Those familiar with old geezers music will know of Vivaldi's 4 Seasons. Here the composer takes us on an audio journey through the change of scenery and habitat as we make forward through the changing nature of nature changing.

The oft maligning quip about Melbourne has always been... don't like the weather? Wait 5 mins.

Melbourne and Change seem bonded at the hip.

If the playing years of 23/24 were our Winter ( of discontent ) perhaps this year has been mildly Autumnal. Some leaves have fallen ( and some fallen did leave ) . Evergreens remain but some branches elsewhere await the wonder of new growth.

As we await the new footy year a sense that a new Spring is upon us. The signs are there. Foliage has either departed by its own design or felt the efforts of pruning. The overseers entrusted with the caring of the club have done what they could to set the course for the coming weather.

Spring, a time of reawakening from hibernation, the starting of new growth, a reaching for the sun.

Summer brings the heat, the idea of the great outdoors, of fun in the sun. We're not there yet. Let's enjoy the Spring as it brings renewed endeavour, new life and gladdening of the heart .

Melbourne, the team will look very different in 26. Yes a certain familiarity will be present but expect some to have added added 'spring' to their step. The adorned colours won't have changed . Those wearing them will have

Pundits looking to put a line through us may want to hold fire. I fully expect we'll give as good as we get. With the introduction of Wild Card silliness in 26 I can even see us participating in September. How ? Why not ? There were definitely things wrong at Melbourne but we weren't unsalvageable. We amazingly weren't that far off the mark at times but we were in the sense of playing to the wrong 'scoresheet' We missed a beat many a time, we missed the goals even more. Those familiar with engines will know that the difference between a sputtering block and a humming revving beast is sometimes nothing more than the attention of someone who knows how to tune.

I fervently think 26 will be music far sweeter than some suspect

The folklore suggests there are people that dwelt in the vicinity of a large Blue Oval that know of Engine tuning 😉

They are among us now.

26 will be a transition year imho. We wont hit top rpm from the get go but we will improve.

Go Dees

7 minutes ago, beelzebub said:

Those familiar with old geezers music will know of Vivaldi's 4 Seasons. Here the composer takes us on an audio journey through the change of scenery and habitat as we make forward through the changing nature of nature changing.

The oft maligning quip about Melbourne has always been... don't like the weather? Wait 5 mins.

Melbourne and Change seem bonded at the hip.

If the playing years of 23/24 were our Winter ( of discontent ) perhaps this year has been mildly Autumnal. Some leaves have fallen ( and some fallen did leave ) . Evergreens remain but some branches elsewhere await the wonder of new growth.

As we await the new footy year a sense that a new Spring is upon us. The signs are there. Foliage has either departed by its own design or felt the efforts of pruning. The overseers entrusted with the caring of the club have done what they could to set the course for the coming weather.

Spring, a time of reawakening from hibernation, the starting of new growth, a reaching for the sun.

Summer brings the heat, the idea of the great outdoors, of fun in the sun. We're not there yet. Let's enjoy the Spring as it brings renewed endeavour, new life and gladdening of the heart .

Melbourne, the team will look very different in 26. Yes a certain familiarity will be present but expect some to have added added 'spring' to their step. The adorned colours won't have changed . Those wearing them will have

Pundits looking to put a line through us may want to hold fire. I fully expect we'll give as good as we get. With the introduction of Wild Card silliness in 26 I can even see us participating in September. How ? Why not ? There were definitely things wrong at Melbourne but we weren't unsalvageable. We amazingly weren't that far off the mark at times but we were in the sense of playing to the wrong 'scoresheet' We missed a beat many a time, we missed the goals even more. Those familiar with engines will know that the difference between a sputtering block and a humming revving beast is sometimes nothing more than the attention of someone who knows how to tune.

I fervently think 26 will be music far sweeter than some suspect

The folklore suggests there are people that dwelt in the vicinity of a large Blue Oval that know of Engine tuning 😉

They are among us now.

26 will be a transition year imho. We wont hit top rpm from the get go but we will improve.

Go Dees

Can't sleep Beelze?

😄

As is the way, pessimism certainly starts to lift when you think of the possibilities that exist next season. I’m not expecting much but won’t be surprised if we give 6- 10th place a shake. I feel a strong start and finish but a fairly ordinary deep winter patch.

I definitely think we'll surprise a few. We certainly won't be bottom 2, like some have suggested. We lost 3 or 4 games in absolutely stupid ways last season (St Kilda 2 of them!). We are not top-end contenders for a few years yet, though, at the really pointy end, but there's no reason we can't play a final.

Alas, we are still in a winter searching hopefully...for the blossom buds, for then we will know, spring will be nigh upon us.

14th - 17th next year.

8 wins on the optimistic end of the scale. 4 wins on the pessimistic end of the scale. (A very outside chance to be in wild card contention in August if the players embrace and respond extraordinarily well to King)

I don't believe I'm being pessimistic. Just realistic.

I can't help but think that Trac is an atrocious loss (for the now). We lose his score involvements and his overall magic that no one else at the club is capable of.

Having said that, I'm pumped with the traded in players and the young recruits, and particularly pumped with the new direction that the club so desperately needed. We were on the road to nowhere by July/August of this year.

4 hours ago, beelzebub said:

If the playing years of 23/24 were our Winter ( of discontent ) perhaps this year has been mildly Autumnal. Some leaves have fallen ( and some fallen did leave ) . Evergreens remain but some branches elsewhere await the wonder of new growth.

What a great line Beelz. Very impressed. You sure you’re an engineer?

32 minutes ago, Neil Crompton said:

You sure you’re an engineer?

May I join you in your umbrage, @beelzebub?

1 hour ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

I don't believe I'm being pessimistic. Just realistic.

You've for the most part been a glass half empty kind of guy 'BBP'...but I do agree that Tracc is a big loss but a loss we had to have non the less.

I won't write us off just yet because the new game plan (and coach) might give us a greater spread of involvement that will more than cover Tracc. That plus I expect to get a bump from the younger guys and new additions.

Way to early to predict finishing positions.