Toast Our improvement.

[jj1978]

Well I know the current topic of choice seems to be trying to maintain our top4 position... but one thing that seems to have been overlooked after our awesome win over Essendon...

We've now officially improved on last years H&A performance.

Last year we had 11 wins.. and at the moment with another 5 games yet to play we're on 11.5 wins. With the remaining draw you'd think we'd at least get 13.5 wins and given that at the start of the year I would've taken it.

And look at improvement in players like Robinson, Walker, Murphy, Hampson, Warnock and acquisitions in Duigan, Laidler and Curnow.

We're getting there...

 

[brazilblue]

Yes this year has really been enjoyable to date (given the last 10 or so years) .... it really does look like we are building to something special.

What really has me impressed is that although other supporters will always hate Carlton they do like our style of play.

Imagine we played like the Aints!

 

[BluesMan]

Our style of footy is awesome when it's up and running, and in 2011 it's been up and about more often than not. Still I can't wait to what we dish up in finals, hoping we can maintain the 4th spot though, it's going to be tough to keep it, but that what good sides do.... and a double chance in a finals match for us would be gold!

 

[FRUMPY]

like most other good sides, the majority of our side is now in the 80-150 game mark. This means they have been in the system a minimum of 5 years. Players like Murphy, simpson, walker, gibbs, russell, betts, carrazzo, Waite have played enough games to have the afl body and experience to play good consistent football.

Then players like Jamison, Bower, Hampson, Warnock have been around for around 5 plus years. Add in Laidler and Duigan who are mature body recruits.

Then add in the fact ratten is into his 4th(?) year, his gameplan is now being enforced alot better after working on it for 4 yeards To build a footy side who plays good footy it takes time. The time is now and the next couple of years with this group.

 

[gbatman]

on 2010...

Improvers
Curnow, Ellard, Duigan, Gibbs, Hampson, Henderson, Garlett, Jamison, Laidler, Murphy, Robinson, Betts, Scotland, Thornton, Touhy, Walker, Yarran and coaching.


Stayed The Same
Armfield, Carrazzo, Joseph, Judd, O'hAilpin, McLean, Simpson, Waite, Warnock, Kreuzer.

Russell (arguably gone backwards).

Gone Backwards
Bower, Houlihan, Lucas.

Missing from our best 22 causing poor losses to sides like the bulldogs:
Waite, Jamison, Carrazzo, Russell and O'hAilpin/Hampson.

Current form slump:
Russell and Curnow.

Arguably Lucas, Bower, Houlihan.

 

[BluesMan]

Bit harsh to say Russell is in a "current" form slump considering he's not playing

But I assume you mean before the injury, and I would some what agree, compared to his breakout 2010 season, he hasn't quite reached that level just.... but hey if he turns it on in the finals, I'd be happy

 

[Styxx]

Geez, think Kreuzer got a bit stiff there, coming back off a reco as long as he was not a hinderance to team play I'd have been happy. Doing well enough at this point.

 

[gbatman]

Russell is not the quick hard running player he was a few years ago. I remember him in the losing final to brisbane a few years ago when he was red hot, he was so much quicker and played a great game. Not sure where his pace has dissapeared to or what is going on with him at the moment. Haven't seen him bursting off with the ball and breaking lines for a long time. Has had an adequate year.

Yeah looking at his break out period at the end on 2009 and beginning of 2010 it would be fair to expect him to be further ahead of where he is now.

Yeah Kreuzer's improvement has been hindered but the great thing is he hasn't slipped, just has taken off from where he left off which is very bizzare for a traditional knee reco comeback. Credit to him and the club for managing the recovery so well. Touch wood he, like so many others, have a cracking preseason so we can see what he is really capable. I'm sure in 2012 he'll come back with a bigger engine and be a dean cox type that covers a load of ground and racks up possessions.

 

[Hayashi_62]

Russell is not the quick hard running player he was a few years ago. I remember him in the losing final to brisbane a few years ago when he was red hot, he was so much quicker and played a great game. Not sure where his pace has dissapeared to or what is going on with him at the moment. Haven't seen him bursting off with the ball and breaking lines for a long time. Has had an adequate year.

Yeah looking at his break out period at the end on 2009 and beginning of 2010 it would be fair to expect him to be further ahead of where he is now.

