A few basic facts on our position - both good and bad.

1. We have the worst list in the league and right now, deserve to be last.

2. Part of the reason we are crap is that our retreads came with only a 1 year warranty, a some are OK, but some arent. The other part is to do with relatively inexperienced youth in the side.

3. Unlike as was the case in 2002 - our first spoon - We do have a good nucleus of young players that are developing that will definately lead the team forward.

4. It is quite likely that we will finish with enough games to get a prioity pick. plus first selection of draft and PSD.

5. The competition is still evolving under the draft system.
The direction of that evolution is towards an evening of it with short windows of opportunity to grab a flag, relatively short periods of rebuilding. - (I think that this will work very much to our advantage in this particular rebuilding cycle.)

6. We arent a long way behind teams like Collingwood, Hawthorn and Richmond, so it is also quite likely I think that there will be a bit of bounce in 2006 if we finish last in 2005 and recruit well. A season like 2004 wouldn't be out of the question by any means, perhaps even better.

7. Compared to the 'crash and burn' years of 2002 and 2003, we are in a much better position despite probably finishing last. Our position I think will not indicate where we really are in a sense. Our worst list status of 2005 isnt as bead as our worst list status in 2002 or 2003.

Actually, I think that we are in a far far better 'starting point' now than in the past couple of years.

8. Under the present AFL draft system, future woorden spoons will be shared around a lot more than in the past. I think we may have left the days of long term afl 'cellar dweller' teams.

There will be plent of wooden spoons of the future won by teams that havent normally won them in the past - although having said this I dont think St Kilda's spoon total will ever remotely be bettered.

Overall there will be less stigma about a wooden spoon than before - it will be just accepted as part of a rebuilding process.

So all in all, after the quite significant unpleasantness of finishing last has been stomached, Im not all that upset really, just accepting of an unfortunate but necessary reality.

Here now are some additional speculatlive points that I would like to make in regard to us and also other teams.

Premiers - West Coast - beating Geelong. (yes, losers again)

Richmond - to make the eight but be bundled out of the finals in straight sets. - In other words, they wont show that they are the real deal and ultimately disappoint their fans.

Collingwood & Essendon* - on their way to becoming teams that peak in the middle of the ladder and no better. - Will also ultimately dissappoint their fans

Carlton to show real signs of improvement on 2006. - The fruits of finishing last in 2005 (If we do) will be that our resurgance will be a lot stronger.

We will recruit a not too old top line ready made player in his prime in the psd.

Pagan may have 'lost' the players and may not see out his contract, possibly not taking the club into 2006.

We will win another flag before Collingwood, Essendon*, Geelong, Richmnd and St Kilda does.

For a number of reasons I do think that for many supporters, they are taking our current plight harder than perhaps they should be, and in the fillness of time, they may see finishing last in 2006 in a completely different light than they do right now.

As I have said before - The darkest time is just before the dawn. There are lots of things going on but are yet unseen, but when they are known, will pleasantly surprise blues fans in the not so distant future.

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My Blue Heaven

Some good points blueman, except I'm tipping a West Coast vs Melbourne Grand Final.

But unless Michael Malouf just found $2,000,000 in cash in the bottom drawer of an unused desk in his office, there's absolutely no chance of Denis Pagan getting the arse with 3 years left on his contract.

No chance.

True, but while we're looking to the future we should also be looking for a replacment coach cause Dennis is pushing 60 and won't be coaching after his current contract ends (2008 i think)

Acually Im not suggesting that Denis gets sacked, Im suggesting that he may end up quitting before his contract expires. I dont think that this would involve a big payout from the Blues.

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My Blue Heaven

If he quits on his own accord without inducement from Carlton - we don't have to pay him a cent, repudiation of a contract.

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"A good composer does not initiate. He steals."

- Igor Stravinsky

If the club, Denis and the supporters are patient, Denis will see us into a golden era.
Its when we have this fixation with winning the nothing games and therefore unable to improve the list that we will struggle to REALLY go forward.

Denis is the right coach....

I wouldnt be looking too far into the future as far as coaches are concerned.
In my opinion we have the best in the business..

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Pretty good post blueman.

Denis will see us right, he has too much pride to walk.

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While I like the optimism I struggle to understand how us supporters can say that we will win another flag before other teams do (especially when we are sitting cold motherly last). You would have to agree that all of these teams are managing their list better than us at the moment.