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Where will Carlton finish?

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bluesforever

bluesforever

Club Legend
Suspended
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Nov 24, 2003
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Geelong
AFL Club
Carlton
Does anyone out there think Carlton are a top 8 threat this season with all our new players? I believe it could just happen if Pagan can get all these players to gel together quickly and not just stick to his usual game plan, that's a huge part of the reason why the blues failed again last year, the players didn't addapt to Pagans plan, thats why he should just stick to a playing style that all the new players can just walk into and see how that goes, but Pagans paddock could just work with our new hard running midfielders like Stevens,Scotland,Clarke ect ect, who knows... ohhh
 
i personally think we are a chance to make the 8, we wouldnt do any good in it though. im expecting a finish between 8-12
 
I think were a real big shot to make the eight. There's still a lot of people saying we have still got the worst list but i disagree.

Forwards: McGrath Fevola Livingston
Morrell Whitnall Houlihan

Centre: Camporeale Hulme Scotland

Backline: Wiggins Prendergast Lappin
Teague Thornton Sporn

Followers: French Stevens Koutoufides

Bench: Fisher Harford McCormick Walker

Forward Line - Has plenty of options - 9/10
Midfield - Campo, Stvens and Kouta 3 of the best in the league 10/10
Back Line - Still young and may use Whitnall or Kouta at CHB 5/10
 
I'll be happy if we finish 14th - 10th, a more realistic scenario.

We are rebuilding... we've improved our list, but not to an extent to challenge for a finals position. It will take us a few years yet - we need a better defence and ruck division before we can even think about it. Midfield and forward line is settled, but we do need some good players in the 20 and under range first. All we have is Walker, Thronton and Waite - we'll need one or two more. And with the players we have, we'll be more competitive, but there is not enough skill there to finish in the eight. Even if you compare our new side with finalists from last year, you'll see that our list is still worse.

Be patient - the team still needs to play you know. Then we can see if it will work or not, and what we need to improve on even further to get up there again. For the next draft, we should be picking up 18 year old talents, especially a strong, big backman CHB type or perhaps a small defender. Time will tell... I will be very surprised if we manage to finish 8th.
 

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koutawalker, Livo should be banned from even thinking of playing in the forward line, If he is to contribute at Carlton it will need to be in defence.

Feva, Lance and Digby will be our talls up forward. I watched him play for the bullants numerous times last year and he is clearly above VFL level, hopefully he will take the next step in 2004.
 
Originally posted by TheSheik
Make the 8 ?? Tell'em they're dreaming !!

10-12 will be a significant improvement on the past two years, anything higher than that is an absolute bonus.
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I think that is the realistic aim.
 
Originally posted by OldSchool
I think that is the realistic aim.
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Thanks for your support OldSchool & Abaddon.

It's times like these that some supporters go completely off with the pixies with their beliefs and prognostications. My preference is to be extremely realistic and look at what actually can be achieved.

We finished 15th last year so a move to 12th is an improvement of 20% and if we went to 10th that's a huge 33%. Taking into account we were wooden spooners in 2002 and we have just finished paying our debts in regards to the draft penalties, an improvement of 20% is a pretty decent result in such a short amount of time.

If a few things fell our way, a bit of luck here & there with injuries plus we win more of the real close ones than we lose and we could end up as high as 10th. But let's not get carried away just yet, 12th will be significant and a positive movement all round.
 
Hmm not being rude just offering my POV which is that for your team to make it to 10th would be a majjor improvement teams dont just go from being bottom four to top eight quickly these things take time.
 
Too far out to guess at the moment but if Kouta has ball tearer, Fev continues to improve and French plays well in the ruck who knows.

I think the recruiting of Stevens is great but I think Ricky Mott could be the big story for you boys. Very underrated his attitude towards partying is the problem but Pagan loves straightening these youn blokes out. Watch for him.

I am not a blues supporter but I am going to put money on them to make the eight if the odds are good. I think between 8 - 10.
 

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Depending on how the ball bounces, the players gel, the injury gods smile, we will finish somewhere between 8th and 16th. Somewhere in the middle seems most likely.
 
Originally posted by TheSheik
Thanks for your support OldSchool & Abaddon.
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I think the Blues have improved their list which should mean better results. I think what you are aiming for in 2004 is a sensible approach.
I have questioned if the players you have traded for will benefit the club in the medium to long term but the penalties seem to have forced this course of action.
I was having a good look at your list the other day and their surprisingly still seems to be a good mixture of established and developing players so things are not the doom and gloom the media would have us believe.
 
Originally posted by bluesforever
Does anyone out there think Carlton are a top 8 threat this season with all our new players? I believe it could just happen if Pagan can get all these players to gel together quickly and not just stick to his usual game plan, that's a huge part of the reason why the blues failed again last year, the players didn't addapt to Pagans plan, thats why he should just stick to a playing style that all the new players can just walk into and see how that goes, but Pagans paddock could just work with our new hard running midfielders like Stevens,Scotland,Clarke ect ect, who knows... ohhh
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Bluesforever, I would love to be proven wrong but I think if Carlton finishes any higher than the bottom four it will be a bonus. Talk of finals is purely dreaming at this stage of the year as is people talking up all these new recruits. I prefer to give them 7 or 8 games before I make any judgement as to what long term impact they will have on the club and the possibility of the Bluebaggers making the finals.

