Opinion Half glass full? Half glass empty? Be careful the broken glass?

[ferrisb]

The rough start to the season has put a lot of focus on the team; from fans, neutral supporters, the media and presumably within the club.

The discussion about our season is making its way into every thread; game previews, autopsies, Bolton, list management, injury thread etc etc. I'd thought I'd start up a dedicated thread to discuss 'where we're at' (silly term, but it works).

So, how about you? Are you super bullish? Or are you ready to throw in the towel? Do we need to sack Bolton or do we stay on target? Have at it!

 

[ferrisb]

My $0.02...

I'm torn on 2019. We have looked much better than last year, yet we're still 1-6.

We've seen guys like McKay, SPS, Fisher, Weiters and Jones improve. Good. But we have not full value from our recent trades YET (fitness/form/other). Bad.

When we're on, we've played some beautiful footy, but we need more consistency and be better prepared to combat opposition tactics. NM match aside, I feel we've been competitive pretty much every game (a big deal) and we are 30 seconds off being 3-4. But the reality is we have only won one game.

All up, this season is kind of tracking how I expected. Hardly a surge on the ladder, but still clear improvement. More consistency, better %. I went into the season thinking we would win 6-8 matches and finish above STK, GC, NM and maybe 1-2 other teams. That 2020 would be the big step up. I still think we have a bunch of wins ahead of us, but the final ladder position will disappoint.

While the GC and Hawks matches almost killed me, I think the season is not as bad as it seems. There are some good signs for next year and beyond. I knew the rebuild would take time, but sometimes the waiting is painful.

I think we are roughly on track to produce a Brisbane 2018 output. Everyone was bullish on Brisbane's 2018 yet they only won 5 games. They were 0-8. And they were 1-12 after 13 matches. But their young group came home strongly and finished with a high % showing competitiveness. Brisbane did not reach the turning point last year, but you could see it. I see the same for us in 2019. If we don't, god help us all.

 

[SkyhorseTamer]

a

Poty

 

[Bostonian]

In all honesty.

It all just makes me feel very weary.

It's been such a drain following this club for the last 20 years it inevitably takes its toll.

 

[Gethelred]

I think, at the moment, we're definitely at 'Be wary of the broken glass' territory.

In all seriousness, though, I don't see any reason for panic. Not yet. North are the first side to kick more than 100 points against us, and our scoring potential is way higher than it was last year. Despite this, we're still smaller around the ball than most of our opposition are, and North have had the wood over us for at least 4 years. We have a habit of running into them at the worst possible time; Kreuzer has gone down or is just back in, we have in game injuries and/or injuries the preceding week that hamper our ability to win the ball around the ground.

It's in the next month that whether or not we're better will really assert itself. Pies, Giants, Saints, Bombers; two teams of significant ability, two teams of finals aspiration. Realistically, all four should beat us; if our showing against them is similarly determined to our results earlier in the season, there is no reason why we couldn't continue to improve, maybe pinch a win or two. If we go back into ourselves, we're going to get belted, in all 4 of those games.

We'll see.

 

[thylacine60]

In all honesty.

It all just makes me feel very weary.

It's been such a drain following this club for the last 20 years it inevitably takes its toll.

this

 

[thylacine60]

tipping this thread is not wearing protection and narnia infection is a distinct possibility........

 

[Blue and Blue]

is this where we do the the hard shards ?

 

[thylacine60]

paneful.......

 

[Soapy V]

The rough start to the season has put a lot of focus on the team; from fans, neutral supporters, the media and presumably within the club.

The discussion about our season is making its way into every thread; game previews, autopsies, Bolton, list management, injury thread etc etc. I'd thought I'd start up a dedicated thread to discuss 'where we're at' (silly term, but it works).

So, how about you? Are you super bullish? Or are you ready to throw in the towel? Do we need to sack Bolton or do we stay on target? Have at it!

Can I think about it?

 

[Robertio]

In all honesty.

It all just makes me feel very weary.

