Autopsy 2025 Rd 13 Shaky Blues Hold on to Beat Bombers

[Beyond Blue]

Motlop missing from 15mts nearly gave me a stroke....

Motlop kicks that goal and the game is over and we probably win by 4-5 goals. Instead the game goes down to the wire. It was like Kemps miss against the Saints in the last game we lost last year that would have iced the game. The Giants game before the bye we dominated the first quarter then Weitering drops an uncontested mark that gives the Giants a goal out of nothing.

Sadly this group have always been making these sorts of catastrophic errors that either cost us a straight forward goal or give up an unnecessary goal. It is the defining characteristic of this group. No amount of game planning by the coaches can guard against the simplicity and consequences of these mistakes.

 

[bourbons]

This thinking is unhealthy. Far too black and white. It only 'rips the guts' out of you if you let it.

It's not premiership or complete rebuild. It's not 'turned the corner' and then smooth sailing to premiership after premiership. Progress isn't linear, and things don't have to be burnt to the ground when we don't win. I would have thought that if any reality was setting in it would be that one. We have tried 'scorched earth' twice and it sucks. We've also annointed ourselves premiers prematurely 3-4x since and it sucks as well.

We've already turned over a heap of this group and the 'rebuild' is well underway. We played in a prelim final two years ago with a relatively mature group... and a third of that team didn't play yesterday. Instead, we're playing O'Keefe, White, Carroll, Lord, have blooded O'Farrell and Camporeale, we're getting closer to the point where Hollands and Motlop and co play a bigger role.

The goal is to be consistently decent. If we drop to 11th but retool a little, get experience into the kids, and come back stronger next year then so be it. With a decent fixture and a bit of injury luck it's not inconceivable that we scrape into finals, or at least play some big games late in the year that help our players build confidence in that type of match too.

Somehow we have reached the point where we are simultaneously a) starting the game in the bottom 4, and b) beating a major rival, who were 2.5 games ahead of us on the ladder, in front of 75,000 fans, and c) everyone is desperate to tear apart the players and coach afterwards.

It's not healthy and it must be stifling for the players and club to operate in that environment

Oh, well aware that thinking is unhealthy lol. It is what it is unfortunately, know quite a few Carlton people of the same mind and its totally understandable.

In terms of "turned the corner", its not premiership after premiership - I mean a consistent team you can rely on to come out and give the required effort every (or even most of the) time, you know what you're going to get week in week out. You've said it yourself - "consistently decent", which we haven't been that at any stage this rebuild, the lack of maturity at this point is honestly pretty astounding. Its what you need to consistently make finals (which then gives you a shot at premierships), and its why this rebuild has resulted in a single finals campaign (no I don't count last year lol). Thinking that we might somehow find this consistency without a top to bottom clean out of all departments is wishful thinking in the extreme imo, enough evidence on the table at this point surely.

Get what you're saying about the new blood coming in, but the players you've mentioned (outside of Hollands) are all 5 years off being consistent serviceable league players, if they make it at all. Cripps, Charlie, H, Weiters, Saad, Hewett, Newman, JSOS, Williams all finished or close enough to by then, probably Walsh too the way his body seems to be going. The Motlop talk is honestly pretty infuriating, bloke plays 1 vaguely league standard game and everyone (including commentators last night) just forgets about his other 10 this year that have been absolutely horrific. Bloke is never going to be a decent small forward, doesn't have the tools - not quick, not clean, doesn't crumb. Believe he's out of contract end of this year, can't be on the list next season if we're even halfway serious.

I'd love to retool a little and come back stronger next year. It just ain't gonna happen, unfortunately - we've heard variations of this going on 4 years now, just need to fill a few holes on the list etc. Its bigger than that, much bigger. We've done all that stuff (scrape into finals, play some big games late in the year that help our players build confidence in that type of match) - nothing has changed.

I just think we need to face reality (a thing our club has been pretty average at traditionally lol). A few tweaks here and there ain't gonna get it done. So, what other option is there? None in the modern game except to roll up your sleeves and go again, hopefully this time with staff in the footy department who can identify where the game is heading, draft and develop the players who can execute a gameplan which has a chance of being successful and sustainable.

