Autopsy 2023 Preliminary Final Blues brave season comes to an end

[lily of laguna]

Looking back at it I had said it earlier in the year we haven't got small fwds or half fwds that impose a goal kicking threat and require attention allowing the opposition to move off them while we already give them an extra behind the ball by playing one up the ground ..
It's up to list management or growth of our current smalls to improve --

This is the beauty of Brisbane and possibly Adelaide

Yes bris and Adelaide have the most potent small / mid forwards I think.

I reckon Martin, Durds and mots have the potential of being dynamic goal scorers.

Owies and Fogs have strengths but aren’t top liners (owies certainly has kicked goals this year and finds space).




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[lily of laguna]

At the ground was obviously different by the sounds of things which is fine, hence why I prefaced it with that and said I haven't seen the telly. Clearly some have come up very different

I saw Marchbank get turned around several times, and particularly in the first qtr Boyd had a couple of crucial fumbles and unclean moments.

I was at the ground and didn’t see it that way.

Both Marchy and Boyd covered heaps of territory and played quite aggressively to move the ball with purpose.

Marchy was brilliant defensively and halved or won almost every contest.

I was really impressed with Boyd as he was very keen to get the ball in hand and use his run and kicking skills.

Did they both make a few errors, sure, but perfect games are like hens teeth


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[katmanblue]

I genuinely love you all
.

You too.


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[Blue Perth]

Despite the result, I was well pleased with the Blues support everywhere, the Gabba, Princes Park and here in Perth they showed scenes of Lygon Street after the Melbourne win with everyone going crazy, great stuff, the Blues have huge support here in Perth, perhaps the most of any Victorian club, there's a pub right next to Optus stadium called the Camfield which is the biggest boozer in the country, it holds about 2000 people and when we hammered the Eagles during the year the joint was crawling with Blues supporters who made a lot of noise, and the cash registers did too by the way.
Speaking of the Eagles, isn't it lovely to know that not only did their league side win the spoon, so did their reserves side who managed only a draw for the entire season, and their women's side are currently on the bottom too. I'd like to thank God for that but I'm not a religious man.
Finally, if you good people think I'll be going for Brisbane on saturday you'd be just about right.

 

[CsBlue]

I’ve read some entitled s**t in my time and written plenty myself. But this takes the cake.

No teams dominate any more and never will again. The draft and salary cap are in full swing. As a result teams ALL have strengths and ALL have weaknesses. We have a team of contested and key position strengths. There is necessarily a weakness then given the competition leveling mechanisms. Its pace. You can’t just invent it from thin air. Despite that weakness we almost got to a grand final. Had we had a better run of injuries through the early and mid part of the year we would have finished top 4 and then who knows.

The commentary in here would imply we missed by miles OR we should have won by miles.

It’s all so easy in hindsight. Frankly only Jim (perhaps to his credit) continued to argue against Pitto getting a game but after the job he did against Melb it was impossible to drop him. We had to bring in McKay (who did well). Hewett final one was good so he got two more. Unfortunately I thought he was back to average but it’s all 6 of one half a dozen of the other stuff. We played a mobile and fast backline and it worked against Brisbane. Cincotta didn’t look right at all and perhaps was THE blunder of the weekend selection wise. But I get it. I wouldn’t trust Fisher against their smalls either. And Kemp was terrible last week.

None of that makes me feel entitled or ripped off. They have been emotionally on edge for 6 months. Under enormous strain. No matter what anyone thinks the physiological impacts of that (on cortisol, sleep, recovery etc) over a long period are A LOT. The data is IN. So many experiments have been conducted now on the effect of stress on performance. And I can hear the “oh but they are professionals”. * off. They are mostly 25 year olds who are still figuring it all out. They haven’t had these experiences before. We should not be so lame and blasé in our analysis. Their effort to resist all that and work through all that WAY *EN OUTWEIGHS any small judgment differences we may have in selection. Like BY A MILE.

Put yourself under stress for 6 months and see how you go. Half the side hasn’t known whether they had a contract next year. AKA A JOB.

I am so incredibly proud of the way they came through it. And to see all these young guys get contract extensions (even Dow being offered a plus one) is superb.

I dearly hope all the negative posting just *EN ENDS. Wake the * up. Put it all in perspective.

Jesus I have been as critical as any. I wanted Dow in for Hewett for a while. So what. I wanted Russell gone. But he got them back on the park. Well done. Tick. I was unsure about Voss. But he adapted. He looks like a statesman now. Tick.

But zoom OUT. We made the prelim. First time in decades. And we are STILL disgruntled????

In the words of Robbie Williams:

I can’t believe it.

Currently the premiership window is open for this list and a pass mark each year during this time is a flag. Simple as that. And if they don’t achieve it history will not care for all the fluff and feel good words you can write. Everyone including the players will look back and this time and call it a failure.

 

[CsBlue]

Best performance by any Carlton coach in 24 years and you are critical of him. All Voss's flaws and he finishes 16 points off a grandfinal in his 2nd year. All coaches need complimentary assistants. What you call rigidity is just one great tactical assistant away from a premiership

No coincidence that it’s the most complete and talented list at the peak of its powers?

