View Full Version : Why all the gloom? The big picture is beautiful!
The Old Dark Navy's
16 Apr 2006, 12:15
I've read so many threads about what we did wrong, about Sydney's tactics, and on some forums, about how we are still crap. :eek:
Reigning wooden spooners, preseason spoon favourites, worst list in the AFL, youngsters that had shown something but not enough to show they would definitely make it, a head case full forward, a fat and slow inconsistent CHF/CHB. Lazy, unaccountable, heartless easybeats of the competition - they all thought we were the bye.
3 weeks in ....
We look anything but wooden spooners.
Our list has plenty of bright spots.
Our full forward has worked his arse off while outnumbered for 3 straight. weeks, the hardest he has ever worked in his career.
Our overweight key position player has shed kilos and is tussling man on man with Barry Hall and doing well.
Our players are playing as a team with unity and trying their hearts out every week. Easybeats? Not on your life.
We have all the hallmarks of a team that has been through a false dawn, sunk to its depths and is now on the rise genuinely.
Gone are the days where our best players are Kouta, Lappin, Camporeale and other assorted veterans. One has gone, the others are not messiahs any longer, just equal contributors.
Last night it was Murphy, Bentick, Betts. Overall you throw in to the mix, Fisher, Waite, Simpson, Walker. All of these guys have improved hand over fist since midway through last year. This is not pie in the sky stuff we are talking. That's 7 genuine talents right there outside of Stevens, Whitnall and Fevola.
Our future (this cycle at least) is assured. Considering where we could have been and the predictions about our future, I am damn excited and damn proud.
We all had a hope that we would be competitive and the thrashings would cease. I tell you what, we are exceeding expectations on this front.
The clouds are dispersing folks, the sun is starting to shine through. Changes in the top office, changes on the field. The reawakening of a super power has begun.
C'arn the Mighty BLUES!!!!!
Funkalicous
16 Apr 2006, 12:28
You're right. Long-term we look the goods. People talk about how impressive West Coast and the Bulldogs are, but they lack what really keeps a side up for a long period of time; Genuine kpp depth. We have that covered.
However, right now I'm just frustrated with our inability to win close matches. How is this gonna affect our team's confidence, and morale? I'm getting sick of playing teams back into form. Why can't we match their intensity early? When is a player gonna stand up and show some character? God knows players like Stevens and Scotland can't.
And you know what really annoyed me? ... Marc Murphy was our leading possession winner. - A 19yo! :mad: That's a deadset joke!
... I also had $95 on them... :o
blues4flag
16 Apr 2006, 12:32
Definetly agree. And considering we still have some untapped talent (Kennedy, Russel, Hartlett etc) who knows how good we can be. And one who definetly desrves mention is Andrew Carrazo, who plays well consistently.
Well said ODN, we certainly have improved since last year. To only go down to Freo by 15 points at the house of pain, and then go within 7 points of last years premiers is something that all of us Carlton supporters should be proud of.
We are also assembling some very very good young talent, with Walker and Murphy leading the charge. Would like to see Hartlett and Blackwell in the coming weeks, with Kennedy around the middle of the year.
murphster
16 Apr 2006, 12:59
I've read so many threads about what we did wrong, about Sydney's tactics, and on some forums, about how we are still crap. :eek:
Reigning wooden spooners, preseason spoon favourites, worst list in the AFL, youngsters that had shown something but not enough to show they would definitely make it, a head case full forward, a fat and slow inconsistent CHF/CHB. Lazy, unaccountable, heartless easybeats of the competition - they all thought we were the bye.
3 weeks in ....
We look anything but wooden spooners.
Our list has plenty of bright spots.
Our full forward has worked his arse off while outnumbered for 3 straight. weeks, the hardest he has ever worked in his career.
Our overweight key position player has shed kilos and is tussling man on man with Barry Hall and doing well.
Our players are playing as a team with unity and trying their hearts out every week. Easybeats? Not on your life.
We have all the hallmarks of a team that has been through a false dawn, sunk to its depths and is now on the rise genuinely.
