Wind things back to 2004

[Spadge]

There's optimism, pessimism, but now I think a certain amount of apathy is creeping in with some supporters.

100%

Its a strange feeling. Even when we were a complete rabble in the early 2010's i never had that feeling at all, and ive been a die hard Port supporter all my life.

The last 5 years my interest in Port and the AFL has reduced somewhat to the point i barely watch any football apart from Port games, and even then im happy to watch replays of away games if the game is worth watching, but also happy to just look at the scores and move on.

I used to watch every single live game without fail and watch maybe 4-5 games of footy every week

If you had told me this would happen to me 10 years ago i would have laughed

 

[Del80659]

I don't think we ever felt directionless until the 2011 era. 2013 and 14 were back on course temporarily, but since 2018ish we've been losing the ethos, mentality, culture, all that built us and the club over half a century. the club really aggressively wanted to distance itself from it's "SANFL" roots but they didn't replace it with anything.

 

[Janey]

I don't think we ever felt directionless until the 2011 era. 2013 and 14 were back on course temporarily, but since 2018ish we've been losing the ethos, mentality, culture, all that built us and the club over half a century. the club really aggressively wanted to distance itself from it's "SANFL" roots but they didn't replace it with anything.

The whole point of the One Club campaign that Timmy and George (I think it was) initiated was to make sure we did embrace our SANFL origins, hence the 150 years celebrations etc. Alberton is still our home ground for all SANFL games, we still wear our prison bar jumper in the SANFL. Why on earth would the current admin want to distance themselves from it at all, let alone replace it with anything.

 

[240volt]

However the game is to win premierships.

Try telling Carlton that with there 100,000 plus members who haven't won fk all this century.
It's all about the game day experience, your dreaming about a time that's gone forever.

 

[Sewer de Lance]

As far as attitude, effort and exemplifying Port Adelaide give me 1997 any time.

Your the clubhouse leader for Post of the season so far.

 

[Sewer de Lance]

Port 1997 vs the 2025 version. Ken & Koch is one hell of a drug.

 

[1954]

Having been a very young bloke in the early Fos Williams/Bob McLean era through to the transition to Jack Cahill in the mid 1970's, when winning was absolutely paramount and any season that didn't result in the ultimate prize was seen as a failure it is almost impossible to believe what a vanilla entity the club has become under Koch!

 

[240volt]

Having been a very young bloke in the early Fos Williams/Bob McLean era through to the transition to Jack Cahill in the mid 1970's, when winning was absolutely paramount and any season that didn't result in the ultimate prize was seen as a failure it is almost impossible to believe what a vanilla entity the club has become under Koch!

Same here but that was all you had to play for…..winning.
The money that came in from winning flag's was a massive boost.
Remember most people that worked at the club did it for nothing.
Nobody does nothing for nothing anymore, it’s big business now and as it gets bigger the financial side of it becomes more important not only for the running of things but to keep administrators in a nice comfy job.
Yes winning flags is important but it’s not the be all it used to be.
Cash is King!

 

[EskimoPAFC]

Try telling Carlton that with there 100,000 plus members who haven't won fk all this century.
It's all about the game day experience, your dreaming about a time that's gone forever.

What do you mean?

They absolutely want to win premierships. They've won 16 of them at AFL level. They're the third most successful club in Australia. It defines their club.

 

[240volt]

What do you mean?

They absolutely want to win premierships. They've won 16 of them at AFL level. They're the third most successful club in Australia. It defines their club.

They have been living on past glory’s for 30 years now with FA to show for it.
Everyone wants to win a flag but it has become less important.
It’s only the number one thing to mug supporters like you and me.
Even Carlton’s CEO said last year that it’s not about winning its all about the game day experience.
They have over 100,000 members that buy into this shit.
It’s not my opinion it’s the way it is.

 

[EskimoPAFC]

They have been living on past glory’s for 30 years now with FA to show for it.
Everyone wants to win a flag but it has become less important.
It’s only the number one thing to mug supporters like you and me.
Even Carlton’s CEO said last year that it’s not about winning its all about the game day experience.
They have over 100,000 members that buy into this shit.
It’s not my opinion it’s the way it is.

Not sure I agree with this. How many Blues fans do you know?

