finals win.

That’s a damn sight better than the last 2 years.

The Year Of The Dee... monland.com hourly login to check for a new off-field scandal

3 hours ago, BLWNBA said:

Here we go. 

Well, don’t make stoopid comments and I won’t pipe up. Simples, even for you.