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I reckon unlike 2007 and 2008 the competition has now shown they are nipping at our heels. Team selection notwithstanding, the defeat to Carlton on a fine, sunny day after us having an 8-day break with only two main players missing from our line-up did suggest that some other sides have a game style that can challenge us.
Now, i am not suggesting that we are at our peak yet, and Scarlett plus Corey are two vital parts to our mix. But i am saying that perhaps this year unlike the previous three, we will be only 'in the mix' with a few other sides for the upper reaches of the table. As another Cats poster on another thread suggested, perhaps this year might have a touch of the 1990, 1993 or 1997 about it, where there is no longer a dominant side but a group of sides than can go all the way with the right luck and circumstances. Our mission is to place ourselves right in the forefront of such a group, as i'd back ourselves in September over any of the Pies, Dogs and Saints simply because we're now a proven September outfit. But the key is getting there, and not doing a 1990 or 1993 and miss the bus so to speak.
So in the light of that, we should aim to really towel Richmond up unmercifully. We need a huge win to bump our percentage up there with the best, as i reckon it will come into play later in the year. A nice big whipping would enable us to be the 'best of the group' in terms of whatever number of wins we fall on. If we get 15-7 with a huge percentage i'd say a top-4 spot is a monty. But we need to strike while the iron is hot, the Tigers missing Tambling, Martin and co look as weak as any side since Fitzroy. We need to use this to maximise our chances come later in the year. Just feel that we won't be sailing away with an 18-4 or better this year, we might drop 6 or 7 games. Just like Brisbane did in 2003 mind you, but we are probably not the all-conquering juggernaught that just blew teams off the park in the first 40-odd games of our streak of power.
Now, i am not suggesting that we are at our peak yet, and Scarlett plus Corey are two vital parts to our mix. But i am saying that perhaps this year unlike the previous three, we will be only 'in the mix' with a few other sides for the upper reaches of the table. As another Cats poster on another thread suggested, perhaps this year might have a touch of the 1990, 1993 or 1997 about it, where there is no longer a dominant side but a group of sides than can go all the way with the right luck and circumstances. Our mission is to place ourselves right in the forefront of such a group, as i'd back ourselves in September over any of the Pies, Dogs and Saints simply because we're now a proven September outfit. But the key is getting there, and not doing a 1990 or 1993 and miss the bus so to speak.
So in the light of that, we should aim to really towel Richmond up unmercifully. We need a huge win to bump our percentage up there with the best, as i reckon it will come into play later in the year. A nice big whipping would enable us to be the 'best of the group' in terms of whatever number of wins we fall on. If we get 15-7 with a huge percentage i'd say a top-4 spot is a monty. But we need to strike while the iron is hot, the Tigers missing Tambling, Martin and co look as weak as any side since Fitzroy. We need to use this to maximise our chances come later in the year. Just feel that we won't be sailing away with an 18-4 or better this year, we might drop 6 or 7 games. Just like Brisbane did in 2003 mind you, but we are probably not the all-conquering juggernaught that just blew teams off the park in the first 40-odd games of our streak of power.