 

[Benaly28]

Whatever is wrong, these fade-outs have been going on since last year, why isn’t it fixed!!

Our coaching group is very stubborn.

 

[JustaBattler]

Went to the game last night, and while there is a lot to work through, it reinforced to me that the #1 problem right now is still the supporters. The atmosphere was appalling and borderline toxic, and this thread more than highlights that.

I honestly think that a lot of Carlton supporters have grown to PREFER things being bad, so they can wallow and vent and that because we have struggled for so long, they are using it as a kind of whole life catharsis.

Step back for a second and separate out all the noise, and...

• we started the game in the bottom 4, having struggled all year.
• we came out of the blocks really well and smoked one of our biggest rivals (who started the game 2 wins and 5 ladder spots above us) for 6 goals to 1 in the first quarter.

You would think the 40,000-odd Carlton supporters would be up on their feet at this point. Nope... barely a smattering of applause for the goals and quarter time passed with only a ripple of excitement.

• Opposition fights back and gets back into the game. Yep, that's what happens.
• At 3/4 time the coaches make changes (McGovern to the backline the big one). We rally, kick two goals and a matchwinning lead. The crowd is... mildly interested. Essendon rally a little but it is too late - their crowd is roaring. Meanwhile we are openly trashing our own, winning players.

Don't believe me? Here is a snippet of (basically) consecutive posts from our game day thread in the last quarter of a match we won against arguably our biggest rival, when the game was on the line":
"Weitering just flipping putrid,"
"Haynes that's two goals you've given them"
"Motlop mate.You could have walked that goal in. And you shit yourself in front of goal"
"If we somehow win this game they will put it in the dictionary under "papering over the cracks"."
"We have too many momentum killers in this group."
"Mots best game this year but more broadly that miss is the symptomatic of the real issue with this team.Not seizing their moments when they must, mentally not good enough."
"2 pathetic efforts from Weitering in 30 seconds"
"Weitering is horrible tonight, burning teammates everywhere"
"how good are essendon at kicking goals. we are so pea hearted in front of the sticks"
"Costly miss by Motlop earlierHas had a good game but Too many poor kicks"
"LUCKY"
"Who said we won't trade Walsh. Re-think your strategy"
"TDK absolutely has had no presence back there. Bloody hell."
"Absolutely weak as piss. How does nobody go up there?"
"Mots you better kick another"
"Tdk is a individual. Do the basics and punch FFS"
"Sing it quietly. This is an embarrassing win against a near VFL side if it happens"

That's the vibe of the club right now. First win in a month, coming off bad form, and all anyone wants to do is trash players rant about how 'mentally weak' the team is.

They rallied, held on and won. Against Essendon on the MCG, in front of 75,000 people. Motlop played his best game for the year and was by far the best small forward on the ground. TDK was clear BOG and dominated the game. Weitering is our most reliable defender and a club leader. Walsh was the leading ball-winner on the ground and will likely get brownlow votes. Yet as we hang on to win, the ONLY posts our supporters are making are bagging them.

The vibe between us and Collingwood supporters (in particular) is SO noticeable. If Collingwood lost a lead, then kicked two goals to start the last quarter their fans would be going beserk and suck the life out of the match for the opposition.

It is just so negative, all the time. Was that our best display of football ever? Nope, not even close. Is it worth celebrating? Absolutely, 100%. Taking some actual perspective on the game:

• We won in difficult conditions against a 6-4 opponent who have been a tough beat all year
• We won despite Cripps looking off (possibly unwell?), McKay missing, and with a bunch of important players returning from injury (who all got through unscathed)
• We kicked the second highest score so far this round (in horrid wet conditions) with Curnow just no-where near his best and a bit of a makeshift lineup around him
• Our defence held up well under pressure, and showed that almost all of them can take intercept marks and defend. That's as critical as anything to getting us going again
• We got good performances from a debutant, a couple of others who debuted this year (Lord played his first full game and Carroll who is going well), and a few young guys who have been under the pump
• The coaches... actually made the changes that turned the game when we were threatened. The players... actually stepped up in the last quarter when the heat was on, rode through he pressure, opened up a match-winning lead and hung on without ever really looking like getting beaten

Our season is alive. We have two very winnable games to come, then a bunch of harder games after that that will decide the season. If we get some momentum we go into those games (against Port away, and Gold Coast home, Collingwood, etc) with some confidence and positivity who knows what happens.

