i said i could see it. talent takes time to produce results. they are all very young and inexperienced. i fully expect a step back in results before moving forward.
Probably the biggest consideration is how much improvement is evident in the other lower-placed sides. We'll be bringing more youth in over the next year or two, so an immediate rise up the ladder is probably unrealistic.
Essendon will get a number of quality players back, who will have a point to prove - expect them to climb back up the ladder a bit.
Freo pick up McCarthy, possibly Hogan, get Fyfe and Bennell on the park, and stop tanking...no way they don't enter into finals calculations.
Brisbane - who knows, but they'll get Beams back and will have put another year's work into their young talls.
St Kilda regain Carlisle, but maybe lose a few top-agers, could actually see them sliding a bit overall, but they gave us a touch-up last week.
Collingwood and Richmond are a bit of an unknown quantity, could easily go either way.
Would be easy to see us sliding at least two spots, potentially more if the Pies and Tigers pull their fingers out.