As there is every preseason there is lots of chat about how the dees will go this year and whether we fall away (and next to no chat that we might actually improve). 

Luck plays a big role in winning a flag, but i think we can all agree that key to winning a flag is finishing top 4.

I'll post my rationale for this opinion at a later point, but for now i wanted to put my flag in the ground and say that I think we will, for the fourth consecutive season, finish the 2024 home and away season in the top 4. 

I'm keen to see where the Demonland massive thinks we finish at the end of 2024 home and away season:

• Top 4
• 5th-8th 
• Missing finals 

I can only go by what I have seen so far and that doesn’t bode well for us when you consider injuries and the off season drama. 

Whilst  the option wasn’t there I have us somewhere in 6-10. Which if recent history tells us anything is only 2 wins and some % points between those positions .

Compared to 16 wins in 2023, I think we will drop a few more this year and end up 11-12 mark.  Given the extra round this year puts us at risk at missing finals. 

I’ve got us finishing top 4 again. 

Best defence last 3 years. 

We’ve got too much talent not too. 

It won’t look pretty early but we’ll be banking wins, and as the season goes on our fwd line will take shape leading into a barnstorming run into the finals leading ultimately into our 2nd flag in four years.

Top 2, our last 3 seasons have been very solid, we still have the team and the talent, yes finals have been a different story the last 2 seasons. I don't see us dropping out of the 4. Regarding finals I pray they're all fit and firing for an other flag.

Edited February 20, 20241 yr by JJR

Missing finals for me. I think we’ll finish around the 10th to 12th mark. 

For me, it’s not the off-field stuff it’s the lack of upcoming talent in key positions and injuries. May will be on his last legs by season’s end, Gawn will be exhausted and our lack of leg speed off the half back line will really be exposed. This competition moves at break neck speed and there’s quite a few teams that will unfortunately leap frog us.

Edited February 20, 20241 yr by At the break of Gawn

Right now I have very little confidence in the season coming up. I am hoping it’s more to do with the uncertainty over my favourite player of all time but there just seems to be so many little things not going right. I also don’t think our list management has done a great job at improving our weaknesses in the last two years.

I know it was very much a scratch match on the weekend but for me there was very little to get excited about. I hope our next practice match we show something different. I think we have improvement in us but I also think some other clubs have a large amount of improvement in them. 
 

Without seeing everyone play scratch and practice matches if I have to give an answer right now, I think we miss finals this year. I think where in for a tough year. Demonland on the other hand I think is in for a record breaking year. 

10 minutes ago, Bombay Airconditioning said:

I’ve got us finishing top 4 again. 

Best defence last 3 years. 

We’ve got too much talent not too. 

It won’t look pretty early but we’ll be banking wins, and as the season goes on our fwd line will take shape leading into a barnstorming run into the finals leading ultimately into our 2nd flag in four years.

yeah I think our biggest loss in 3 years was to Freo at G by 38, when we lose we don't lose by much at all.

Last warning. Next person to mention Joel Smith and off-field issue will receive a ban. No more warnings.

I still think we're pretty comfortably in the best 4 teams barring a bad run with injuries so i've got us top 4. i honestly don't think we're that far off being the benchmark again, if we see a 20% improvement in our efficiency inside 50 and our conversion i think we're playing in a grand final.

You'd reckon we have enough talent to finish top eight... May, Gawn, Tracc, Viney, Oliver, Salem, Lever, Kozzie, JvR, Petty, Angus, Fritta, etc.

Then again it isn't always individual talent. Gameplans/systems play a massive part, especially early in the season. 

We'll be OK although the injuries and unavailability of a few up till now is a bit of a worry.

5-13 for mine, but voted 5-8 to show some relative optimism

too many injuries in the pre-season

The toppermost of the poppermost.

I am also bullish about 2024, we desperately need a bit of luck, we need a reasonable run with injury and health for our crucial players. We need all the kids to step up for Casey as success breeds success. We need at least four of those kids to come in and refresh the squad as well as Fullarton, Billing’s and McAdam successfully slotting in and  providing improvement to our list. Most importantly we need Kysaiah, JvR, Fritta and Harrison Petty being available at the business end of the year and if it all comes together we win our 14th Cup.

Premiers!!!

It’s us against the world and some Demonlanders. Let’s stick it up them. 
 

1 minute ago, Dee Zephyr said:

Premiers!!!

It’s us against the world and some Demonlanders. Let’s stick it up them. 
 

Sad but true. 

7 minutes ago, WalkingCivilWar said:

Sad but true. 

 

Top 2

Our midfield will still be the best contested.

Our backline has an aging May who is still close to peak but others around him improving.

Our forward line has a couple of need based recruits that can only improve us.

Alot comes down to Max but i'll back in the only bloke who can captain us to a premiership in 50 years.

23 minutes ago, whatwhat say what said:

 

 

An anthem for a select group of Demonlanders…

 

Edited February 20, 20241 yr by WalkingCivilWar

Nah we are [censored] when it rains 😂 

21 minutes ago, demosaw said:

Nah we are [censored] when it rains 😂 

Our opponents are ecstatic when it rains.

 

The corresponding pies and blues footy forum poll is:

Top 4: 100%

5th to 8th: 0%

Missing finals: 0%

Winning flag: 100%

1 minute ago, binman said:

Our opponents are ecstatic when it rains.

 

Binny I don’t care if your posts are short or long, you always have something to say. Love the analysis you bring to the forum and the pod. Looking forward to a great year. Haters gonna hate.

Very lucky with injuries --- potential premiers.

If Fritsch and Gawn (heaven forbid) go down early and miss a chunk of matches, and Petty's troubles linger, mid-table at best.

Our forward depth, with the latest bad news today, is worse than ever. 

I'd love to think BBB's wobbly knees will hold out until September, but I'd rate the odds 50-1 against.

1 hour ago, binman said:

The corresponding pies and blues footy forum poll is:

Top 4: 100%

5th to 8th: 0%

Missing finals: 0%

Winning flag: 100%

At Carlton they say "1 to 4" because they believe they have finally added depth and a coherent team ethic to support the core of serious stars.

At Collingwood they say the same but mostly because they get anxious trying to count any higher than that.

I think we’ll finish top 4 but the proviso is we get our injured forwards back fit and firing. Petty critical this year.

We’re a very dogged team to play against and defensively sound so we’ll stay in most games.

if injuries and luck against us then 5-8 likely. Can’t see us dropping out of the 8 irrespective of injuries.

Cant wait for the season to start.