The success of the off season trades is a very small step in the right direction. People tend to forget that Collingwood picked up a lot of recycled players from other clubs in the early days of their resurgence as well some well credentialled rookies. Unfortunately the AFL Comm. has excluded us for from that opportunity!!!!

In the short term I think the positive in recruiting all these players from other clubs is that team will be much more competitive than last year and even win a few more games maybe. Similarly we won't get flogged like we did V. the Weagles and Kangas, and hopefully these more experienced players will give the promising kids a chance to develop physically and be eased into an environment where they can find their legs and not be expected a play a role that they aren't mentally or physically ready for.

Again I am hope I am wrong but what I saw of Livingstone last season, I honestly believe he doesn't have what it takes. As a forward he looks
too slow on the lead, struggles to hold front spot in a marking contest
and to boot he is inaccurate kick for goal. As a backman I think he is even
worse as he is prone to misjudging the fall of the ball with his opponent
sometimes marking unopposed and Livo barely getting into the picture
with his attempt to spoil. I can't have him and it is hard to believe that we
wasted a No. 4 pick on him. He would have to be on his last chance this season if he doesn't lift his game. I was hoping that SO'S might have been even tempered to trade him. Maybe he hawked him around but there weren't any takers!!!!!
 
Re: Re: Where will Carlton finish?

Originally posted by Blue Boyz
Bluesforever, I would love to be proven wrong but I think if Carlton finishes any higher than the bottom four it will be a bonus. Talk of finals is purely dreaming at this stage of the year as is people talking up all these new recruits. I prefer to give them 7 or 8 games before I make any judgement as to what long term impact they will have on the club and the possibility of the Bluebaggers making the finals.

The success of the off season trades is a very small step in the right direction. People tend to forget that Collingwood picked up a lot of recycled players from other clubs in the early days of their resurgence as well some well credentialled rookies. Unfortunately the AFL Comm. has excluded us for from that opportunity!!!!

In the short term I think the positive in recruiting all these players from other clubs is that team will be much more competitive than last year and even win a few more games maybe. Similarly we won't get flogged like we did V. the Weagles and Kangas, and hopefully these more experienced players will give the promising kids a chance to develop physically and be eased into an environment where they can find their legs and not be expected a play a role that they aren't mentally or physically ready for.

Again I am hope I am wrong but what I saw of Livingstone last season, I honestly believe he doesn't have what it takes. As a forward he looks
too slow on the lead, struggles to hold front spot in a marking contest
and to boot he is inaccurate kick for goal. As a backman I think he is even
worse as he is prone to misjudging the fall of the ball with his opponent
sometimes marking unopposed and Livo barely getting into the picture
with his attempt to spoil. I can't have him and it is hard to believe that we
wasted a No. 4 pick on him. He would have to be on his last chance this season if he doesn't lift his game. I was hoping that SO'S might have been even tempered to trade him. Maybe he hawked him around but there weren't any takers!!!!!
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For Livo to be picked up at #4 he obviously has potential to become a superstar backman. Patience will most likely be required to see Livo be worthy of his selection at #4, he will be part of Carltons successful future to come!
 
Livingston dominated at junior level, at #4 it wasn't a surprise pick or anything, he just hasn't taken the next step at AFL level, and is too slow for my liking. But I hope he can come good for us and make '04 his year.

I've been so pleased with Thornton's development on the other hand, he's gunna be a rock in our defence for years to come.
 
The problem last year was our midfield. Or that's where it started anyway. If you look at our percentage of possessions won, it was the worst in the competition, by far. Admittedly that had something to do with Pagan's 'get it' and 'Bomb it' long game plan but the problem was our midfielders couldn't even get it in the first place to kick it long. I would have hated to play in Carlton's backline last year and unfortunately whenever the ball went forward our forwards didn't work hard enough to keep it in. Even though Fevalo had a stellar year he still needs to work alot harder at when the ball hits the deck. But you could hardly blame them as they hardly saw the thing in some f####ing games.

I am so happy that next year that we are actually going to win a fair share of the footy around the middle of the ground thus taking a **** load of pressure off our young backman who have been under absolute fire over the last couple seasons and giving our forwards who have some real talent some much needed opportunities.


In saying that we will be so much more competitive but more importantly for us supporters much more bareable to watch.
If we have some luck we could have a crack at the eight but more likely about 7-8 wins.
 

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Originally posted by DIG
Livingston dominated at junior level, at #4 it wasn't a surprise pick or anything, he just hasn't taken the next step at AFL level, and is too slow for my liking. But I hope he can come good for us and make '04 his year.
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Cant agree that Livingston dominated at the junior level. He was good but not a lot better. A little too small to play in the key position. Still should become a far better player than what he has shown so far. Poor selections in the 1st round of the drafts have hurt the club.

Recently I think it has produced the following:
1997 Massie, 1998 Vance, 1999 The O'Reilly trade, 2000 Livingston and 2001 was the McKernan trade.
Not a good enough harvest from 1st round picks.
 
After the trades and drafts we are left with one weakness. If we manage to somehow plug this in the preseason draft or even rookie draft we will definitely finish top 8. yes top 8.

If we don't then we require Livo, Prender or Norman to stand up and support Thornton and with that you must say will probably finish in the 8 or just out, depending on injuries.

That's me being level headed. Don't forget the ball won't be run into the back half as easily next year.
 

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Where will Carlton finish?

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