Blues focus on development not finals

[Aphrodite]

http://carltonfc.com.au/tabid/4311/Default.aspx?newsid=65416

CARLTON may have been the only side with a chance at breaking into the top eight to have a win at the weekend, but coach Brett Ratten is concentrating on team development and not a late finals run at Princes Park.

"There's still that flicker of hope there, but we've sort of found that we need to keep working on all aspects of our game and we've seen some players really grow individually," Ratten said on Wednesday.

"Just to watch individuals really take their games to the next level helps us collectively.

"We always thought this was a real foundation year for us, not just on-field, but off-field as well. Everything that we set up this year was a real foundation for us to make sure that we could sustain success at the Carlton footy club."

Sitting just one game outside the eight, the Blues can still sneak a finals berth if they win all of their remaining matches starting with this weekend's opponent North Melbourne.

The Kangaroos handed Carlton an 82-point hiding when they last met in round 21 of last season, but Ratten was confident this meeting would not be as one-sided.

"We've got players up and going with confidence and belief, that's helped us enormously," he said.

"In round 21 [last year] they were playing finals, we were on the back end, and we gave some players some opportunities to kickstart their careers.

"It will give us a real good insight to see where we're at. We think our confidence is growing and we've been playing some fairly good football over the last month without winning all the games.

"We'll walk away from this game and be able to say 'well we have really improved or we've still got a lot of work to do individually and collectively; it's a great challenge."

In-form midfielder Brent Harvey was awarded three Brownlow votes in that last encounter and Ratten was unsure how his side would tackle the prolific onballer.

"Win, lose or draw he still seems to have the same effect on the game," he said.

"He's very hard to stop and he's someone that we'll spend a bit of time talking about; whether we tag him, whether we let him go or drop off him at certain times.

"What I do know is that when he gets the ball he doesn't waste it and he hits the scoreboard, so he's very dangerous and we'll have to watch him."

Small forward Eddie Betts is a good chance to resume after missing last week's win over Port Adelaide with a hamstring strain.

 

[BlueYoss]

Ironic how Ratts talks about how well we've been playing and developing over the past month and goes into detail about the upcoming North Clash, making it pretty clear that his focus is on getting the four points this week (and keeping our finals hopes alive) and yet his one line "We always thought this was a real foundation year for us, not just on-field, but off-field as well. Everything that we set up this year was a real foundation for us to make sure that we could sustain success at the Carlton footy club." gives us the headline "Blues focus on development not finals"

 

[phantom 309]

Ratts could inclued himselfe in that development group, and has he not done it well, he could not be accused of making the same mistake twice, he learns improves and moves forward taking the whole club with him, what a great leader he is for our club.

 

[HBF]

If we keep on playing good consistent footy, the wins will take care of themselves. North Melbourne are one of those teams that have spanked us a bit over the past few years, so we need to have to have a good one on Sunday.

 

[SirKnights]

Basically if you win your remaining three games you will make finals. If you win your remaining games you will also obviously not simply be making up the numbers in the finals, but a pretty dam good chance to go through to the prelims. Irrespective, finals are on the cards for you in the next 2 years. Remarkable really, what happened to yolu in 2002 would have killed off most teams (st kilad for sure, probably kangas, bulldogs etc, not the mighty bombers though.)

That said, MONFRIES>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>RUSSELL. What a big mistake that was.
Anyway, things are on theu p fory ou guys, finals or not.

 

[thegreenmachine]

Is it at all a surprise he'd say the remainder of the year is about development? You have to say hardly. Coaches would usually say this when they're in the same position we're in.
Having said that, while we're still a small chance, it looks like we won't make it, just not consistent enough to play great footy yet. With the team we're playing, we have to play some excellent footy to make it. Must be down to our young and inexperienced list.

 

[BlueDW]

Basically if you win your remaining three games you will make finals. If you win your remaining games you will also obviously not simply be making up the numbers in the finals, but a pretty dam good chance to go through to the prelims. Irrespective, finals are on the cards for you in the next 2 years. Remarkable really, what happened to yolu in 2002 would have killed off most teams (st kilad for sure, probably kangas, bulldogs etc, not the mighty bombers though.)

That said, MONFRIES>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>RUSSELL. What a big mistake that was.
Anyway, things are on theu p fory ou guys, finals or not.

Yep this bloke is on the money, esp the bolded part, although perhaps the gap isnt as huge as that. Couldnt agree more. Go Blues.