 

[Schoonerman]

I was at the game on Saturday and whilst we got smashed after quarter time I left there feeling the best, most positive about our journey I have for ages..

We pretty much have got great game time into our perennially injured- Cuningham, Martin and Marchbank

I reckon McKay Charlie Martin Motts and lil Durdin plus JSOS would be a killer forward line going forward..

Our backline is looking as bloody stable as it ever has

Still not sure of our on ball mix atm but Walsh fit for all matches next year… look out..

But geez be happy baggers this is an off season we haven’t had for a while

An off season with bona fida hopes and dreams of a top four finish and maybe an easier run to the last big day in September

Go u baggers..

 

[jooce8891]

when do votes come out?

 

[Stamos]

when do votes come out?

They would usually be out by now.
Maybe they hold them until next week, like they do for the last couple of H&A rounds? But that would seem a bit silly.

 

[JustaBattler]

Currently the premiership window is open for this list and a pass mark each year during this time is a flag. Simple as that. And if they don’t achieve it history will not care for all the fluff and feel good words you can write. Everyone including the players will look back and this time and call it a failure.

Carlton went into the finals series with at least 7 players who probably wouldn't get a start in any other finalists list - Marchbank/Cincotta/Kemp/Owies/Motlop/Cuningham/Hollands - just off the top of my head. What Voss has been able to achieve with this list at this stage of development for so many players has been amazing - given the rotten first half of teh season - especially so.

Cripps/Docherty/Acres and probably Cincotta would not have played in the Brisbane game in a regular H&A season match - there were probably more. No team, list can replace so many players - no one has that kind of depth -eg Geelong went off the rail as soon as Bliclavs and one other starting player were ruled out for the season .... Melbourne lost midfield dominance as soon as Brayshaw got carried off...GWS were one semi-decent second marking tall short of making a GF (IMO). and their list is far more developed and complete than Carlton's right now...

You have to accept the fact that winning a flag starts with having a hardened developed list in every position with more than a few capable back-ups - and then you have to acknowledge that luck plays a part in all close games.

Lower expectations to realistic and the game will be more fun.

 

[thebluenewdeal]

For a list built for 8 years in its premiership window the only pass mark is a flag.

Cripps is 29 before next season and his best footy is probably behind him. Doc 30 in a few weeks. Curnow 27 before next season. How can anyone be satisfied coming up empty handed when the core group is about to begin a decline in the careers? The coach and fans are just in a feel good daze for no reason. They have won nothing. Last year and this year were 2 big chances for a flag and they have not even come close in the end. The worst thing is there just wasn’t the desperation to make it count. Probably 2 more chances at it with what looks like being stuck with voss for this crucial period of time.

you do realise that players are playing for much longer now than ever before? And it’s not like our demographic is just a bunch of older players. There’s a youthful underbelly that we can clearly see. Walsh, Cerra, Kemp, Mots, Hollands, TDK and plenty more that haven’t featured just yet. I think we just continue to build around our spine and I’m sure when our senior core players get older they will take massive pay cuts when they hit 31-32 so that we can find some more elite talent to complement the list. We’re in a great position to attack it for the next 5-8 years. This is only the beginning!!

 

[Blue1980]

A top 4 list is one that finishes top 4. Port has a top 4 list. Lots of teams might be capable of finishing top 4 but don’t.

We didn’t finish 3rd, we finished 5th and won two finals. That’s a successful year for a club that’s been we’re we’ve been. A similar result next year might not be .

Did we underperform to round 15 and then over perform for the rest of the year?

Personally, I think the list is unbalanced and needs better players in certain areas but it’s not far off and I feel there’s some improvement to come from the group we already have.

The most encouraging thing about the last 3 months has been the team finally playing a brand of footy that works and tge workrate.

Nope we are top 4 for the year, did bulldogs finish 7th in 2016 or 5th in 2021?

 

[passmark]

Nope we are top 4 for the year, did bulldogs finish 7th in 2016 or 5th in 2021?

Sure. That’s why we got the double chance

 

[Benaly28]

We’ve finished 3rd.


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[Blue1980]

Sure. That’s why we got the double chance

So if we won a flag it wouldn’t count as we finished 5th in home and away

 

[windows1]

charlie kicked 80 goals this year........he'll be his biggest critic, but he has the team around him to not let him get too down - he'll learn

Agre. * me the pile on on the guy who almost single handedly got us IN the finals is outrageous.

 

[windows1]

Currently the premiership window is open for this list and a pass mark each year during this time is a flag. Simple as that. And if they don’t achieve it history will not care for all the fluff and feel good words you can write. Everyone including the players will look back and this time and call it a failure.

How many clubs at any one point in time are in their premiership window? (Hot tip….it’s more than one).

