Gee one hears shite.
This is the same side that last year played with great enthusiam,behind their coach and missed a prlim by 3pts after being smashed by injury

What's changed talent-wise? After a few decent years coaching Ratten's lost the plot and with it probably his job. If he coached for the side and not his job he might've done a bit better. Board hasn't helped having that peessure on him.

Missing finals only once since his tenure from wooden spooner is a fair effort. If you dont see it that way, then possibly a trip to your local circus where you can fit in.

I was initially deluded and thought we had the talent but when I analysed it more closely clearly we don't.

Look at this list of regular/semi regular players and tell me if any of these players wold get a REGULAR game in a top 8 side:
Mclean, Joseph, Ellard, Armfield, Garlett, Jamo, Diugan, Hampson, Warnock, Kreuzer, Touhy, Collins, Lucas, Bower, Russell, Thornton
None of these guys would get a regular game at Eagles, Pies, Swans, Crows

Note I am not including first and second year players e.g.. Bootsma, Watson, Mitchell, McCarthy, Dale, Casboult etc....

The facts are that we have minimal depth and whilst we have a few A-list players we fall away very quickly.

Our player development over the past 5 yrs has been deplorable and hence we are in the position we are faced wit now

Whoa there big fella. Took Malthouse 10 years before he won a flag at the Magpies.,,when he took over in 2000 they werent a wooden spoon club.

Ratten has taken the club from poor to good in four years with a good strike rate.
Is he the man to take the playing group from good to great? He has nine games to prove it. Barker must take some responsibility with that unacceptable non functioning forward line.

Talent wise we probably have one of the better lists in AFL if everyone is up and going playing a good brand of footy and in good form.

Nine weeks to prove it.

Whoa there big fella. Took Malthouse 10 years before he won a flag at the Magpies.,,when he took over in 2000 they werent a wooden spoon club.

ah, that old chestnut.

malthouse didnt takeover a list with 3 no. 1s, a no.2, a no. 6, a no. 9 & chris judd. he started from ground zero and by his 4th year had his very ordinary list playing in consecutive grand finals. ratten has burned 5 !@#$%& years and won us 1 !@#$%& final. can you see the problem SCARPS???

Circumstances are different.

Malthouse walked in a club with Buckley, Licuria, Burns, Tarrant, Crosisca, Brown, Shauble, Rocca brothers, Mal Michael, Shane Watson and Butheras already on the list. He walked into a club with a spine.

Other than Fevola, Stevens, Russell, Waite & Murphy..there was really no one else.