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Opinion The 'Carlton related stuff that doesn't need it's own thread' thread Part 3

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EDIT:

Please note that I do not claim any of the below to be fact. Nor do I have any sources. I’m just a fan that is hurting like everyone else. I am merely synthesising what others have said on here previously in an attempt to make sense of what has been a horrible start to our season. If any of this it crosses any lines whatsoever, please let me know and I will delete it ASAP. Also, mods feel free to edit/delete as you see fit.

- - -

Ok so we've played 2 games and this what is rumoured to have happened so far in no particular order:

  • Ex presidents twitter hacked
  • Back issues for Blake Acres
  • Knee clean up for Charlie that didn't go to plan
  • Lost Nic Newman to an ACL during a pre-season training session
  • Hamstring issue for Walsh
  • Another knee clean up and screw removal for Charlie
  • Lost Jagga Smith, who we mortgaged our future on, to an ACL during a scratch match
  • A few days before our first game, Elijah Hollands took a leave of absence for an undisclosed reason
  • Probably the biggest on-field embarrassment/meltdown/choke/disasterclass I've ever seen from this group of players (and that's saying something) against a team who many consider to be the worst list in the modern era.
  • After training the entire preseason as a defender, Jack Silvagni lasted there for 3 quarters and has yet to return to the backline
  • According to rumours there were "heated" disagreements that potentially became physical between coaches after the tigers game in front of the general public/players families
  • The head of football has apparently told people that this will be his last season at the club, according to rumours
  • Reports of senior players being "confused" about the "gameplan". Tension between coaches and senior players regarding said gameplan and the way the players get blamed for results
  • Harry McKay is a late out with illness before the Hawks game ... which is apparently a sore quad ... no wait it's bone bruising ... actually no, he's also rumoured to be taking a leave of absence for undisclosed reasons according to other posters around here and other parts of the Carlton internet
  • The high performance and coaching groups then are rumoured to have rushed Charlie back to play against the Hawks because of Harry's absence and Charlie looks a shell of himself in that game. Reminded me of Jordan Boyd's performance at full forward during our last outing against the hawks
  • After all of this, TDK has now decided to renege on the rumoured commitment he made to sign an extension and will be packing his bags to ship off to St. Kilda
  • Charlie is now rumoured to also be seeking pastures new due to the way that he is being handled by the club's high performance and coaching departments

Have I got all of this right or am I missing something?
You have missed that Chris Grant wants to come to us......
 
Great qualities to have in your career. Many have this but many don't and it should be appreciated.

AFL players get a fair bit of leave as it stands over the offseason. Yes they do their own fitness stuff but they aren't working anywhere near the amount of hours that the masses are. I would say that most AFL players probably have had their 4 weeks leave or more already.

What's the bet Harry and Elijah don't turn up to work and miss more than 4 weeks? What is the bet that at the end of this year they have had more than 8 weeks off paid?

They are still getting more time off, working less hours than you and the odds are they are getting paid more as well.

They will still be employed and paid next season.

They are some of the most entitled people in this country. They don't really know what it's like to have it tough and to struggle.

You have a cost of living crisis that is only getting worse and you have people who break rules and don't feel like working, working low hours, their job is sport and getting paid hundreds of thousands a year.

Are you seeing where I am coming from?



Well said and I 100% agree. Most kids get drafted and sit in the state leagues anyway. What they don't get is real life experience. What you get at school, especially now, is so far from the real world it's not funny. Experience a real workplace and a real boss and superiors before entering the AFL. Players would get a vastly different take on life and learn to appreciate what they have a lot more, which they really really should.

It would also work better for clubs. Taking players a little older you get a much better gauge of their talent. I think drafting would be far more accurate. Reality is, at 18 it's still a bit of a guess.

AFL lists would also be far less clogged with kids who can't play AFL.

What you have said is spot on. The draft age is too low. Kids at that age are less mentally mature than ever.

To be fair, of the draft age went from 18 to 20, it would probably be a much better system.

AFL teams know what they are getting. Draft picks are actually going to be worth something and impact immediately. Players have had an opportunity to grow up and experience the real world. Lower sides aren't throwing a heap of teenagers out there and getting them all banged up.

Imagine us rebuilding in this system. We would have not missed so many picks, for sure.


Self employed. I don't turn up, no one turns up.
100%

Draft age 18
Every draftee plays 2 seasons VFL, SANFL, WAFL whatever and debuts at 20.
 

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Just lost 2 key staff members 3 weeks ago and Ive been working enormous hours per week since mon - sun to get my company back by on track replacing the key staff which is extremely difficult and putting us back on track by whatever means necessary
All I want is for the blues to do the same step up and fix this club
Whatever is required 🛑
I’m down to 2 staff with enough work for 6.
Can’t find anyone with the relevant skills for my industry.
No one does it tougher than small business.
 
100%

Draft age 18
Every draftee plays 2 seasons VFL, SANFL, WAFL whatever and debuts at 20.
Paul Roos was saying this many years ago.

Like the US sports. Only the top end maybe 5-10 should be drafted at 18. Have the rest at 20+
 
EDIT:

Please note that I do not claim any of the below to be fact. Nor do I have any sources. I’m just a fan that is hurting like everyone else. I am merely synthesising what others have said on here previously in an attempt to make sense of what has been a horrible start to our season. If any of this it crosses any lines whatsoever, please let me know and I will delete it ASAP. Also, mods feel free to edit/delete as you see fit.

