Blues far worst Fitzroy says readers
Article from:
</IMG>
April 09, 2008 12:00am
"WE are far worse than Fitzroy".
The headline that screamed out at Herald Sun readers in January last year related to the money woes at Carlton.
Blues finance manager Marcus Rose painted a bleak picture in a bid to get supporter backing for a $67 million redevelopment of Princes Park, designed to lift flagging revenue streams.
The brutal honesty caused an uproar. Rose resigned the next day.
Just 14 months on, the finances have been fixed.
But the headline remains relevant.
Carlton's recent on-field record is far worse than Fitzroy.
Since the start of 2002, the Blues have played 135 games. They have won just 28.
The sad, deflated Fitzroy team managed a better record on death row.
In the 135 games leading up to their emotional final outing in 1996, the Lions won 33.
The homeless Lions, emotionally wounded by the loss of key players, managed a send-off winning strike-rate of 24.4 per cent. Since the start of 2002, Carlton has a winning strike-rate of 21.5.
Take out the 10 games won in 2004 and Carlton has saluted only 18 times in 113 games.
The much-maligned Richmond has managed 43 wins from its past 135 games -- 15 more than Carlton.
Port Adelaide has won a whopping 95 of 135 -- 67 more.
Yes, Blues fans, it is that bad.
Using the same 135-game block as a framework, not many teams in history have endured worse runs than the Blues since they lost to Richmond in the 2001 finals.
Carlton is in the midst of the driest patch since St Kilda, up until Round 18 1987, won just 27 of its previous 135 games.
Other clubs to win just 27 of 135 are North Melbourne (up to 1941), Hawthorn (up to 1954) and Fitzroy (up to 1970).
It would have once been unthinkable for Carlton to be keeping such company.
We're talking about a club that has won an equal record 16 premierships and, despite its horror patch, has won 1325 league games -- the second most in history.
You probably already know Carlton has been stranded on 1325 wins for some time. The losing streak has now stretched to 14 games.
Lose to Collingwood on Sunday and the Blues will post an unwanted club record of 15 successive losses.
But Carlton is also careering towards a lesser-known record -- successive matches conceding 100 or more points.
The Blues have not kept an opponent under 100 since Round 1 last year, when Richmond kicked 15.8 (98) at the MCG to lose by 17 points. That is 24 tons in a row.
Only Sydney under Gary Buckenara (25 successive tons from Round 9, 1992 to Round 11, 1993) has been more generous in scores conceded.
No one can accuse Carlton of playing dull footy, but its defence has not stopped leaking.
Since the start of 2002, the Blues have conceded 115 points a game on average.
Sydney has let through an average of 80 in the same time frame.
New coach Brett Ratten cannot be blamed for all this. With three No. 1 draft picks, Chris Judd and an attacking style, surely it can only improve.
But Ratten must be hanging out for a breakthrough win.
He is 0-9, even if it is hard to pin the last six losses of 2007 on him given the Blues' hunger for wins was questionable at best.
Ratten is now 10th on the all-time list of coaching losses to start a career.
But everyone else on that list is from an era before tanking for the No. 1 pick became so attractive.
One of the best articles I have read in a long time.
Article from:
</IMG>April 09, 2008 12:00am
"WE are far worse than Fitzroy".
The headline that screamed out at Herald Sun readers in January last year related to the money woes at Carlton.
Blues finance manager Marcus Rose painted a bleak picture in a bid to get supporter backing for a $67 million redevelopment of Princes Park, designed to lift flagging revenue streams.
The brutal honesty caused an uproar. Rose resigned the next day.
Just 14 months on, the finances have been fixed.
But the headline remains relevant.
Carlton's recent on-field record is far worse than Fitzroy.
Since the start of 2002, the Blues have played 135 games. They have won just 28.
The sad, deflated Fitzroy team managed a better record on death row.
In the 135 games leading up to their emotional final outing in 1996, the Lions won 33.
The homeless Lions, emotionally wounded by the loss of key players, managed a send-off winning strike-rate of 24.4 per cent. Since the start of 2002, Carlton has a winning strike-rate of 21.5.
Take out the 10 games won in 2004 and Carlton has saluted only 18 times in 113 games.
The much-maligned Richmond has managed 43 wins from its past 135 games -- 15 more than Carlton.
Port Adelaide has won a whopping 95 of 135 -- 67 more.
Yes, Blues fans, it is that bad.
Using the same 135-game block as a framework, not many teams in history have endured worse runs than the Blues since they lost to Richmond in the 2001 finals.
Carlton is in the midst of the driest patch since St Kilda, up until Round 18 1987, won just 27 of its previous 135 games.
Other clubs to win just 27 of 135 are North Melbourne (up to 1941), Hawthorn (up to 1954) and Fitzroy (up to 1970).
It would have once been unthinkable for Carlton to be keeping such company.
We're talking about a club that has won an equal record 16 premierships and, despite its horror patch, has won 1325 league games -- the second most in history.
You probably already know Carlton has been stranded on 1325 wins for some time. The losing streak has now stretched to 14 games.
Lose to Collingwood on Sunday and the Blues will post an unwanted club record of 15 successive losses.
But Carlton is also careering towards a lesser-known record -- successive matches conceding 100 or more points.
The Blues have not kept an opponent under 100 since Round 1 last year, when Richmond kicked 15.8 (98) at the MCG to lose by 17 points. That is 24 tons in a row.
Only Sydney under Gary Buckenara (25 successive tons from Round 9, 1992 to Round 11, 1993) has been more generous in scores conceded.
No one can accuse Carlton of playing dull footy, but its defence has not stopped leaking.
Since the start of 2002, the Blues have conceded 115 points a game on average.
Sydney has let through an average of 80 in the same time frame.
New coach Brett Ratten cannot be blamed for all this. With three No. 1 draft picks, Chris Judd and an attacking style, surely it can only improve.
But Ratten must be hanging out for a breakthrough win.
He is 0-9, even if it is hard to pin the last six losses of 2007 on him given the Blues' hunger for wins was questionable at best.
Ratten is now 10th on the all-time list of coaching losses to start a career.
But everyone else on that list is from an era before tanking for the No. 1 pick became so attractive.
One of the best articles I have read in a long time.
...losers