It's been such a drain following this club for the last 20 years it inevitably takes its toll.

What takes it's toll is it's bad enough getting flogged then we have to put up with posters like you telling us how bad we are, not once or twice but all friggin week.

 

[bigm386]

Rightly or wrongly, I am finding myself more frustrated this year because of the fact we swapped our first with Adelaide.

I know we can say we have enough number 1 picks and look where it got us etc etc, but at the end of the day say we swap pick 1-3 for pick 8-10 I would be pretty gutted. If the pick factor wasn't on my mind I think I would feel much more positive about the club.

At the start of the season I thought 8-10 wins would be a massive stretch target but expected 6-8 wins. Had serious concerns about our ability to keep a competitive ruckman on the field and honestly that has been a major issue.

But couldn't be happier with the following:

Cripps has taken another step for me is practically unstoppable and even with a down game on the weekend it was far from an average game.

Willo getting back on the park, love the kid was honestly concerned with some of the rumors about his career being over due to health. Love the way he goes about it and see him as Simmo's long term replacement with his hardness, pace and disposal.

Fisher, SPS, McKay, JSOS and Weitering have developed and come a long way as you would expect considering the time in the system. But in particular impressed with McKay he has had the most time out with injury and with some good disposal will be a dominant KPF for a very long time.

Walsh is beyond impressive for a first year player, they will find a way not to give him the rising star (see Cripps and Hogan) but oh well.

 

[thylacine60]

Can I think about it?

nup - we all want it now!

 

[Bostonian]

What takes it's toll is it's bad enough getting flogged then we have to put up with posters like you telling us how bad we are, not once or twice but all friggin week.

I don't relate my football experiences on what happens on internet forums.

The fact you do says a lot.

Perhaps a safe space is what you need.

You're symptomatic of the selective poster syndrome.

 

[ferrisb]

Can I think about it?

Don't keep me in suspense.....I have no idea how you feel about this rebuild, Soap!

 

[Faz 2000]

Half full:

• We have improved.
• We now have whole quarters where we are better than the opposition.
• There's a lot of talent on the list.
• Clear improvement from a number of players.
• We have a captain to lead us through troubled times (or two?).

Half empty:

• Some players have not developed at all.
• 2018 off-season moves looking questionable.
• We've won one #$%*! game - in the easy bit of our draw.
• We have more players who are poor kicks than any other team.
• Some senior players have been very disappointing this year in a season where we need them to be great.

Be careful:

• Further improvement won't "just happen", it'll take hard work, learning, development and some attitude changes.
• Could very easily be 1-11 in a month or so. Will need to circle the wagons.
• There's something else "wrong" with our team, possibly our club, but I can't quite put my finger on it. I think it's a losing culture, or lack of confidence/swagger, or lack of aggression, or lack of accountability. Something.

 

[thylacine60]

clear & present effort by matthew to create a diversion while mods remove the bodies from sunday's autopsy thread - noble but ultimately pointless exercise

 

[Soapy V]

I could write and essay on it but quickly.

What I like is the club has decided on a rebuild and even under pressure hasn't waivered.
We have brought in so many quality people we need to trust they know what they are doing
We need to focus on the big picture and not singular mistakes
Issues like we should've picked Kennedy at the weekend like it cost us the win sh1t me

The club has made mistakes (everyone does) but overall they are pretty much where they expected to be at this point
They are also not even close to sitting back and thinking it's done and always reviewing and improving
2018/19 was always the tough period.
Importantly we are doing well off field as well

NO ONE including me cannot fully assess where we will be in 12 months but IMO we are certainly heading in the right direction

 

[BrianSetzer]

I'm tired, exhausted. Love the Club, I try not to let it effect me but it does. Something in me says we're getting it right for the first time in 20 years then doubt gets planted in your head from, media, rival fans, fellow fans and you feel shite again. Are we asking too much if we want more wins? I've seen wins, many years ago, I'll be ok but it's hard making my kids, 15, 12 and 8 stay on board. Rather than upset dad, we'll stay Carlton supporters but care more about basketball and soccer. I don't blame them 1 bit. We need to get going. Hopefully we will in the not too distant future.

