I'm starting to get the feeling from various posters to this site, that our current position (vis-a-vis) on top of the ladder is too much for some to handle. We have been perennial strugglers most of our history until we came from the clouds in 2013 and made a GF. I was there, felt the pain of defeat and rued our missed chances.
Since then, there has been an air of expectation from within our supporter base to go one better. A horrible injury toll late last season, dropping a 'gimme' game against the Deaf Cheats that saw us give up a home Qualifying Final and other factors conspired to see us out in straight sets.
Last off-season, we were written off by all and sundry (especially on here) that we had had our chance and that was it. Then we burst out of the blocks, smashed every team we played for 9 rounds and went 3 games clear on top of the ladder. Our form might have dipped, even dived for the pessimists out there, but we have still kept winning. 3 games to go and we are 2 games clear - win this weekend and we all but sew up top spot.
I, for one, am enjoying and will continue to enjoy what has been the best year in our Club's history. We haven't dropped a game against a bottom 10 side (when have we ever done that!), we smashed the Weagles in the first Derby and the loss yesterday only helps our flag chances in the long run.
Could I ask that all the doomsayers hold fire for a few weeks, maybe even until we exit in straight sets as many of you seem to think we will, and just enjoy the fact we are the 'best' side in the competition as determined by the AFL Ladder? We haven't had a soft draw like Wet Toast, we haven't had 9 games at the MCG and travelled only 4 times like Hawthorn (I don't count their Tassie games as travel) and yet we sit 2 games clear on top of the ladder.
Maybe it's vertigo for some, but I like the view from up here. You could worry about falling from such a height, but I look at it as jumping onto the heads of those trying to climb up to us.
We have a hardened and driven playing & coaching group. They know what it feels like to get close and miss out and for some of them, this is their last chance.
Mark my words, we will finish top of the ladder for the first time in our history (that gives us some silverware) and we will make and win the Grand Final. If I'm wrong, so what, it's just like the other 20 years then. At least this time around, we control our own destiny and have been the number one team for all but the first 3 rounds - and even then only by percentage.
I trust our players and our coaching staff that they know what needs to be done, when it needs to be done and can make it happen when it's needed. For me, that's the finals (2 of them at home) and until then I will continue to believe that we can beat anyone, anywhere, anytime - because we've done that 16 times already this year.
My point is, ENJOY it while it lasts - plenty of time to bitch about it afterwards if it goes pear-shaped.