Very Surreal at the moment

[barry]

Originally posted by JF_Bay22_SCG
Originally I set ourselves a target of being premiers in 10 years from last year. I'd like to think that we are starting that journey. And could acheive it in 3-5 the way things are falling into place.

JF

10 years??? That means that the drafties we pick up this year will be at the end of their careers by the time you expect us to win a flag?

Rebuilding is at most a 5 year thing.

[liz]

Originally posted by barry
10 years??? That means that the drafties we pick up this year will be at the end of their careers by the time you expect us to win a flag?

Rebuilding is at most a 5 year thing.

Even 5 years is pushing it a bit. I reckon 3 years is about the furthest ahead you can plan a squad. Injuries, form turnarounds, players wanting to leave...all far too hard to predict.

[swansrock4eva]

Just under 5 weeks ago, nearly everyone was screaming blue murder after 3 losses in a row, now we can't wait for the post-premiership glory come early October! Didn't I say to wait and see that we'd improve, even if only for a little while?! So having said that, I'd just like to say, not too loudly, I was right! Hehehe!

To be honest, I still don't give a rats' where we end up, just as long as they all get out there and give it a red hot go each week. So right now, I'm very happy, but definitely not euphoric and defintiely NOT thinking about September yet.

Note the "yet" though

GO YOU GOOD THINGS!

[swan_song]

Yes. as Ive said many a time...a top key defender to take full back or CHB, as I don't believe that either Schauble or Saddington are the right ones for these positions. Also a classy ruckman (Stafford, do I hear people cry) to take the load off Goodes and Ball, allowing them to get forward. I'm also a bit concerned about the midfield for 2004, and wouldn't knock back another PK if he's out there somewhere. I think with Cressa retiring, and Willo and Stewie another year older, we'll need to find some fresh legs and an in-and-under player or 2 to get the ball out of the centre.
I'm happy with most of 2003 so far, though I expect the Kangas to come out firing as they have copped real wallopings from us in recent years...indeed, today I relived on Foxtel that 10 goal last quarter from last year. If we make the finals this season, all well and good, and it will indeed be more than I had imagined pre season (but I imagined more than the team delivered last year) and we'll have some young players who will gain finals experience for a real crack at it in the years ahead.

[Newbie]

Reading somewhere, Steve Maxalos was mentioning about McVeigh. He said that McVeigh might be near to ready when Maxfield and William are going to retire (about 2-3 years) from today. They are trying to move Mathews there too.

My roadmap is: next year challenging for a final spot, 2005 challenging for a top four position and hopefully mouting a challenge for the flag in 2006-2007. Nothing in our recent performance has changed my opinion on this. We wont be ready earlier than 2006. Giving the kids some games now should enhance our chance in 2006-2007 though. By then, LRT and Powell should be ready together with Schneider and McVeigh too. Goodes, Saddo, Kennelly and Bolton should enter their peak, hopefully with Doyles and Fixter as well. Hall should still perform. Together, that is a decent group to work with.

[Charlie]

Meh. YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE! Unless you're a Buddhist, of course... but I don't think any of our squad are Buddhists.

So go out there fellas, and WIN this week. BEAT those 'Roos. Leave a Glen Archer-shaped divot in the Manuka turf if necessary... or if it simply takes your fancy. Try not to get caught, if possible.

Then, once that is done... go out there and WIN the next week... or go down fighting. Who gives a stuff, as long as they BELIEVE in themselves, and their ability to give it a red hot go, knowing that when on song NO-ONE can beat them?

Stuff it. Go for glory! No-one on here who is slightly reasonable will look down on them if they have a real dip - rebuilding or not... young or not. I'd rather come last, knowing that the players were playing for a flag... than come 10th 'cause they were too busy telling themselves that they ain't ready yet.

Now... if anyone can read all that gibberish and understand what I'm not conveying very well... good. But you only live once... so don't waste too much of your time trying to understand it, if in fact you don't already...

[Newbie]

We never know Charlie, God played for Geelong sometime ago, didn't he There might be a Buddist in our team.

Of course, the players should go out to win. But we should not expect them to win the big one anytime soon.

[Charlie]

Originally posted by Newbie
We never know Charlie, God played for Geelong sometime ago, didn't he There might be a Buddist in our team.

Of course, the players should go out to win. But we should not expect them to win the big one anytime soon.

I didn't say that I'm expecting a flag. But heck... seems a little more feasible than a spoon... don't you reckon?

My new 2003 motto is 'STUFF IT!'

[Charlie]

Here's something to inspire the boys...

http://essendonfc.com.au/images/03/drc1-8.jpg

See... it can be done.

[Bart]

Originally posted by Charlie
Here's something to inspire the boys...

http://essendonfc.com.au/images/03/drc1-8.jpg

See... it can be done.

With you all the way Charlie. Jeez with some of you its almost a crime to think of winning a premiership.

"Thou shalt not win a premiership until 2006"

Bugger that. To think we came within a whisker in 96, in a year where Eade started the year saying we were aiming for 10 wins. We also got hammered in our first two games. But nearly got there.

Baby Bombers indeed!

Sometimes momentum just carries you. It did it to us in 96.

Live a little people.

[robbieando]

Each year we should aim to win a preimership no matter what odds we are - because you never know with football. But it doesn't mean we can't have one eye on the future. We should be looking at building a team to win a preimership not only for this year, but every year down the road.

This means no more Fly by night player that we have gone for in the past. Sure maybe if its the right player but we have to be selective in this area. Already we are seeing some members on here saying we should aim for an Aker and give up our 1st Round Pick. Look at Geelong this after last season everyone expected them to improve but they haven't and if we are not careful the same will happen to us.

Also isn't every team on a 5 year plan at whatever different stage?? We must be careful because other teams that are around us will improve at such a great rate that they become the next Brisbane and thus block our path and then when our "window" is up we are back where we began and without a flag. Trying to be the next Brisbane isn't the way to go we should try and be the next SYDNEY

Try and win a premiership by all means but don't take the eye off our future - thats where we win premierships in 10 years time.

[Charlie]

Yes Robbie, that's right. Just because we're at 5-3 doesn't mean that we should stop playing LRT, Powell, Schneider etc. Because they've been part of the unit that's got us to 5-3!

We should play Meiklejohn more too... Hunt, Malceski, Thewlis, maybe even McVeigh. Give 'em all a run. But stuff it! They've been good enough to get to 5-3... Let 'em loose, and let 'em go for it... without the continual references to "no premiership before 2006". If you don't believe something can happen... it generally won't.

There is currently, off the top of my head... about 9 teams that can be classified as "rebuilding". Obviously, not all are going to win flags. So why not go with the attitude that the pre-season is for rebuilding. The real season is for going hell for leather, winning each game as it comes - if you can - and go for a flag? Who gives a stuff what journos say? The Swans were better than Brisbane... the benchmark of the comp! Why can't we dream? If it doesn't happen... so what? Always next year, and they'll be better for the experience.

What I'm saying is... give up the uptight references to rebuilding and 2006... open your eyes and mind... and see... this year a premiership will be won, by someone. Who will it be? The Swans? Why not? Looking better than the Crows and 'Pies at the moment... Who's going to care if at the end we don't win, but at round 9 you thought it was a chance? At least it means that you allowed yourself to enjoy the wins when they were coming!

I'm not going to regret any one of these posts if we fall in a hole and somehow come last. Will you regret your posts, regret not jumping on early for the wacky rollercoaster ride that is a flag assault, if we are in the top 4 at the end of round 22?