But I honestly think that half the 'supporters' of the club would prefer we lost so they can get their weekly fix of venting and anger out...

 

[lily of laguna]

I’m with you Btdg.
I’m an interstate member who very rarely sees the team live. But did last night.
Sitting in M54 surrounded by blues members.
Mostly comments were negative and nit picky.

I know it stems from heartache and fear of losing and understand the self protection of supporters who see and feel the disappointment regularly but it’s so apparent from an occasional live viewing.

I’m absolutely certain that it is known and understood by the players and club and will no doubt play on their minds. It is what I think supporters refer to when suggesting a player has been in the team long enough to be “carltonised”. New young players haven’t experienced the crowds tone and cynicism but eventually it seeps into their psyche.

One example of many that stood out was when switching play and moving to the fat side, there were gasps, moans and flat out abuse every time. Even though every team in the league does this multiple times a quarter and is the foundation of maintaining possession and control of the tempo. I’m not saying we get it right every time but no team does.

Sadly I don’t believe there is any way to rectify this situation unless we win 75% plus of games for many seasons.

 

[95blues]

I’m with you Btdg.
I’m an interstate member who very rarely sees the team live. But did last night.
Sitting in M54 surrounded by blues members.
Mostly comments were negative and nit picky.

I know it stems from heartache and fear of losing and understand the self protection of supporters who see and feel the disappointment regularly but it’s so apparent from an occasional live viewing.

I’m absolutely certain that it is known and understood by the players and club and will no doubt play on their minds. It is what I think supporters refer to when suggesting a player has been in the team long enough to be “carltonised”. New young players haven’t experienced the crowds tone and cynicism but eventually it seeps into their psyche.

One example of many that stood out was when switching play and moving to the fat side, there were gasps, moans and flat out abuse every time. Even though every team in the league does this multiple times a quarter and is the foundation of maintaining possession and control of the tempo. I’m not saying we get it right every time but no team does.

Sadly I don’t believe there is any way to rectify this situation unless we win 75% plus of games for many seasons.

Carlton fans are like Chelsea fans.

We forget a lot of our success came via bending the rules and buying what we want.

Now that the playing field is evening out and you actually have to run a good club we cant handle it.

 

[Osc1]

At the end of the day it was great leaving the ground last night having beaten THAT team.

 

[ESKIE]

Our coaching group is very stubborn.

Well they’re stupid, you know doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result

 

[DangerousD]

He worked up and down the ground like no one’s business in 2023. Was it lazy when he was pushing onto the wings to take grabs in the back half of that season? Was it lazy when he covered ground to take intercept marks in defensive 50 in the back half of that season? Was it lazy when he was setting up goals from precision kicks into the forward line where he was pressing so hard in that season?

Sure… he might not be a great tackler. But there are other measures on work rate. For mine, he seemed to have several of them covered in that season.

I’m not going to argue with you on those, my biggest issue with him is his defensive efforts and not that he’s a bad tackler but he puts in very little effort in tackling and chasing.

Not just this year but for a long time

 

[Red Bull]

Whatever is wrong, these fade-outs have been going on since last year, why isn’t it fixed!!

There’s nothing wrong according to the coach.
He’s doubling down now …

 

[agro]

Went to the game last night, and while there is a lot to work through, it reinforced to me that the #1 problem right now is still the supporters. The atmosphere was appalling and borderline toxic, and this thread more than highlights that.

I honestly think that a lot of Carlton supporters have grown to PREFER things being bad, so they can wallow and vent and that because we have struggled for so long, they are using it as a kind of whole life catharsis.

Step back for a second and separate out all the noise, and...