About 6-7 teams each year can realistically win. If football is a failure when you have odds of 16ish percent then why bother? You’re almost always going to lose. Always going to fail. If anything but beating 16 percent of odds equals failure then life is basically a misery following this game. Win one flag in a 5 year block of your window and all the other years are failure. There’s no joy there. What’s the point? Why follow the sport. A premiership is a pass mark you said. Hahahahahaahaha

Premiership window doesn’t mean premiership. It means get up there and get a number of chances. Sooner or later you’ll get lucky.

And frankly, with the draft and salary cap…..the team that wins most years out of the 6-7 who COULD…..is just the luckiest. Good run with injuries. Good draw. Good run of home finals. A lot of domino’s have to fall your way.

So I guess you’re entitled to your view….and I’m entitled to say it’s insane, demoralising and self defeating to think this way and I want no part of it and hope you’re alone with this type of thinking.

 

[The Fantom]

Agre. * me the pile on on the guy who almost single handedly got us IN the finals is outrageous.

Probably the reason I have kept away from reading papers and forums.

Don’t understand how fans bag their own players… I’ve never got it and never will.

 

[DirtyLeeds]

Currently the premiership window is open for this list and a pass mark each year during this time is a flag. Simple as that. And if they don’t achieve it history will not care for all the fluff and feel good words you can write. Everyone including the players will look back and this time and call it a failure.

You and blokes like Kramer1 live in the past, it's not do it now or die, there's so much luck involved you can't be so definate about anything in life, let alone a game with a ball that will bounce in any direction...
We've finished third buddy, how can that ever be considered anything other than a complete success considering where we were after round 15?
You and your fellow dinosaurs should just move on into the 21st century, and before any of you state I must be one of those who accepts mediocracy above success, you're more wrong than you could ever be, suck it up and support the team as we will reek revenge in 2024............

 

[sosos]

Carlton went into the finals series with at least 7 players who probably wouldn't get a start in any other finalists list - Marchbank/Cincotta/Kemp/Owies/Motlop/Cuningham/Hollands - just off the top of my head. What Voss has been able to achieve with this list at this stage of development for so many players has been amazing - given the rotten first half of teh season - especially so.

Cripps/Docherty/Acres and probably Cincotta would not have played in the Brisbane game in a regular H&A season match - there were probably more. No team, list can replace so many players - no one has that kind of depth -eg Geelong went off the rail as soon as Bliclavs and one other starting player were ruled out for the season .... Melbourne lost midfield dominance as soon as Brayshaw got carried off...GWS were one semi-decent second marking tall short of making a GF (IMO). and their list is far more developed and complete than Carlton's right now...

You have to accept the fact that winning a flag starts with having a hardened developed list in every position with more than a few capable back-ups - and then you have to acknowledge that luck plays a part in all close games.

Lower expectations to realistic and the game will be more fun.

Agree with everything you say, except I believe people can have whatever expectations they like.

Mine were making finals.

If a flag was that person's expectation, that's fine with me. We all choose our own roses to smell

 

[BigFrizz36]

You and blokes like Kramer1 live in the past, it's not do it now or die, there's so much luck involved you can't be so definate about anything in life, let alone a game with a ball that will bounce in any direction...
We've finished third buddy, how can that ever be considered anything other than a complete success considering where we were after round 15?
You and your fellow dinosaurs should just move on into the 21st century, and before any of you state I must be one of those who accepts mediocracy above success, you're more wrong than you could ever be, suck it up and support the team as we will reek revenge in 2024............

Agree. You only have to look at this week's grand finalists. Brisbane have been in their window for 4 years now and have finally tound a way to get to the G/F. Pies had a mirror image season to us last year going on an exhilarating run that fell just short. This year they consolidated and learned from last year and found the couple of points they needed to make a grand final. Next year we have to aim only slightly higher.

We've gone from 13th to 9th to 3rd in 3 seasons. What a fantastic effort. Our windows is now open. I wish the 2024 season started next week.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

The season is a long one. The finals are a month long. I think it's fair to consider the entirety of the season when assessing where we finished. The home and away season just sorts out the seedings and advantages heading into the finals. We overcame our 5th seeding and rose to 3rd. As it turned out, we only won half a game less than Melbourne in total, but going 2-1 in finals to their 0-2, that's enough to elevate us above them IMO.

There are a whole range of reasons why teams misfire during the home and away season but hit their stride in the finals. I'm backing in our winning streak and grinding finals performances.

 

[bigblueboy]

We won two finals for the first time since 1999.

We beat the teams that finished the regular season 1st, 3rd, 4th, 6th, 7th and 8th - we’ve never done that since the introduction of the final 8 system.

We won nine games in a row for the first time since 2000.

We had a Coleman Medallist for the second year in a row.

Club finally on the same page in its response to adversity.

More work to be done and changes to come but undoubtedly this has been our most successful year in a generation.

 

[Michael Jezz]

No coincidence that it’s the most complete and talented list at the peak of its powers?

Go and compare the contest, tackling and endeavour under Teague and under Voss

 

[Scratchplate]

Proud of the boys. will have learnt a lot. Will be plenty hungry next year.

Steve