I agree. For me we are the 17th best team in the competition.

Went to both the Gold Coast v Melbourne game as well as WB v WCE. All 4 of those teams are well ahead of us. They all have a midfield for one, which we simply don't have. We're bereft of decent players after Murphy and Gibbs (who are probably the two most average 'best' players from a club in the league).

Whilst those 4 teams mentioned still lack match winning KPP's to some extent, you can still win games and be competitive from your midfield.

When we lack BOTH decent KPP's and a midfield then it makes things very difficult.

We MIGHT beat West Coast on Friday purely because they're missing Mackenzie and now Mitch Brown, but as usual we won't know how to expose those deficiencies and use it to our advantage.

Honestly what confirmed 'where we were at' for me was when we drafted Liam Jones.

Our midfield is better than that of Melbourne and West Coast. I'll give you Dogs and Suns

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'too young to remember 95', have envied other clubs since'

like you last saw us do in what, 2001?

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Yes, but prior to that, it was all about the premiership 3rd quarter!!

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THEY LIKE TO SEND UP!!!!!!!!

Until each team plays each other the same number of times, the AFL, as a fair dinkum competition, cannot be taken seriously.

He (Mr Swann) said the honour and pride associated with the club's traditional navy blue jumper was priceless.

You change somethin' Willis?

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THEY LIKE TO SEND UP!!!!!!!!

Until each team plays each other the same number of times, the AFL, as a fair dinkum competition, cannot be taken seriously.

He (Mr Swann) said the honour and pride associated with the club's traditional navy blue jumper was priceless.

Jones, Viney, Brayshaw, Tyson, Kent, Newton, Cross, Vanderberg, Vince + Petracca when he returns. Salem another who is currently playing half-back, but will eventually move in.
Question marks on Trengove and Toumpas. At worst will at least get something at trade.
Yet to see Neal-Bullen and Stretch. One an inside, one outside. Both highly rated.

Not sure it's that clear cut.

West Coast I agree is their glaring weakness when compared to their talls.

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"They're [REDACTED]'

Thinking about maybe us and West Coast are on par with one another. (We're both pretty poor after our couple of best players).

Melbourne's on the other hand I think is better, their younger crop of mids is better than ours. Salem, Tyson, Viney as opposed to our younger crop; Cripps (not sure who else makes up our younger crop). Even Brayshaw came out and imposed himself on the game, led the tackles with 9 and was subbed off at 3 quarter time.

Nathan Jones is a year younger than Marc Murphy. Jones just about personifies what it means to be a captain of a football club, Murphy not so much.

I want to believe that we are better than Melbourne, but at the moment I'm struggling to see why.

HOPELESS ... In the truest sense of the word.

I know our membership area have been copping it...but cut them some slack...must be like selling ice to the Eskimos!

Bottom 4 with an anchor tied to our ankles!

As a supporter you sometimes just ask...why do you bother?

And if I hear one more word about fan engagement... I'll need a sick bag! Forget the fireworks and hovercrafts....keep your new podcasts and media bites for yourself. Nothing engages fans more than a win and a clear direction....

thought I better give a nod to the early 2000's. I had forgotten, its been soooo long

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I think the club knows it's going to get neither of those things. Hence the wankfest that was Thursday night.

Welcoming back Brendan Fevola in semi darkness and with minimal fanfare was a personal highlight.

I know a lot of people seem to have a 5-game threshold before passing judgement, but I can't help but feel another loss next week will seriously hurt my interest in the season.

I'll still watch every game, but it won't be with any hope or expectation. It will just be habit, or worse, morbid curiosity.

I entered the season thinking we might finish mid-table with some luck, but it took all of four quarters against a true mid-table team for reality to hit home. I'm now somewhat embarrassed that I'd been silly enough to cling to the modest hope that we could at least be also-rans.

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"The Wigg's big in 08!" - Chris Judd

That's the sad part, just how inferior an inferior side like Richmond made us look.

Richmond will be close to top 4. It is amazing how much you guys underrate them here.

They have recruited well (no quick fixes) and have been patient while building. They have one of the best midfields in the competition. They have the best FB in the competition and a very handy forward line with Griffiths and Rewoldt. Vickery cannot get a game and would be an automatic selection ahead of Casbolt, Jones, Watson at Carlton.

Our skills let us down again. This time it was the guys at the top like Gibbs and Murphy who could not hit a target. Turnovers was something that use to hurt the Tigers however they used it well on Thursday night.

If we are 3-2 after round 5 then we have exceeded my expectations. I expect us to be 1-4 or 2-3 after 5 rounds - which is about right and reflects the poor talent on our list.

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It is not as bad as you are lead to believe.......it is %$#^& worse!!!

richmond are crap... wont be anywhere near top 5

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Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil....... the Light at the End of the Tunnel has been turned off. We apologize for the inconvenience.

QUESTION: Am I still hate-watching Carlton?

ANSWER: Yes.

THEREFORE: All is right in the world.

To be honest, I hate-watch most games of footy now. Hoping Geelong get smashed by the Hawks so they can feel humiliation. Urging Adelaide on to a 100 point win so that my North mates feel my pain.

Sad state of affairs.

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"In better news for Blues fans, Jarrad Waite was not named on the club's injury list."

top 4, richmond? I dunno.

Hawks, Port, Swans, Adelaide, Freo and Cats are all a long way ahead of richmond imo ...

I did say close to top four however IMO there is not much difference between Richmond and Adelaide/Freo/Cats.

Not many teams beat Hawthorn last year. They are on the up.

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It is not as bad as you are lead to believe.......it is %$#^& worse!!!

We have systemic defensive deficiencies in the midfield and the worst forward line in the competition (by far). We will be competing for the spoon and at best bottom 4-5

Problem for me is that there is just nothing to get excited about

I was watching Melbourne and was thinking gee Dee supporters have something to cheer.

Murphy Gibbs and the rest of our list just does not get me excited

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A macfart a day helps you work rest and play

The only player that I enjoy watching is Menzel. Classy but still young and pretty patch. Not much else there. Really missing Eddie Betts.

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"our electorate seeks less to be informed and more to be validated." Sad times.