• we started the game in the bottom 4, having struggled all year.
• we came out of the blocks really well and smoked one of our biggest rivals (who started the game 2 wins and 5 ladder spots above us) for 6 goals to 1 in the first quarter.

You would think the 40,000-odd Carlton supporters would be up on their feet at this point. Nope... barely a smattering of applause for the goals and quarter time passed with only a ripple of excitement.

• Opposition fights back and gets back into the game. Yep, that's what happens.
• At 3/4 time the coaches make changes (McGovern to the backline the big one). We rally, kick two goals and a matchwinning lead. The crowd is... mildly interested. Essendon rally a little but it is too late - their crowd is roaring. Meanwhile we are openly trashing our own, winning players.

Don't believe me? Here is a snippet of (basically) consecutive posts from our game day thread in the last quarter of a match we won against arguably our biggest rival, when the game was on the line":
"Weitering just flipping putrid,"
"Haynes that's two goals you've given them"
"Motlop mate.You could have walked that goal in. And you shit yourself in front of goal"
"If we somehow win this game they will put it in the dictionary under "papering over the cracks"."
"We have too many momentum killers in this group."
"Mots best game this year but more broadly that miss is the symptomatic of the real issue with this team.Not seizing their moments when they must, mentally not good enough."
"2 pathetic efforts from Weitering in 30 seconds"
"Weitering is horrible tonight, burning teammates everywhere"
"how good are essendon at kicking goals. we are so pea hearted in front of the sticks"
"Costly miss by Motlop earlierHas had a good game but Too many poor kicks"
"LUCKY"
"Who said we won't trade Walsh. Re-think your strategy"
"TDK absolutely has had no presence back there. Bloody hell."
"Absolutely weak as piss. How does nobody go up there?"
"Mots you better kick another"
"Tdk is a individual. Do the basics and punch FFS"
"Sing it quietly. This is an embarrassing win against a near VFL side if it happens"

That's the vibe of the club right now. First win in a month, coming off bad form, and all anyone wants to do is trash players rant about how 'mentally weak' the team is.

They rallied, held on and won. Against Essendon on the MCG, in front of 75,000 people. Motlop played his best game for the year and was by far the best small forward on the ground. TDK was clear BOG and dominated the game. Weitering is our most reliable defender and a club leader. Walsh was the leading ball-winner on the ground and will likely get brownlow votes. Yet as we hang on to win, the ONLY posts our supporters are making are bagging them.

The vibe between us and Collingwood supporters (in particular) is SO noticeable. If Collingwood lost a lead, then kicked two goals to start the last quarter their fans would be going beserk and suck the life out of the match for the opposition.

It is just so negative, all the time. Was that our best display of football ever? Nope, not even close. Is it worth celebrating? Absolutely, 100%. Taking some actual perspective on the game:

• We won in difficult conditions against a 6-4 opponent who have been a tough beat all year
• We won despite Cripps looking off (possibly unwell?), McKay missing, and with a bunch of important players returning from injury (who all got through unscathed)
• We kicked the second highest score so far this round (in horrid wet conditions) with Curnow just no-where near his best and a bit of a makeshift lineup around him
• Our defence held up well under pressure, and showed that almost all of them can take intercept marks and defend. That's as critical as anything to getting us going again
• We got good performances from a debutant, a couple of others who debuted this year (Lord played his first full game and Carroll who is going well), and a few young guys who have been under the pump
• The coaches... actually made the changes that turned the game when we were threatened. The players... actually stepped up in the last quarter when the heat was on, rode through he pressure, opened up a match-winning lead and hung on without ever really looking like getting beaten

Our season is alive. We have two very winnable games to come, then a bunch of harder games after that that will decide the season. If we get some momentum we go into those games (against Port away, and Gold Coast home, Collingwood, etc) with some confidence and positivity who knows what happens.

But I honestly think that half the 'supporters' of the club would prefer we lost so they can get their weekly fix of venting and anger out...