Gone are the days where our best players are Kouta, Lappin, Camporeale and other assorted veterans. One has gone, the others are not messiahs any longer, just equal contributors.
Last night it was Murphy, Bentick, Betts. Overall you throw in to the mix, Fisher, Waite, Simpson, Walker. All of these guys have improved hand over fist since midway through last year. This is not pie in the sky stuff we are talking. That's 7 genuine talents right there outside of Stevens, Whitnall and Fevola.
Our future (this cycle at least) is assured. Considering where we could have been and the predictions about our future, I am damn excited and damn proud.
We all had a hope that we would be competitive and the thrashings would cease. I tell you what, we are exceeding expectations on this front.
The clouds are dispersing folks, the sun is starting to shine through. Changes in the top office, changes on the field. The reawakening of a super power has begun.
C'arn the Mighty BLUES!!!!!
Well said the Blues are back in town baby our young boys are playing some great footy and we have plenty more to come into the side, with last years draft picks now the icing on the cake instead of the cake base.
I wondered over summer at some of the comments and articles bandied about by these so called experts, how we would win back to back wooden spoons and be the easy beats of the competition for years to come, how we had no real talent other than a few senior players past there used by date, how our young players were not big bodied enough to match it in the clinches, how our defence would fall apart as soon as another team kicked back to back goals, all of this from so called doyans of the game, so called experts at analysing the lists of teams, experts at predicting the rise and fall of clubs, experts that never leave there offices or studios during the week to go and watch a team on the track were processes are put in place, where bodies are hardened, where minds are sharpened and game plans honed to perfection or as close as possible with our great Aussie game.
These experts have drifted to far from the core of the game to have any idea about the fortunes of a club on the rise, they are less in the inner sanctum of our great club than the average supporter who turns up to training week in week out to watch the boys go through there paces, these are the true experts of Carltons fortunes not the men in there ivory commentary boxes and offices spurting there vitriol like it is the gospel of Luke, there knowledge of our great club is based on hear say and second hand news.
So hold your heads high Carlton supporters because coming from this supporter i am here to tell you we have a list to be proud of a list to build a premiership with a list the equal of other clubs in the competition and we have a glaringly bright future ahead, so get behind the boys because you will not be dissapointed, dismiss the rubbish you here in the media because it is not worth the paper it is written on, the only experts on Carlton are its supporters, players, coaches and inner circle not the out of touch media stars that love to kick us while we are down.:D :thumbsu:
Go the Mosquioto Fleet!!!
flying_doormat
16 Apr 2006, 13:09
Agree ODN. Carlton actually look like a side who are starting to believe they can win. The boys just don't give up and play the game out till the final siren.
Carlton of old would have been flogged by Freemantle last week and by Sydney yesterday. Not to mention how well they responded to Melbourne once they started to put the pressure on.
I'm starting to enjoy the footy again.....about time too.
Funkalicous
16 Apr 2006, 13:16
Agree ODN. Carlton actually look like a side who are starting to believe they can win. The boys just don't give up and play the game out till the final siren.
Carlton of old would have been flogged by Freemantle last week and by Sydney yesterday. Not to mention how well they responded to Melbourne once they started to put the pressure on.
I'm starting to enjoy the footy again.....about time too.
At least these matches are interesting to the end...
The Old Dark Navy's
16 Apr 2006, 13:17
Great post Murphster. Sensational stuff. You've inspired me to have a Post of the Week for this board like the Rant of the Week on The Blue View.
murphster
16 Apr 2006, 13:20
Great post Murphster. Sensational stuff. You've inspired me to have a Post of the Week for this board like the Rant of the Week on The Blue View.
No actually your post inspired mine but thanks anyway.:thumbsu:
BlueWorld
16 Apr 2006, 14:12
And you know what really annoyed me? ... Marc Murphy was our leading possession winner. - A 19yo! :mad: That's a deadset joke!
