Christmas is over and footballers are back at work, signalling that the season of hype is upon us.
Every club is going to make the eight, some sides are going to be top four, of course, and some of their new players are unbelievable because according to each team they have got the best recruiting team around.
But all of a sudden by the end of March or early April reality will hit.
There will be a few dangerous sides this year while some will slip.
There are a host of big questions to be answered.
Will Collingwood slip under Nathan Buckley?
Can Essendon continue to rise under James Hird?
Will North Melbourne benefit from their American trip and continue their improvement?
Can Melbourne make the eight with their new forward Mitch Clark?
Will the Dogs bounce back under new coach Brendan McCartney?
And what about Carlton, are they ready to explode?
At this stage everyone is answering all of those questions with a resounding yes.
Just ask a Carlton supporter at the moment and they'll tell you it's their year.
But January and February are the worst time of the year for clubs.
It's spin time.
Clubs will convince themselves they've had the best pre-season ever, their players are fitter than they've ever been, they're focussed and there are positive vibes everywhere.
By the end of May though much will have changed.
It's a cruel game footy and usually the eight is done and dusted after eight weeks.
One prediction I will make is that this year the West Coast Eagles, hidden over there away from the public glare, could threaten if Geelong are supposedly too old, which we're sure to be told again.
The Eagles have made a fortress over there and if they can win a few games in Melbourne then their finals experience from 2011 along with the blending of players, might just combine for the right mix to make them very dangerous.
We will know by about the end of May.
So enjoy the false summer of promises from your football team but just remember for many reality is not far around the corner.