- - -

Ok so we've played 2 games and this what is rumoured to have happened so far in no particular order:

  • Ex presidents twitter hacked
  • Back issues for Blake Acres
  • Knee clean up for Charlie that didn't go to plan
  • Lost Nic Newman to an ACL during a pre-season training session
  • Hamstring issue for Walsh
  • Another knee clean up and screw removal for Charlie
  • Lost Jagga Smith, who we mortgaged our future on, to an ACL during a scratch match
  • A few days before our first game, Elijah Hollands took a leave of absence for an undisclosed reason
  • Probably the biggest on-field embarrassment/meltdown/choke/disasterclass I've ever seen from this group of players (and that's saying something) against a team who many consider to be the worst list in the modern era.
  • After training the entire preseason as a defender, Jack Silvagni lasted there for 3 quarters and has yet to return to the backline
  • According to rumours there were "heated" disagreements that potentially became physical between coaches after the tigers game in front of the general public/players families
  • The head of football has apparently told people that this will be his last season at the club, according to rumours
  • Reports of senior players being "confused" about the "gameplan". Tension between coaches and senior players regarding said gameplan and the way the players get blamed for results
  • Harry McKay is a late out with illness before the Hawks game ... which is apparently a sore quad ... no wait it's bone bruising ... actually no, he's also rumoured to be taking a leave of absence for undisclosed reasons according to other posters around here and other parts of the Carlton internet
  • The high performance and coaching groups then are rumoured to have rushed Charlie back to play against the Hawks because of Harry's absence and Charlie looks a shell of himself in that game. Reminded me of Jordan Boyd's performance at full forward during our last outing against the hawks
  • After all of this, TDK has now decided to renege on the rumoured commitment he made to sign an extension and will be packing his bags to ship off to St. Kilda
  • Charlie is now rumoured to also be seeking pastures new due to the way that he is being handled by the club's high performance and coaching departments

Have I got all of this right or am I missing something?
That is damning reading and great post.

Since we beat GWS last season and were cemented in the Top 4 something has happened that has sent us in a free fall.

All we can do as fans is ride it and hope we dont hit the ground to hard. I have my doubts honestly we will recover and we have a rotten apple somewhere destroying us internally.
 
Guys taking time off now when they need to is a way healthier way to deal with it than guys in the 90s and earlier putting on the hard man routine, pretending everything is ok while their personal life is actually falling apart because they won't deal with their depression & anxiety issues because that's considered weak by society, and mostly, other men.
Which still occurs in the real world.
 

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That is damning reading and great post.

Since we beat GWS last season and were cemented in the Top 4 something has happened that has sent us in a free fall.

All we can do as fans is ride it and hope we dont hit the ground to hard. I have my doubts honestly we will recover and we have a rotten apple somewhere destroying us internally.
See you're getting ahead of yourself as much as the Carlton players did. We led GWS by about 8 goals at quarter time and got run over.
 
Although they (H and EH) don’t qualify as ‘kids’ anymore, I reckon it’s important to consider the varying pathways and backgrounds of players.

I’ve worked with quite a few young lads who have gone on to at least spend some time on an AFL list and their life experiences are a far cry from time at a private college, state representation and then the Draft.

They’ve grown up in extreme poverty, domestic violence, drugs and alcohol. They also happen to be extremely talented athletes and footballers. It is not an easy transition from that to “professional” athlete. The challenges they face with anxiety, depression and/or PTSD far surmount any issues around their ability to play footy.

The bridge between the two worlds is not an easy walk, and I sometimes think maybe clubs are a bit detached from the reality of life for a lot of people in this country. AFL is ruthless and of the dozen or so I’ve seen go on to get drafted, there’s only 1 still active on the list. Speaking with a colleague who happened to spend a decent chunk of his youth playing AFL, he is adamant a lot of the kids we worked with are far more talented than he and many other players currently listed.

There’s every chance the above doesn’t apply to our lads, but when I see commentary from people like Buckley, who have had (comparatively) very privileged lives, surrounding young players and expectations of professionalism, it does make me wonder how genuine the support out there is.

Irrelevant rant over, mods delete if needed.
 
The AFLPA has had a big say in recent policy changes about what is or isn't disclosed publicly. As much as there is a public demand for more info, Clubs, and the AFL are bound by the CBA. This follows the lead of many international sports leagues.

At the NFL, we had a similar consideration to make in terms of the CBA whenever there was an indiscretion of some type. I was at Monday morning media ops meetings where many a story was buried or "pivoted" because it would potentially result in a breach of the CBA.
 

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You usually get a lot right on here. So I am inclined to believe you.
I haven’t seen any evidence over 1st 2 weeks to suggest we’ll play any different to win any games.

Unless we’ve decided to change things up and we’ve had a really good week on the training track…

No reason we can’t win but not having important players like H and Eli and Charlie running at ~50% it won’t be easy.
 

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Opinion The 'Carlton related stuff that doesn't need it's own thread' thread Part 3

🥰 Love BigFooty? Join now for free.

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