 

[4flagsin5yrs]

If he did some basics better it would be less of a concern.
Eg. Stop the low percentage shots at goal from 50+
Quick give rather than taking on a defender in 2 on 1 situations.
Not standing so far back from the mark when lining up for a hook snap.

that one early in Q1 - why tf didn't he go back and kick a drop punt. the man on the mark was inside the 50m arc...

 

[WyntersGame_]

I thought Cerra was close to our best

I think he went quite for a period in the 2nd and start of the third but I do agree he definitely played well.

He was def the best of the midfield team today. Hewitt probably had his quietest game for the year or at least it felt he had less of an impact than he has the rest of the year. He has more than built up credits tho.

If I had to award BOG it would be Motlop personally. He now knows he can perform at that level so he needs to aim for that consistency

 

[NewDarkNavyBlues]

Carlton fans are like Chelsea fans.

We forget a lot of our success came via bending the rules and buying what we want.

Now that the playing field is evening out and you actually have to run a good club we cant handle it.

Yet Chelsea are back in the Champions League next year and we are bottom four.

 

[95blues]

Yet Chelsea are back in the Champions League next year and we are bottom four.

Yep. And the "fans" still want Maresca sacked.

 

[Wickzki]

Whatever is wrong, these fade-outs have been going on since last year, why isn’t it fixed!!

These fade outs have been happening since Voss became coach

AFL Match Statistics : Carlton defeats Hawthorn at MCG Round 3 Sunday, 3rd April 2022

Carlton defeats Hawthorn at MCG Round 3 Sunday, 3rd April 2022 AFL match statistics

www.footywire.com

This is his third match. We led by 6 goals in the second quarter and won by a point because Weitering took a hero mark late in the game to kill it. This game included Hawks losing one of their better players at quarter time (Scrimshaw) with injury.

However, I feel that the issue started to happen before Voss became coach.

Does anyone remember the games late in 2020? There's similarities to our fadeouts under Voss. We'd go entire halves where we couldn't or wouldn't score at all.

There's something that has stopped this team from ever consistently being a four quarter team regardless of who's coaching it.

 

[Rustica]

Going every week, isn’t fun anymore. We all still cheer the boys on, yet know in our hearts that it’s going to be the same outcome, lead at half time and then get run over in the second half.

Ever since they made all training closed sessions, there has become a rift between the club and supporters. No other clubs do this to their supporters.

Then some dumb ass, at the club advertises the open training sessions as viewing sessions

Club is flying off-field.. But, on-field and connection to supporters is at an all time low…

We are probably the only fan base that even up by 10 goals in the last qtr you would still have your doubts

Thats how mentally scarred and fragile us as a fan base and the players are as a team

 

[Rustica]

Went to the game last night, and while there is a lot to work through, it reinforced to me that the #1 problem right now is still the supporters. The atmosphere was appalling and borderline toxic, and this thread more than highlights that.

I honestly think that a lot of Carlton supporters have grown to PREFER things being bad, so they can wallow and vent and that because we have struggled for so long, they are using it as a kind of whole life catharsis.

Step back for a second and separate out all the noise, and...

• we started the game in the bottom 4, having struggled all year.
• we came out of the blocks really well and smoked one of our biggest rivals (who started the game 2 wins and 5 ladder spots above us) for 6 goals to 1 in the first quarter.

You would think the 40,000-odd Carlton supporters would be up on their feet at this point. Nope... barely a smattering of applause for the goals and quarter time passed with only a ripple of excitement.

• Opposition fights back and gets back into the game. Yep, that's what happens.
• At 3/4 time the coaches make changes (McGovern to the backline the big one). We rally, kick two goals and a matchwinning lead. The crowd is... mildly interested. Essendon rally a little but it is too late - their crowd is roaring. Meanwhile we are openly trashing our own, winning players.