Isn't it a good thing to now see the the younger brigade stepping up to become leading possession getters and best players- Murphy, Bentick, Houla, (Stevens), Betts & Simpson? Last year it would have been Campo, Lappin, Kouta etc.
last year i was continually disappointed at our lack of competitiveness, this year i am dissappointed because i genuinely believe we should have won our last two games.
we are back :thumbsu:
ShlomoGlickstein
16 Apr 2006, 15:00
Wait until we can string a few wins together, like 8. I mean, we were 'competitive' and lost about 10 games by less than 10 points in 2002, remember?
Agree ODN. Carlton actually look like a side who are starting to believe they can win. The boys just don't give up and play the game out till the final siren.
Carlton of old would have been flogged by Freemantle last week and by Sydney yesterday. Not to mention how well they responded to Melbourne once they started to put the pressure on.
I'm starting to enjoy the footy again.....about time too.
Exactly what I was thinking. After the first half I thought we were going to get slaughtered but they came back and gave it a red hot go right down to the end. We are becoming a much harder team to beat now that we've got belief and we're only going to get better. At last things really seem to be on the way up.
GO BLUES! :thumbsu:
The Old Dark Navy's
16 Apr 2006, 15:26
Wait until we can string a few wins together, like 8. I mean, we were 'competitive' and lost about 10 games by less than 10 points in 2002, remember?Can only comment on what you see before you. Right now, it is positive and a work in progress. If they drop their bundle and play terribly next week, I will say so. Credit where it is due instead of negative unsupportive stuff daily until we are certain we are a very good team.
Should we bag out players when they deserve it but hold back on all praise until they have proven their form is not a fluke? Seems a little imbalanced to me.
dirk pitt
16 Apr 2006, 16:48
I think we're going fantastic. We're are fiercely competative again and its the kids who are leading the way. Fevola is showing real leadership as well which is amazing. Yes we probably should have won the last two, but the wins will come eventually if we keep playing with the same spirit.
I would be concered if we were leading all game and THEN losing narrowly, but that's not what's happening. We're just getting jumped in the first quarter because of a lack of intensity and belief. The first can be addressed, and the belief will grow now that we're not getting pumped by 50+ every other week.
I think its great that we appear to have lost our Kouta dependency. Last year we wouldn't have got within two goals of any team without Kouta being our best player.
dirk pitt
16 Apr 2006, 16:50
Double post.
Verbeek
17 Apr 2006, 02:18
promising times ahead for carlton
Thalidomide
17 Apr 2006, 13:52
We are finally competitive!
Agree with much of what is being posted. The side has shown much greater resolve so far this year and hopefully it will continue. One point I would question is why Campo was mentioned a few times as being in our best of recent times.
I actually feel that his departure is one of the reasons we are playing with more spirit. A leader like Campo to me was bringing the spirit of the side down. He may have racked up possessions but his passion was severley lacking for the last few years of his time at Carlton.
There are a couple of others who are still there and who have similar tendancies. I believe Scotland and Stevens also have the victim/bitter aspect to their personalities. However at least against the Swans both of these guys seemed to have passion that rivalled their undoubted ability. Lets hope that they can build on this to become great leaders.With solid examples from the senior players the young ones should develop much more quickly.
elgranto
17 Apr 2006, 15:38
lets be honest, at start of season 1 and 2 with percentage of just under 100 (as close as you can get) i would have taken with open arms. we have played two teams from last years top 8, including the premier and freo in perth which is never easy.
also the two losses we have had we have been flogged early and in both matches come back and made a real contest and nearly win both of them.
also with the two losses we have had the sides that the media have been after and thus are sparked into action. we nearly beat last years premiers without waite and lappin, two very important players in our side.
with the next month to look forward to, we could be really happy after round 7. four winnable matches, in fact we beat all four of these sides last year when we were crap.
we beat hawthorn last year with no fev as well!
get excited blue fans, we are at the start of something great.
Andyt30
17 Apr 2006, 15:58
hope fev plays what i saw wasn't much eg not as bad as Paul Medhurst how he got off i don;t know, at leat the swans player wasn;t hurt or anything the charge probly get thrown out ;)