 

[CarltonFan]

is that why we played saddington last week? for development? lmao

 

[blue gunslinger]

If we keep on playing good consistent footy, the wins will take care of themselves. North Melbourne are one of those teams that have spanked us a bit over the past few years, so we need to have to have a good one on Sunday.

What he said
One game at a time and we shall see!

 

[Blueboys7]

Basically if you win your remaining three games you will make finals. If you win your remaining games you will also obviously not simply be making up the numbers in the finals, but a pretty dam good chance to go through to the prelims. Irrespective, finals are on the cards for you in the next 2 years. Remarkable really, what happened to yolu in 2002 would have killed off most teams (st kilad for sure, probably kangas, bulldogs etc, not the mighty bombers though.)

That said, MONFRIES>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>RUSSELL. What a big mistake that was.
Anyway, things are on theu p fory ou guys, finals or not.

But hodgepodge says:

RUSSELL>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>JUDD

so russell must be better than monfries

 

[phantom 309]

Basically if you win your remaining three games you will make finals. If you win your remaining games you will also obviously not simply be making up the numbers in the finals, but a pretty dam good chance to go through to the prelims. Irrespective, finals are on the cards for you in the next 2 years. Remarkable really, what happened to yolu in 2002 would have killed off most teams (st kilad for sure, probably kangas, bulldogs etc, not the mighty bombers though.)

That said, MONFRIES>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>RUSSELL. What a big mistake that was.
Anyway, things are on theu p fory ou guys, finals or not.

I reckon you just mite be a blue in the closet, its safe you can come out now

 

[NWTYRX]

That said, MONFRIES>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>RUSSELL. What a big mistake that was.

Can't really disagree with that comment

 

[The Coach]

is that why we played saddington last week? for development? lmao

Exactly - stick a microphone under their chin and they have to say something

 

[sosos]

Basically if you win your remaining three games you will make finals. If you win your remaining games you will also obviously not simply be making up the numbers in the finals, but a pretty dam good chance to go through to the prelims. Irrespective, finals are on the cards for you in the next 2 years. Remarkable really, what happened to yolu in 2002 would have killed off most teams (st kilad for sure, probably kangas, bulldogs etc, not the mighty bombers though.)

That said, MONFRIES>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>RUSSELL. What a big mistake that was.
Anyway, things are on theu p fory ou guys, finals or not.

About as offt opic as youc ouldg et.

 

[Bluebear]

What a big mistake that was.

*COUGH* Matty Allen, Justin Murphy, Campo and Kepler Bradley *COUGH*

It is quite obvious that we are NOT TALKING ABOUT FINALS.

Ratts has said so many times this week.

We are developing, and as SK has kindly pointed out with his backhander, IF we make it, we will have earnt it with form against top 8 teams.........and might just get the Pies in week 1............Dogs or Swans in week 2.

I'd feel comfortable in either of those cases TBH. Not that we would definately win, but we sure as hell wouldn't get pumped. Would be a great boost for our young side, and then, with a prelim on the "G"........who knows what might happen.

 

[Silvagnis]

Basically if you win your remaining three games you will make finals. If you win your remaining games you will also obviously not simply be making up the numbers in the finals, but a pretty dam good chance to go through to the prelims. Irrespective, finals are on the cards for you in the next 2 years. Remarkable really, what happened to yolu in 2002 would have killed off most teams (st kilad for sure, probably kangas, bulldogs etc, not the mighty bombers though.)

That said, MONFRIES>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>RUSSELL. What a big mistake that was.
Anyway, things are on theu p fory ou guys, finals or not.

http://www.talkingcarlton.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=21847



You're not fooling anyone Man City Blues with your team identifying you as an Essendon fan.

 

[Alpha1]

We need to develop and develop until the cows come home. Even after we win 100 flags we still need to keep on developing.

 

[The Coach]

We need to develop and develop until the cows come home. Even after we win 100 flags we still need to keep on developing.

Very profound Alpha

 

[Kaladin Stormblessed]

That said, MONFRIES>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>RUSSELL. What a big mistake that was.

Pffft Monfries is extremely overrated. Good first couple of seasons, done nothing since and now had a couple of good weeks. Wow. He's better than Russell is not saying much.

Now, talking about mistakes, Jetta over Grigg??

 

[thylacine60]

Pffft Monfries is extremely overrated. Good first couple of seasons, done nothing since and now had a couple of good weeks. Wow. He's better than Russell is not saying much.

Now, talking about mistakes, Jetta over Grigg??

Didn't look too over-rated when he was tearing our backline apart this year.