 

[Soapy V]

nup - we all want it now!

Bloody Kids

 

[footyfan1978]

The rough start to the season has put a lot of focus on the team; from fans, neutral supporters, the media and presumably within the club.

The discussion about our season is making its way into every thread; game previews, autopsies, Bolton, list management, injury thread etc etc. I'd thought I'd start up a dedicated thread to discuss 'where we're at' (silly term, but it works).

So, how about you? Are you super bullish? Or are you ready to throw in the towel? Do we need to sack Bolton or do we stay on target? Have at it!

I have walked on broken glass, It ain't that hard. It is harder for fans to be patient and actually think logically in times like these, but * it, I will.
I cannot stand wishy washy people in times like these that mouth off and sook and pot every second player, especially young ones or loyal servants. I'm not going to pot specific fans but as someone that saw the game on Saturday was very upset at lack of performance. But the performance of a lot of fans after the game and the next day is way worse. I understand the upset of many , but if you looked at the youth in side we had to field with no real other options, pull ya head in and learn to support in tough times too as that was one and this week is too.
Go Blues!!!

 

[Soapy V]

I don't relate my football experiences on what happens on internet forums.

The fact you do says a lot.

Perhaps a safe space is what you need.

You're symptomatic of the selective poster syndrome.

Poor response

 

[Blue and Blue]

The rough start to the season has put a lot of focus on the team; from fans, neutral supporters, the media and presumably within the club.

The discussion about our season is making its way into every thread; game previews, autopsies, Bolton, list management, injury thread etc etc. I'd thought I'd start up a dedicated thread to discuss 'where we're at' (silly term, but it works).

So, how about you? Are you super bullish? Or are you ready to throw in the towel? Do we need to sack Bolton or do we stay on target? Have at it!

I've said it many times. What do we expect to happen?
If you think of that old footy adage of a ruckman taking the longest time to come good and thats in a club that isn't starting from scratch. Then how long does a whole team of mostly 18 19 and 20 and 21 year old skinny rakes take to come on without a solid core and structure and mongrel around them? At least the same surely.
Hell I wish we were better on the scoreboard and the ladder. Yet I bought into Boltons vision of green shoots and have watched our progress with a total disregard for those indicators. I think that other than this latest hiccup against Norf we are really seeing the first blooms of spring emerge.
Soon the scoreboard and ladder will become the absolute indicators but not quite yet for me. Call me foolish if you will but I see no cause for despair or panic.

Oh and this season is seven more games of not having to listen to ****house .. (thats Malt) .. press conferences. Real bonus there.

 

[Coops93]

To say we haven't taken a step forward this season is an ignorant standpoint. Pretty much all statistical indicators show we're better this year than last year.

I think the disappointment people are feeling is down to the individual overrating our list. Just remember that most of our midfield is still under 21. Sure, the guys are probably the answer long term, but you can't expect 20 yr olds to turn up week in and week out and win game after game. The fact we've been in every game this year bar 1 is a sign that we're on the way up, you couldn't say that about any 6 games stretch last season.


I will say I would like Bolton to make a harder stance than he does sometimes. On the weekend, for example, he talked about growth. Even Judd came out and said that was a bad move. A little rebuke to the players would've been good to see, and it was probably needed tbh.

 

[Faz 2000]

I will say I would like Bolton to make a harder stance than he does sometimes. On the weekend, for example, he talked about growth. Even Judd came out and said that was a bad move. A little rebuke to the players would've been good to see, and it was probably needed tbh.

I wonder if they're a little over-protected, too. There's just a bit of coddling and softness about the way we do things which doesn't feel quite right to me. A few guys this year have deserved absolute rockets - I hope they got them (privately).

But it's not all wrong, either. Takes a lot of strength for the coach and the captains to keep rolling out and being positive whilst the on field results are disappointing. Take the hits for their team. That's leadership.

Tough balancing act through this period.