Then journalist asked what sort of expectations Ooze was placing on the team, to which he replied that he wasn't placing a ceiling on where they could finish.
This is a standard and well worn straight bat media response that is intentionally optimistic in view of providing space for belief and positivity regarding the future and what can be achieved, rather than a declaration of where the list is at or what he 'expected them to achieve'.
He went onto comment that he got upside from watching other teams rise from the bottom half of the ladder and then go onto play finals (like GWS), and then immediately added that this didn't mean that Richmond would achieve the same but was something that they would 'strive to do'.
And that he 'wanted the players to walk into the club thinking that they could achieve anything, and that there would be bumps in the road'
Again, his comments were general statements about belief, positivity and mind-set around what they could achieve (which are perfectly reasonable coming from a coach), and in no way declarations on the state of the list of what he expected them to achieve this year.
Yet somehow you are attempting to frame them as some sort of proof that he considered the team to be a serious finals contender, when this is not reflected in what he actually said.