IF WE were offered a 7-4 win/loss ratio after 11 rounds at the start of the season, there is no doubt we would've taken it. And as we enter the second half of 2007 that's the scenario we see ourselves in.

Unfortunately we couldn't enter round 12 with an 8-3 record after Sydney defeated us on Saturday. The Swans have given us a hard time in recent seasons and although we got close, we still couldn't quite get over the line.

Still, we believe we've gained some significant scalps this season – including West Coast at Aurora Stadium and Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium – but Sydney remains a hurdle, although there is no doubt we learned a lot from that contest.

But our main aim this season has always been to continue developing our list – the youngest in the competition – and improve our game-style.

We always needed our core players to stand up and play well – the likes of Campbell Brown, Sam Mitchell, Luke Hodge, Chance Bateman, Robbie Campbell, Trent Croad and Shane Crawford – and that nucleus has stood up.

Then it was a question of what the club would get out of its one to three years players – guys like Lance Franklin, Jordan Lewis, Jarryd Roughead, Stephen Gilham, Ben McGlynn, Clinton Young and Grant Birchall – and they've all continued to improve.

So it's put us in a good position to be really competitive in the future.

This Friday night, we take on Carlton before our week's rest in the mid-season split round. It's a great opportunity for us to show our wares on the big stage and we're eager to keep the momentum going before our break. 

There is no doubt the players will be looking forward to a rest – a lot of work goes into the pre-season and first half of the season – but in the some breath, we want to keep playing good footy.

The challenge for us is to finish the first half of the season on a strong note with a win.

Carlton has been playing some great football in the past two rounds – the Blues have kicked over 20 goals during that period and Brendan Fevola has only kicked three majors in those outings.

The Blues are playing as good as any team at the moment and the challenge for us will be to finish the first-half of the season on a strong note with a win. 

The players will be at the Club until Wednesday afternoon and then the players will be off on a break and return the following Monday.

It's a great opportunity for the players and the coaches to freshen up and rejuvenate for the second-half of the season.