A new chapter?

[Gouldy]

It's tangible that Carlton have been going through hard times in the last 7 years and it's a time where (I'm not afraid to admit) tears have fallen from eyes in frustration and despondency.

Any loyal Carlton fan will most likely feel the same. But are these hard, austere times finally over? I ask myself this after every season of recent years, but I really was joking myself I think.

Next year however I think, will contrast our grim past. The addition of Judd and Hadley is an acquisition any team would desire. New youg talent developing and also joining is a savings account with great interest. The removal of Senior players, such as Whitnall, I hate to say but by the end of their careers were just salary cap satiaters. Lappin and Kouta were still valuable assets in the final years, but..

My qeustion is, is this a new beginning for Carlton? A new chapter, in the book of the CFC, a hardcopy classic which of recent years feels like paperback. Can we go to games now realistically knowing we can win? Can we play finals?!

 

[Marc Shmurf 3]

we ask ourselves these questions this time every year.

we will never know until the time comes.

Injuries, suspensions, fixtures etc all play a vital part and is totally out of any1's control.

Have we set the foundations for a new beginning??? Yes i say.

Will it result in success???? Look at St. Kilda.

We wont know until September 27/9/2008.

 

[Bentick's My Man.]

Every year I think "We have to improve this year!"

We will have to wait and see, but this year I really think that the kids will stand up..

 

[hustla]

we ask ourselves these questions this time every year.

we will never know until the time comes.

Injuries, suspensions, fixtures etc all play a vital part and is totally out of any1's control.

Have we set the foundations for a new beginning??? Yes i say.

Will it result in success???? Look at St. Kilda.

We wont know until September 27/9/2008.

How could you even compare us to Moorabble? Carlton have just come out of their darkest period and are finally seeing the light, albeit very slightly. New President, board, CEO, Football Operations Manager, Coach, Assistant Coaches, Development Coaches, Fitness gurus, Sponsorships, Facilities on the way, up & coming guns, just signed the best player in the competition, a club where players want to play.

Look back 12 months and see if you can spot the difference. Fans pitied us, now they're beginning to hate us.

If there's one thing this club does, and does well, is win Premierships. St. Kilda, Collingwood, Essendon, Western Bulldogs have all had the chance to go deep into September and win the flag and couldn't do it. When we get deep into September, WE WIN FLAGS!

 

[Marc Shmurf 3]

How could you even compare us to Moorabble? Carlton have just come out of their darkest period and are finally seeing the light, albeit very slightly. New President, board, CEO, Football Operations Manager, Coach, Assistant Coaches, Development Coaches, Fitness gurus, Sponsorships, Facilities on the way, up & coming guns, just signed the best player in the competition, a club where players want to play.

Look back 12 months and see if you can spot the difference. Fans pitied us, now they're beginning to hate us.

If there's one thing this club does, and does well, is win Premierships. St. Kilda, Collingwood, Essendon, Western Bulldogs have all had the chance to go deep into September and win the flag and couldn't do it. When we get deep into September, WE WIN FLAGS!

Relax pal, take a chill pill

I was just using the example of the number of top 10 draft picks Carlton & St. Kilda have both had over the last few years. I was suggesting that it doesnt matter how many of them you have it gives you no certainty of success in the upcoming year and in the future.

 

[BlueYoss]

While it may seem as though there was only very minimal on-field improvement from 2006 to 2007 -2 premiership points and 1 ladder position- the underlying improvement was in which players were the main game day contributors.

In 2006 Lance held together our backline, Stevens our midfield and Barnaby provided good contests in the ruck. The absence of these players from our 2007 performances meant our talented youngsters had to step up to the plate and gained valuable experience and game time in the process.

We have now cleared almost all the deadwood from the list and with the return of Stevens and Cloke from injury, our new experienced recruits in Judd and Hadley plus our draft picks, our list is bulging with genuine talent and untapped potential giving us some depth that we have lacked for so long and creating competition for places both in our starting 22 and on the list!

As a result of this, coupled with our vast off-field improvement, Carlton will shoot up the ladder faster than anyone would have thought possible. I for one have little doubt that we will be playing finals football in 2008!

 

[as0l0]

The whole team will improve, but i think the biggest improvement will come from Fev. I believe that he only plays good footy when he thinks finals are a chance and i'm looking forward to seeing how he plays when he knows he will play finals.