Yeah Kreuzer's improvement has been hindered but the great thing is he hasn't slipped, just has taken off from where he left off which is very bizzare for a traditional knee reco comeback. Credit to him and the club for managing the recovery so well. Touch wood he, like so many others, have a cracking preseason so we can see what he is really capable. I'm sure in 2012 he'll come back with a bigger engine and be a dean cox type that covers a load of ground and racks up possessions.

Agree with the points on JR. Through the start of this year he seemed to be about the same in all aspects of his game (arguable a better defender in a contest) however he was a step slower.

 

[THE BRICKMAN]

Hopefully he gets to that form again this year, has already shed kilos during his time off and will be good to go after one more week in the bullants, 2 games was the plan so he didn't get used to the slower pace of the vfl.

 

[Nerv_01]

Russell is not the quick hard running player he was a few years ago. I remember him in the losing final to brisbane a few years ago when he was red hot, he was so much quicker and played a great game. Not sure where his pace has dissapeared to or what is going on with him at the moment. Haven't seen him bursting off with the ball and breaking lines for a long time. Has had an adequate year.

Yeah looking at his break out period at the end on 2009 and beginning of 2010 it would be fair to expect him to be further ahead of where he is now.

Yeah Kreuzer's improvement has been hindered but the great thing is he hasn't slipped, just has taken off from where he left off which is very bizzare for a traditional knee reco comeback. Credit to him and the club for managing the recovery so well. Touch wood he, like so many others, have a cracking preseason so we can see what he is really capable. I'm sure in 2012 he'll come back with a bigger engine and be a dean cox type that covers a load of ground and racks up possessions.

Some people on this board are pretty harsh on Russell, he probably isn't running as fast because of his limited pre-season.

 

[Dramoth]

The massive collection of F/S selections we will be having over the next 3-6 years culminating in the F/S selection of one O D Judd in 2029 when he selects the blues over the wimps come east (better known as the west coke e-girls) as his preferred club.

 

[gbatman]

what father sons have we got coming our way appart from buckley?

 

[Dramoth]

what father sons have we got coming our way appart from buckley?

There are the 3 SOS's (9-13 I think with Jack being the eldest), a (****ing tall) Meldrum, a (short compared to his old man) Madden, an Alvin... and a few others... most are currently in the range of 13-16 I think... maybe a couple older than that

 

[AndyWalkersGirl]

Our improvement - strength of culture and no bullsh!t stance.

Ratts on developing club culture -

http://www.afl.com.au/tabid/208/default.aspx?newsid=119770

CARLTON coach Brett Ratten says he will not select a player if he found out they had signed with either Greater Western Sydney or Gold Coast, even if that player could make a major difference come finals time.

Ratten told SEN the culture of the club came before the success of an individua

He makes no mention of Bower. Is something going on?

 

[Tish]

Our improvement has come from, You have to be playing your best football to be in our side. You have to earn your spot. Which makes me dumb founded as to why Houlihan got another game. went to the ants versus Hawks, and he was woeful, yet got a call up

 

[ScarfacePacino]

There are the 3 SOS's (9-13 I think with Jack being the eldest), a (****ing tall) Meldrum, a (short compared to his old man) Madden, an Alvin... and a few others... most are currently in the range of 13-16 I think... maybe a couple older than that

All good in theory but how do you know they be in the best 70 players in the year before they drafted. They all children, 13,14 and 15 a long way from 17. The only one is most likely is Buckley but looking at his frame, he take a while in AFL. I reckon the club should have got him training with us this year and using our facilities. I don't know if they have, but I reckon it would be a advantage. I think that what Collingwood are doing I heard to players 1 year away as father and son.

 

[Tony Lynn 15]

Interesting to note that we could potentially win our last 4 games and still finish 5th. Some will say not finishing top 4 is not good enough but it needs to be put in perspective. If we did win our last 4, West Coast won all their games and Hawthorn win 4 out of 5 we will be 2 points behind both with a fairly amazing win/loss record for the season (5 losses and 1 draw). In both of the last 2 seasons this would have given us a 3rd or 4th position on the ladder comfortably.

I realise this is a lot of if's and but's however there is a lot of luck in footy as well as the hard work. I think this has been a very good season in a year where the top 5 are way above the rest.