We were terrible in Round 1 and 3 and the last 4 games of 2009. Alot of the reason for that was in the first 4 and last 4 games we were playing 5, 6 or 7 of the likes of Brown, Bowden, Raines, Mcmahon, Coughlan, Simmonds, Schulz, Tuck in the same games. We were slowed down as a team due to too much lack of pace, composure, skill, urgency, hardness etc. During Rounds 5-18 we looked a lot more lively with alot less of these players in the team. They were replaced by Cotchin, Thursfield, Collins, Post, Graham, Vickery, Rance, Polo, Cousins in this middle period where we won 5 games and a draw(which we should have won), while losing to Port when we should have won. So we really could have had 7 wins and gave Carlton and Adelaide a push in this period too. But in the last 4 games some of our young players such as Foley, Collins, Cotchin, Graham got injured and Post, Vickery were given a rest while the older brigade of Brown, Bowden, Mcmahon, Coughlan, Simmonds, Tuck came back into the side for some farewell games. So we should be expecting the form shown from Rounds 5-18, but expect more than that considering Post, Vickery, Cotchin missed about half that period too. So we should expect to have all these kids fit as well as Foley who missed the last 2 months of 2009. Add to that the great step taken by Edwards in the last 8 weeks last year and the addition of Martin who looks ready made for afl. We are looking at a young group who would have won 7 games in that 14 week period last year plus other wins from the remaining 8 games. 1 or 2 teams we beat last year may surprise us this year, but we'll surprise other teams who beat us last year. No reason not to expect 8 or more wins in 2010