Don't believe me? Here is a snippet of (basically) consecutive posts from our game day thread in the last quarter of a match we won against arguably our biggest rival, when the game was on the line":
"Weitering just flipping putrid,"
"Haynes that's two goals you've given them"
"Motlop mate.You could have walked that goal in. And you shit yourself in front of goal"
"If we somehow win this game they will put it in the dictionary under "papering over the cracks"."
"We have too many momentum killers in this group."
"Mots best game this year but more broadly that miss is the symptomatic of the real issue with this team.Not seizing their moments when they must, mentally not good enough."
"2 pathetic efforts from Weitering in 30 seconds"
"Weitering is horrible tonight, burning teammates everywhere"
"how good are essendon at kicking goals. we are so pea hearted in front of the sticks"
"Costly miss by Motlop earlierHas had a good game but Too many poor kicks"
"LUCKY"
"Who said we won't trade Walsh. Re-think your strategy"
"TDK absolutely has had no presence back there. Bloody hell."
"Absolutely weak as piss. How does nobody go up there?"
"Mots you better kick another"
"Tdk is a individual. Do the basics and punch FFS"
"Sing it quietly. This is an embarrassing win against a near VFL side if it happens"

That's the vibe of the club right now. First win in a month, coming off bad form, and all anyone wants to do is trash players rant about how 'mentally weak' the team is.

They rallied, held on and won. Against Essendon on the MCG, in front of 75,000 people. Motlop played his best game for the year and was by far the best small forward on the ground. TDK was clear BOG and dominated the game. Weitering is our most reliable defender and a club leader. Walsh was the leading ball-winner on the ground and will likely get brownlow votes. Yet as we hang on to win, the ONLY posts our supporters are making are bagging them.

The vibe between us and Collingwood supporters (in particular) is SO noticeable. If Collingwood lost a lead, then kicked two goals to start the last quarter their fans would be going beserk and suck the life out of the match for the opposition.

It is just so negative, all the time. Was that our best display of football ever? Nope, not even close. Is it worth celebrating? Absolutely, 100%. Taking some actual perspective on the game:

• We won in difficult conditions against a 6-4 opponent who have been a tough beat all year
• We won despite Cripps looking off (possibly unwell?), McKay missing, and with a bunch of important players returning from injury (who all got through unscathed)
• We kicked the second highest score so far this round (in horrid wet conditions) with Curnow just no-where near his best and a bit of a makeshift lineup around him
• Our defence held up well under pressure, and showed that almost all of them can take intercept marks and defend. That's as critical as anything to getting us going again
• We got good performances from a debutant, a couple of others who debuted this year (Lord played his first full game and Carroll who is going well), and a few young guys who have been under the pump
• The coaches... actually made the changes that turned the game when we were threatened. The players... actually stepped up in the last quarter when the heat was on, rode through he pressure, opened up a match-winning lead and hung on without ever really looking like getting beaten

Our season is alive. We have two very winnable games to come, then a bunch of harder games after that that will decide the season. If we get some momentum we go into those games (against Port away, and Gold Coast home, Collingwood, etc) with some confidence and positivity who knows what happens.

But I honestly think that half the 'supporters' of the club would prefer we lost so they can get their weekly fix of venting and anger out...

Our cheersquad is very much as conditional as the team. Yesterday was appalling and dont even get me started with the “We Hate Essendon, We hate Essendon” chants

Cringe

 

[Its an amigo!]

These fade outs have been happening since Voss became coach

AFL Match Statistics : Carlton defeats Hawthorn at MCG Round 3 Sunday, 3rd April 2022

Carlton defeats Hawthorn at MCG Round 3 Sunday, 3rd April 2022 AFL match statistics

www.footywire.com

This is his third match. We led by 6 goals in the second quarter and won by a point because Weitering took a hero mark late in the game to kill it. This game included Hawks losing one of their better players at quarter time (Scrimshaw) with injury.

However, I feel that the issue started to happen before Voss became coach.

Does anyone remember the games late in 2020? There's similarities to our fadeouts under Voss. We'd go entire halves where we couldn't or wouldn't score at all.

There's something that has stopped this team from ever consistently being a four quarter team regardless of who's coaching it.

And that was essentially some of the biggest issues Teague was blamed for at the time. The "Teague train games" early in his tenure even had those inconsistent quarters and halves in games where sometimes we looked like a million bucks and other times we couldn't get near it in the same game. This has been going on since then.