 

[kouta6]

i agree
evry year i used 2 think that with muprhy or us wining the wizard cup it was all going to be good but i understand now that it takes a good solid 5 years to lift from the bottom and im not having a dig at richmond but i think they are going to have a very tuff time ahead also melbourne and when the dons loose there only good players which are all old eg lloyed, lucus , fletcher etc then they will go through the same. even though we have been throuhg horible times i in a small way have liked it because every win is so special and rare that it feels like a preiership. its good to us turing it around for the loyal blue baggers who have been there through the tough times

 

[hustla]

Relax pal, take a chill pill

I was just using the example of the number of top 10 draft picks Carlton & St. Kilda have both had over the last few years. I was suggesting that it doesnt matter how many of them you have it gives you no certainty of success in the upcoming year and in the future.

Sorry for coming down hard, I didn't intend to, but the difference between st.kilda and Carlton is big. We win flags, they don't.

 

[Bomba Sheldon]

Sorry for coming down hard, I didn't intend to, but the difference between st.kilda and Carlton is big. We win flags, they don't.

And dont they hate us because of it! F##k the ferals.

 

[audas]

I have generally gone early on my un-abashed, heart pounding, tear jerking, gut wrenching, inspirational posts of the season to come......this year I have held off.

Starting with a couple of pictures to get the mood up.

But have no doubts about my view, we can and will go all the way to the V.I.P. members room of the finals, doubt we will be much more than on-lookers to the main event and wont last more than 5 minutes, but feel we can be there.

The main point of that will be the number of teams we will need to beat to get there. Brilliant.

Even if we finish 9th or 10th, we will need maybe 10 wins. Imagine that...who will they be. How good would that be to have ten wins......


Stay tuned for over the top posts on our potential and gneral over reaction to the season that will be ........

 

[Bluebear]

We need 3 things to happen for us to take a massive leap forward.

1. At least one of Aisake, Hampson, Ackland or Cloke to step up as a competitive ruck for 4 quarters of 22 games.
2. Get a good run with injuries to Judd, Stevens, Murphy, Fev, Waite, Fisher, Setanta and the abovementioned ruck who steps up.
3. Have one of Jamison, Setanta, Bower, Austin, or Hartlett step up as a good defender beating his man each week.

If all these things happen we will play finals.
If two of these things happen we will finish 9-12th.
If one of theses things happen we will finish 13-16th.

 

[BlueYoss]

I have generally gone early on my un-abashed, heart pounding, tear jerking, gut wrenching, inspirational posts of the season to come......this year I have held off.

Starting with a couple of pictures to get the mood up.

But have no doubts about my view, we can and will go all the way to the V.I.P. members room of the finals, doubt we will be much more than on-lookers to the main event and wont last more than 5 minutes, but feel we can be there.

The main point of that will be the number of teams we will need to beat to get there. Brilliant.

Even if we finish 9th or 10th, we will need maybe 10 wins. Imagine that...who will they be. How good would that be to have ten wins......


Stay tuned for over the top posts on our potential and gneral over reaction to the season that will be ........

Audas, I'm not sure if you're saying that we will make it to the GF and get smashed or that we will only have 9 wins???

...and you were so sure we would have 14wins in 07...?

 

[borissey]

Every year I think "We have to improve this year!"

We will have to wait and see, but this year I really think that the kids will stand up..

Every year we think it and most years you can see it.

I still maintain we were going backwards in 2005 and 2006, 2006 in particular.

2007 - look at 15 players under 21 or so getting games, look at the full access to the draft, look at our B&F with youngplayers dominating and Murphy not even getting a look in. Pagan going, new Coach... new game plan...

2007 will be seen as the turnaround year in the fullness of time.

 

[Jezza U Beauty]

I already have one carton of Crownies on us making the 8 next year.

Our additions have been big, but it's the improvement in the output of guys who were already there that will occur as a result of those additions that is out biggest potential area of gain i reckon.

I don't reckon we should underestimate the difference Ratts will make either. How much better did we look last year after he took over, even minus guys like Fev, Thornton etc ?

 

[audas]

Audas, I'm not sure if you're saying that we will make it to the GF and get smashed or that we will only have 9 wins???

...and you were so sure we would have 14wins in 07...?

What idiot said that....?

We wont make the GF, I am predicting a sneak into the 8th if we have a stellar year.

 

[Andyt31]

Every year I think "We have to improve this year!"

We will have to wait and see, but this year I really think that the kids will stand up..

so far we managed to keep off the bottom for major of the 2006/007 seasons usally upto rd 22
hopefully we'll finish higher up a few rungs at least
similar to a few years ago .

 

[BlueYoss]

What idiot said that....?

Can't really remember to be honest, he lost so much credibility with that comment that I ceased to give credence to (and sometimes even take any notice of) his posts...the senile alcoholic!