Brian Cody is hailing Dublin as a top team ahead of their Leinster Championship opener in Nowlan Park on Saturday night.
Mattie Kenny's men go into the championship having beaten Tipperary enroute to a league semi-final where they were edged out by Limerick.
"The league is the league and you play matches, but when it gets to the knock-out stages you really have to put your hand up and make statements," he said.
"They went down to Thurles, played Tipperary in the quarter-final and beat them.
"That's a big enough statement for anybody.
"Semi-final, Limerick beat them by three points, Limerick went on and won the league, and they're All Ireland champions.
"They ran Limerick very close. They're a top team, a top, top team."
Cody looks set to be without All Star defender, Joey Holden, for the match this week-end.
He's nursing a hamstring injury that he picked up in training.