There is a mental fragility to our side. You could feel it watching the game last night, the momentum shift in the second quarter and it just feels like Carlton starts to panic. Even when Carlton are 4 goals up, you can just feel it coming.

 

[Its an amigo!]

We are probably the only fan base that even up by 10 goals in the last qtr you would still have your doubts

Thats how mentally scarred and fragile us as a fan base and the players are as a team

I said to my wife last night that we are the antithesis of Geelong. We could be 5/6 goals up, but you never actually feel comfortable of winning, whereas Geelong can be 5/6 goals down even in the last quarter and they are still in the game somehow.

 

[Accidental genius]

Did we have fade outs during the period from camp curnow to prelim in 2023?

 

[KohPhi]

So what would you have us do, sit in a room, click our fingers and magically fix all our problems?

It's amazing how far divorced our supporters are from the realities of a football club. You'd think the club exists in a vacuum, where we choose to go from lowering the eyes and hitting targets inside 50, to bombing long...just because?

Michael Voss at quarter time - "good quarter boys, but I can't have you lot scoring so easily. I want to see hack kicks and long bombs this quarter!"

Don't get me started on the nonsense rhetoric that Essendon, West Coast and North games don't matter because we should beat them regardless. The level of entitlement is astonishing.

Like any organisation, nothing comes easy. We've had glaring issues all year and it's not going to fix itself. A combination of better method, more composure and different personnel should help, but it's not going to fix itself overnight.

Good signs in that first quarter should give the boys some confidence. Resorted to old habits once the Bombers dialled up the pressure. Hopefully we use the next 3 weeks to reinforce the approach while banking wins.

Seems a long shot, but it's also exactly how 2023 played out, so...

Your logic and lack of histrionics is not welcome around these parts...

 

[The Bighouse]

Well they’re stupid, you know doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result

Are forward 50 entries...

 

[The Flying Doormat]

Went to the game last night, and while there is a lot to work through, it reinforced to me that the #1 problem right now is still the supporters. The atmosphere was appalling and borderline toxic, and this thread more than highlights that.

I honestly think that a lot of Carlton supporters have grown to PREFER things being bad, so they can wallow and vent and that because we have struggled for so long, they are using it as a kind of whole life catharsis.

Step back for a second and separate out all the noise, and...

• we started the game in the bottom 4, having struggled all year.
• we came out of the blocks really well and smoked one of our biggest rivals (who started the game 2 wins and 5 ladder spots above us) for 6 goals to 1 in the first quarter.

You would think the 40,000-odd Carlton supporters would be up on their feet at this point. Nope... barely a smattering of applause for the goals and quarter time passed with only a ripple of excitement.

• Opposition fights back and gets back into the game. Yep, that's what happens.
• At 3/4 time the coaches make changes (McGovern to the backline the big one). We rally, kick two goals and a matchwinning lead. The crowd is... mildly interested. Essendon rally a little but it is too late - their crowd is roaring. Meanwhile we are openly trashing our own, winning players.

Don't believe me? Here is a snippet of (basically) consecutive posts from our game day thread in the last quarter of a match we won against arguably our biggest rival, when the game was on the line":
"Weitering just flipping putrid,"
"Haynes that's two goals you've given them"
"Motlop mate.You could have walked that goal in. And you shit yourself in front of goal"
"If we somehow win this game they will put it in the dictionary under "papering over the cracks"."
"We have too many momentum killers in this group."
"Mots best game this year but more broadly that miss is the symptomatic of the real issue with this team.Not seizing their moments when they must, mentally not good enough."
"2 pathetic efforts from Weitering in 30 seconds"
"Weitering is horrible tonight, burning teammates everywhere"
"how good are essendon at kicking goals. we are so pea hearted in front of the sticks"
"Costly miss by Motlop earlierHas had a good game but Too many poor kicks"
"LUCKY"
"Who said we won't trade Walsh. Re-think your strategy"
"TDK absolutely has had no presence back there. Bloody hell."
"Absolutely weak as piss. How does nobody go up there?"
"Mots you better kick another"
"Tdk is a individual. Do the basics and punch FFS"
"Sing it quietly. This is an embarrassing win against a near VFL side if it happens"

That's the vibe of the club right now. First win in a month, coming off bad form, and all anyone wants to do is trash players rant about how 'mentally weak' the team is.

