Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying we definitely can't/won't beat those teams (Hawks would be particularly sweet) but we're still at the point where every team we'll play (except for Brisbane) is either more developed physically or further ahead in their rebuild. Thus any wins we do get will be against the odds imo.

This of course will change next year and beyond as our guys develop and the Norf's and Hawks of the world continue to slide, but at this moment I think this is our reality.

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WADA medical director Dr Alan Vernec describes Essendon* FC drug case as biggest scandal in team sport the world of sport has seen. #WC2WB

#GUILTY

Also, in all the talk about the best way to develop our young players, has anyone considered the effect of consistently seeing empty stands broken up by colonies of timid/jaded supporters they know will only come back if they win? Particularly when they get to see the fanaticism of Richmond and * supporters regardless of results.

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WADA medical director Dr Alan Vernec describes Essendon* FC drug case as biggest scandal in team sport the world of sport has seen. #WC2WB

#GUILTY

We've got 10 players either 20 or under in our current side. If 7 of those 10 turn out to be 150+ gamers, we'll have a very good patch in the years ahead. I can see 6 that already look likely to go that distance.

But we'll never have success when those ten are still under 22.

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I think the GWS experience will provide a bit of a context for this.
Several of the players and SOS will have lived it close up and can now see this team rocket into Premiership favouritism.
This goes for both the win/loss ratio (GWS went backwards in Yr 2) and the empty stands.

Our experience will be more like the StKilda and Melbourne experience and nothing like the GWS experience. It will be interesting to see how they both go this year, lots of hype but not setting the world on fire.

Some good news for the girls out there (and some of the fellas) is that we have what appears to be a very attractive young list. I don't think they're going to struggle in nightclubs across Melbourne in the years ahead.

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Agree but my point was in response to the worry that regular defeats and empty stands will demoralise our boys while we try to pump games into them.

In order to follow Melbourne & StK's pathway, we'll need to nail a higher proportion of draft picks than is the norm and find a way to get another two or three high picks above and beyond what we get for finishing low. Melb was able to leverage more at the draft table by getting rid of/losing good players with currency such as Frawley (pick 3 FFS!); StK was able to get a return on Goddard, Dal Santo, McEvoy etc...

By contrast, we stuffed up many of our top picks over the past few years (other than Cripps which was an awesome win) and don't have much more to trade for top picks, except Gibbs and maybe Kruezer.

We need these additional top picks to build a top tier and deep midfield, esp with it being unlikely that Murphy or Gibbs or Kruez (+ Simpson) will be around when we are competing in the last 2-3 weeks of September again.