I think this year is wide open, think Dublin and Kerry are slightly ahead of most but Dublins team is getting older and don't seem to have any fresh faces, Kerry look weak in midfield and probably need fresh forwards also, mayo have the same problem as every year 1-9 they are as good as any but up front they lack scores, Derry lack depth, there are flaws with all teams at the minute, and any team from Armagh Donegal and all division 1 if they got on a run could win it all, for me if injuries clear up Galway have a great shout but it should be a wide open all Ireland, after saying that it will probably be a Kerry v Dublin final
I'd agree that it's wide open, but also think that we would have to have a change in mindset in the big games from those in charge, to make the break through. Being too conservative will catch us in the big games. In the Ulster Final and All Ireland 1/4 Final, if we had really gone for it, we would have beaten Derry and Monaghan. There's definitely weaknesses in Kerry and Dublin, but I still feel like they have better forwards and defenders, that would set them apart from our team at the moment. Derry look good, but I would question them against the top 3 teams. They do have the Harte factor and in Cormac Murphy they have uncovered a real gem. I hope that Oisin Conaty can have the same sort of impact as he's very similar in size, pace and direct running.
Once we get Rian O'Neill, Andrew Murnin, James Morgan and Ethan Rafferty back, we will be far stronger, but we need a game plan and attitude to go and make our mark on the season. We saw Conor O'Neill and Joe McElroy play wing forward against Louth and how negative our attack was. We looked better on Saturday, with O'Neill at half back and McElroy doing the donkey work at half forward, but he offered nothing in attack. Having a workhorse in the half forward line is needed, but we have the likes of Duffy, Kelly and Hall who can do that role and can offer more to our attack. If we were to start O'Neill and McElroy at wing forward in the Championship, I'd be very pessimistic about our chances of winning the big prizes. Move them in there or bring one on if you're trying to see out a game, but starting them just won't get the job done in my opinion (like the Monaghan game last season). While other teams have their deficiencies, they are more willing to go for it than we are and that's where we can be caught.