I hope you're right, but that starting 18 is looking far too tall, too old and too slow - half the side will be 30 and over by year's end.
Just look at the forward line - Steven and Jenkins are unknowns, Dahlhaus can't kick straight or past 30 yards, Ratugolea can be anything within 5 minutes of play and Tommy and Gazza will be getting the pension soon. There's no fear here for the opposition.
Only Miers brings genuine excitement forward of 50, Narkle too if he's improved.
The backline is stable, but still lacks a line-breaker with genuine pace.
Stewart and Danger are the only two A-grade players we have that can be trusted to play at the highest level every week. Duncan maybe, if he's right to go.
We can't expect Taylor, Ablett, Selwood and Tommy to stand up all the time - we'll need at least a few of the mid-level brigade to become a-graders and personally, I can't see it happening.
Plus, let's face it - the loss of Kelly is huge, and not just for this year.
Also - I just don't see the hunger for ultimate success with these players. Apart from Danger and Stewart, the truly great players in this side have all been to the well and drunk very well. Another year in their old legs, in front of a cosy home-crowd, topping up the super and Instagram likes - it'll be interesting.
That’s an awfully pessimistic assessment of a team that finished minor premiers last year, and bowed out of the finals by just three goals to the eventual premiers (without Duncan and Hawkins).