They rallied, held on and won. Against Essendon on the MCG, in front of 75,000 people. Motlop played his best game for the year and was by far the best small forward on the ground. TDK was clear BOG and dominated the game. Weitering is our most reliable defender and a club leader. Walsh was the leading ball-winner on the ground and will likely get brownlow votes. Yet as we hang on to win, the ONLY posts our supporters are making are bagging them.

The vibe between us and Collingwood supporters (in particular) is SO noticeable. If Collingwood lost a lead, then kicked two goals to start the last quarter their fans would be going beserk and suck the life out of the match for the opposition.

It is just so negative, all the time. Was that our best display of football ever? Nope, not even close. Is it worth celebrating? Absolutely, 100%. Taking some actual perspective on the game:

• We won in difficult conditions against a 6-4 opponent who have been a tough beat all year
• We won despite Cripps looking off (possibly unwell?), McKay missing, and with a bunch of important players returning from injury (who all got through unscathed)
• We kicked the second highest score so far this round (in horrid wet conditions) with Curnow just no-where near his best and a bit of a makeshift lineup around him
• Our defence held up well under pressure, and showed that almost all of them can take intercept marks and defend. That's as critical as anything to getting us going again
• We got good performances from a debutant, a couple of others who debuted this year (Lord played his first full game and Carroll who is going well), and a few young guys who have been under the pump
• The coaches... actually made the changes that turned the game when we were threatened. The players... actually stepped up in the last quarter when the heat was on, rode through he pressure, opened up a match-winning lead and hung on without ever really looking like getting beaten

Our season is alive. We have two very winnable games to come, then a bunch of harder games after that that will decide the season. If we get some momentum we go into those games (against Port away, and Gold Coast home, Collingwood, etc) with some confidence and positivity who knows what happens.

But I honestly think that half the 'supporters' of the club would prefer we lost so they can get their weekly fix of venting and anger out...

Agree with most of what you've stated there, however if supporters are our biggest problem then the club should just fold. Supporter idiocy should have little impact on a professional sporting organisation with elite athletes. I'm not sure it's our #1 issue.

 

[JustOneTime]

First game in years I haven't watched in real time (live in UK). I've gotten up where required at 3-7 am to watch everything since moving to the UK in 2010. I buy a membership every year to support the club too which i need to think about.

Watched this game on replay for the first time and now with an attitude of 'what is Carlton going to show us today'? Embarrassment, a good performance like Geelong, a flatlining performance probably, gods knows.

Like a family drunk who keeps promising to change, so too does Michael Voss and Carlton. I felt Calton did their very best to lose the game but then in that last 15 minutes the Bombers basically said 'don't forget guys, we are just like you so you're safe as we will choke our chances'. If their are two clubs in the AFL right now, lacking confidence with a loser profile (based on expectations) then it is us AND the bombers.

Half glass empty, 'totally'. But in context of Vossy thinking we are on the right track, that we 'need to get after it' even though i'm not sure that he knows what to get after. After Vossy's crap about 'that is not us' when it is so us.

When our list is at its peak salary cap wise and age wise and we're facing media commentary of deconstructing our list, and potentially another 10 year rebuild if you are paying close attention. It is only normal to show some contempt for the position we are in. We are battling an injury hit Bombers team in the bottom half of the ladder and mostly going nowhere, and it's about 'how we are playing'. 'The how' is really horrible to watch which is the important thing to evaluate.

The bombers win allows Voss to paper over the cracks meaning no change. Just like the next few games. There are still some posters on this board devoutly defending the club and disparaging the glass half empty view. Good for those religious types...and you can find your voice again over the coming weeks as what...we play WCE and North a second time in quick succession. I'm sure these posters after beating both sides will have us as finals contenders. It is all fraudulent. Literally a curse to allow Vossy to hide even longer without change.