For some the optimism is ridiculous. Adelaide followers should be horribly moody when thinking about the coming season. Essendon fans should be downright distraught, as should anyone wearing yellow and black and relying on a horrid fake tan for success.
But what of those who worship at the alter of the Purple Jesus? Are we going to be again entertained but ultimately thwarted? Are we deluding ourselves that this year's team is much better than last? Are we looking on at another false dawn? Am I asking too many questions?
Ok! Here are the answers. I'm lining up this years Freo against last years Freo. Read on Jenny and you'll find out once and for all what 2008 has in store for us.
FFC 2007 v FFC 2008
Backs
This year is the 1st year since it has mattered that the Twig of Integrity will be absent from our backline. Some of the unwashed masses are looking forward to this. To them, no Parks means 1 less goal a game to the opposition when he makes his weekly clanger.
However, that 1 goal was a very small price to pay for what he gave us back every week. Backline runners had more confidence knowing that the Twig had their backs. Not only was he a rock of reliability allowing others to run, but he gave running options himself that were always dangerous. And I defy anyone to name another player who could match up on these 4 guys, 4 weeks in a row...Ronnie Burns, Matthew Richardson, Chris Grant, Phil Matera. Shane Parker did and he made them all look terrible. He was ALWAYS there.
Not this year. I know he missed a lot of last year as well...and look how well that worked out.
The Rash could finally get a full year on the park and he remains the biggest potential X factor outside the intriguing Brock O'Brien.
Will it be enough to improve on last year's defense? Not without our rock, his loss affects much more than you think.
Slight Advantage: 2007 FFC
Midfield
2007 FFC missed Peake, Schammer and an effective Crowley for major parts of the season. 2008 has them all back and all fit.
Peake should be very embarrassed by the fact that he missed almost a whole season when Grassy Lloyd the AFL's worst Captain and floppiest forward fell on him at the Dome. His father has probably spent the summer flogging him with rolled up 1979 Footy Budgets readying the kid for the coming contests.
Crowley too would look on last year as the rest of us would look back on our high school haircuts. He's locked and loaded and unlike Daniel Bandy, when he's running well, he's playing well too. He doesn't use his running to get away from contests. He wants at it.
This time last year young Byron weighed 5kg and was sicker than a Rob Zombie film. Today Schammer looks like he swallowed a small and very buffed village in the off season and is ready to unleash 12 months of pent up frustration.
So everything old is new again.
We've always heard we lack pace. Well we didn't lack pace when we peeled off 9 in a row with a weaker crew in the guts in '06. We don't lack pace now. Everything points to a lift in this area in '08...and I didn't even mention the fact that in Belly's last year the other midgies will do anything to send him off right.
Big Advantage: 2008 FFC
Rucks
The sight of 2007's version of 211 was as horrifying and confusing as Karl Langdon's head. Injuries and the mobility they robbed meant the big fella was a shadow of Sandman '06. Shadows only ever scared Slappovich so Sandi was of little use.
On top of this, we lost St Justin when 2 of his bones began getting it on without any cartilage acting as a prophylactic, so his knee is screwed. He will be missed.
These struggles strafed FFC 2007 but they meant FFC 2008 was provided with 2 wonderful gifts. The grooming of one R. Warnock and the Phoenix like rise of a suddenly Happy Gilmore.
With a fit 211 and a blooded Warlock Warnock backing him up, our midgies will be feeding on fresh flesh and plenty of leather. Happy & his new found confidence will be redeployed to great effect somewhere else on the park.
HUGE Advantage: 2008 FFC
Forwards
Pav's 1 year better and still only young. Taz is more used to the game Pav wants him to play. Murphy is on his last chance. Happy could create all sorts of mismatches up here or in the middle. All of this is a big step forward and that is before we let loose a man so unco that it could only mean genius unrealized. Kepler provides lip smacking potential for hilarity and excellence all at once.
If all that doesn't kill you, the blunt instrument will. Solly was a revelation last year and he will only get better for having a taste. Anyone who thinks he might drop off should cop a face-full of the sheer delight he took in tearing out the heart of the Toast in the final Derby. He's a predator, and he's found his patch.
The 2007 forwards were given horrible service with more balls flying over head than when Paris parties. Some will be skeptical that this can be fixed in a single pre-season but I say they're wrong. The pace that comes back in to this side creates room. Room creates time and time creates better delivery. It's just that simple.
Now I've said all that and deliberately held off 1 thing.
Farmer...full season. Nuff said.
Advantage: 2008 FFC
Bench
Cookie & Walker. Both gone.
Now I have tremendous fondness for Cookie and all that he was to FFC. But as much as he will be missed he is not irreplaceable. Walker even less so. MJ#2 can provide plenty that Cookie did and potentially a bit more. Macca will continue to provide a wonderfully flexible and effective super-sub until 1 of the young punks rips his spot from his cold, dead hands (metaphorically of course).
Some young kids will need to fill some roles. Foster, Palmer, Campbell, Ibbotson, Hinkley, Dunn et al. There is a strong list of hopefuls but none have yet cemented a spot.
Advantage: DRAW
Coaching
I think I'm going to arrive at a popular conclusion on this, but it will be for different reasons than most.
I'm a Connolly fan and I don't care what anyone says, he was great for this club. I'm also a fan of Harvey, but he has done nothing yet and so the jury must remain out on who gives us the better chance to win.
Where I believe 2008 FFC gets helped is in the assistants. Malaxos has been the anti-Midas wherever he's gone at Freo, thankfully he's quickly going sideways out the door. O'Donnell never seemed to get the results from experienced players that he enjoyed when he was a guru at U/18 level in the TAC. So addition by subtraction is already in play.
Then you add a pretty tough and recently successful bunch of ex-players & coaches and there's a lot to like. As a kid or a veteran, I'm not going to want to upset anyone on that coaching staff.
Advantage: 2008 FFC
So by the most scientific of available methods, we arrive at the inescapable conclusion that FFC 2008 are much better off than 2007, I'd say by about 6 goals. I can smell it, let's bounce the dam ball already.