Lance Whitnall welcome back- Blues

[Pamam]

definately deserved a lap of honour. i hope it happens!

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,23248888-19742,00.html

CARLTON says former captain Lance Whitnall is welcome back at the club and hopes to use a farewell lap before Round 1 to help resolve an ugly rift over his departure.

The Blues unofficially suspended Whitnall midway through last season for weight-related issues, and then sacked him after the trade period.
Whitnall said he was shocked and devastated to be cut from Carlton's list while still captain, and was annoyed the club had not made contact with him a month later.

But Carlton has approached Whitnall's management about a lap before the Round 1 clash against Richmond at the MCG on Easter Thursday, and says it will be the farewell he was denied.

Despite his consistency in his final seasons and fluctuating weight attributed to knee issues, he remains a favourite son at the club.
Carlton chief executive Greg Swann said he hoped Whitnall had come to terms with the club's decision to drop him from the list.

"We would like him to come and do a farewell lap at the first game because he never got a chance to do that with his family and friends, and let the fans give him a a farewell," Swann said.

"He's always welcome around the club, he's a 200-game player, he's a best-and-fairest winner, and a former captain."

Whitnall's management was upset at the timing of the sacking - in the hours after the trade deadline expired - which gave him less chance of finding a new home.

But subsequent medical reports showed Whitnall would have been unlikely to be able to train at enough intensity to play AFL football.

"Clubs make those decisions, and players get disappointed for a while, and as time goes on, they realise these things happen for a reason," Swann said.

 

[Brighton_Diggins]

A decent gesture from the club.
They owe it to him i would think.
Id like to see Lance around the club...
He's got one hell of a game brain from which alot of the young
blokes could learn.
Go chutney crotch.

 

[MBIB]

I think even Lance-baggers will be showing respect for the lap of honour.
I really hope this bad blood can disappear, he's a blue for life and it would be great if he could still be at the club in some way or another

 

[blue gunslinger]

Lance at his best was my kind of player. It is a shame he fell away but he should be remembered for all the good and not the bad. I for one will stand and applaud a great service he gave to our club. Good on ya big Red!

 

[AlecDuncan]

Lance was a great for us until injuries brought him down. I'd appreciate the chance to thank him.

Further, I want him involved at the club passing on his knowledge to our kids.

 

[thylacine60]

Can I be the first thoughtless knucklebrain to make cracks about catering and pies?

What a great player. I'm still riding that goal home from the HFF in the 99 PF.

 

[as0l0]

good news, hope he accepts.

 

[Scruff83]

Yeah, I hope he accepts. I have a feeling he wont tho.

 

[Johnny Utah #9]

Damn right he deserves a lap of honour and i along with any other genuine Carlton supporter will be standing and clapping him the whole way.

He was a captain, All-Aust, leading goal kicker, Best & Fairest and a loyal servant of the club for many years.

Time to put issues aside such as his weight problems, knee problems and his sacking, and celebrate the great service he gave us.

We should all remember the great games Lance played for us, often holding down CHF as an 18-20 yr old and dominating against the best in the game. His 9 goals vs Brisbane at the Gabba and his 1999 Prelim last qtr goal are two of my favourite highlights.

 

[Bluebear]

I find the timing a bit interesting........I wonder if he read the article about us looking for a CHF and thought he might just pop in and run some laps.

Seriously, good from the club.....but round 1?........I wonder if the Tiges fans will send Shane around in a car as well.

 

[AlecDuncan]

His 9 goals vs Brisbane at the Gabba and his 1999 Prelim last qtr goal are two of my favourite highlights.

The one that keeps coming back to me is a Collingwood game where he side-stepped three opponents in a row and kicked a goal. It just summed up his gift perfectly.

 

[HBF]

I wonder if he'll do his lap of honour in a Mr. Whippy van?

Seriously, I hope he attends and does the lap of the ground. A great Carlton person, and he thoroughly deserves this send off.

 

[BlueYoss]

Further, I want him involved at the club passing on his knowledge to our kids.

Does the club currently have a designated forwards coach?

That role has Lance's name all over it...

 

[Bluebear]

Does the club currently have a designated forwards coach?

That role has Lance's name all over it...

I think they had him pencilled in for development before he........I mean Ricky cracked the sads and burnt the bridge.

Lappin stepped in and took the mantle.

It would be nice if DP opened the Wallet and found a position for him.

 

[Harry Madden]

Great idea! He never got the send off he deserved...they should stick Pagan in the car next to him -- with Elliot driving

 

[THE AISSASSIN]

I think they had him pencilled in for development before he........I mean Ricky cracked the sads and burnt the bridge.

Lappin stepped in and took the mantle.

It would be nice if DP opened the Wallet and found a position for him.

Best available policy only pls regarding our coaching panel.

Appointmnets driven by sympathy will not be in the best interests of the club

 

[Bluebear]

Sure, but it is based on the fact we wanted him initially, so obviously saw him as being the right man for the job.......just saying we can make room.

 

[THE AISSASSIN]

Sure, but it is based on the fact we wanted him initially, so obviously saw him as being the right man for the job.......just saying we can make room.

Im not so sure that it had been decidied they were going to offer any specific role to him, but rather that it was being discussed.
To my knowledge he was never formally offered a coaching role.
To claim as fact that we wanted him may be stretching things a little.

Terry Wallace was considered best man for the job at Sydney, and quit the Dogs.
Roos was given a few weeks as caretaker coach and the rest is history.
Things sure can change quickly even if he was wanted previously.

 

[Marc Shmurf 3]

once again i can't help but be impressed with every situation that the powers at be have come across. Handled perfectly again

all class

 

[bLuEbOy1984]

10 bucks he looks like a blimp right now

 

[The Captain]

They can make it a family affair with Shane and his wife applauding from the sidelines : )

 

[Bluebear]

Im not so sure that it had been decidied they were going to offer any specific role to him, but rather that it was being discussed.
To my knowledge he was never formally offered a coaching role.
To claim as fact that we wanted him may be stretching things a little.

Terry Wallace was considered best man for the job at Sydney, and quit the Dogs.
Roos was given a few weeks as caretaker coach and the rest is history.
Things sure can change quickly even if he was wanted previously.

Fact or not..........had he and Nixon not blown up on that Friday he would be the development coach right now. That was the word around the traps at the time.

 

[Marc Shmurf 3]

Fact or not..........had he and Nixon not blown up on that Friday he would be the development coach right now. That was the word around the traps at the time.

probably so, but i wouldnt mind getting people from other clubs as development coaches. Teague & Lappin is almost too much with the same mentality and back ground, so someone with a different perspective and experience may be of more value.

 

[THE AISSASSIN]

probably so, but i wouldnt mind getting people from other clubs as development coaches. Teague & Lappin is almost too much with the same mentality and back ground, so someone with a different perspective and experience may be of more value.

Agree.......I was especially happy when we signed Montgomery because of the fact that he has spent considerable time in Ports system under Choco, which has been highly successful developing its kids.

The advantage Teague and Lappin are coinsidered to have by the club is that they will be playing in the Bullants and be able to "coach" players throughout each game.

 

[Bluebear]

probably so, but i wouldnt mind getting people from other clubs as development coaches. Teague & Lappin is almost too much with the same mentality and back ground, so someone with a different perspective and experience may be of more value.

We could get SOS from the Saints.