It may be true for some teams like the Dees who are just happy to be there, or Tiges who take a lot of pride in supporting the ups and downs no matter what, but I'd say Carlton fans want and demand success. Its in their blood. Its part of why they go through coaches so fast - they're desperate to find something that works.

 

[240volt]

Not sure I agree with this. How many Blues fans do you know?

It may be true for some teams like the Dees who are just happy to be there, or Tiges who take a lot of pride in supporting the ups and downs no matter what, but I'd say Carlton fans want and demand success. Its in their blood. Its part of why they go through coaches so fast - they're desperate to find something that works.

I’m only dealing with facts
Fact one Carlton’s last flag 1995.
Fact two last year over 106,000 members, an all time record for the club.
Fact 3 Carlton CEO says before the 2024 season starts
It’s not about winning it’s about the game day experience.
Wake up it’s all about money.

 

[Peninsula Boy]

Can I mention that I'm the one vote but I didn't read the answers correctly and picked the wrong one and would like to change it to fit in with everyone.

 

[EskimoPAFC]

I’m only dealing with facts
Fact one Carlton’s last flag 1995.
Fact two last year over 106,000 members, an all time record for the club.
Fact 3 Carlton CEO says before the 2024 season starts
It’s not about winning it’s about the game day experience.
Wake up it’s all about money.

Fact 4 they now count pets as members
Fact 5 Carlton are actively trying to win a flag. They've never stopped. And they're doing it while respecting their club's history and members. Aiming for it doesn't guarantee success. But not aiming for it (like our admin) does just about guarantee mediocrity.

I can't find the comments you're talking about but this is from the president in the past two weeks:


Would love to know how many Carlton members you actually speak to. They are more driven by success than just about any club in the AFL.

 

[240volt]

Fact 4 they now count pets as members
Fact 5 Carlton are actively trying to win a flag. They've never stopped. And they're doing it while respecting their club's history and members. Aiming for it doesn't guarantee success. But not aiming for it (like our admin) does just about guarantee mediocrity.

I can't find the comments you're talking about but this is from the president in the past two weeks:
View attachment 2235242

Would love to know how many Carlton members you actually speak to. They are more driven by success than just about any club in the AFL.

Carlton financially are in the best shape ever.
Driven by what success? It's 30 Yeats this year since they played in a grand final.
We have been more successful than Carlton.
Every supporter wants to win but it doesn't have the same importance it used to have for club's.
You don't have to win flags to be financially successful.
You don't even have to make a GF in Almost 30 years to be successful.

 

[EskimoPAFC]

Carlton financially are in the best shape ever.
Driven by what success? It's 30 Yeats this year since they played in a grand final.
We have been more successful than Carlton.
Every supporter wants to win but it doesn't have the same importance it used to have for club's.
You don't have to win flags to be financially successful.
You don't even have to make a GF in Almost 30 years to be successful.

You keep saying this but its not relevant.

You can do everything perfectly, put in 100% and make perfect decisions on every level and still not achieve success. It's literally in the creed.

"We concede there can be honour in defeat, but to each of us, honourable defeat of our club and guernsey can only come after human endeavour on the playing field is completely exhausted".

There is a massive difference between trying to win it and coming up short, and our joke administration claiming failed seasons and our longest drought ever as a success. Carlton are doing everything to try to win it but they have come up short time and time again. Our administration simply don't give a shit.

 

[Alberton Proud]

View attachment 2234568

Spot the difference

 

[Andre]

Here since 2002 and my recollections on mine and as far as I remember a general mood.

2002 - 2003, positive. 2004 - positive but nervous. There was always the belief we had it in us, but made coaching mistakes in the finals.
2005 - 2006 - disappointed in the club, it felt like everyone had put up a 'Mission accomplished' banner after 2004.
2007 - until the GF excited for a new group coming through so quickly after 2004. GF - shattered at that time (now angry Dank 1.0 hasn't been struck from the books)
2008 - until playing at AO 2011 - worried the club would fold
2011 last round at AO - 2012 - knew the club was safe with AO on the way
2013 - 2014 - great
2015 - figured a blip
2016 onwards - clear by the end of 2017 that we weren't winning a flag with Hinkley and at first angrier, then just detached

With 18 clubs not everyone can be in serious contention in any given year, every club can however sell hope that this year you can move that step closer to being in contention. From the end of 2017 onwards, and especially 2020 onwards it feels like we're further away each year. Whether we do ok in the home and away or not, every year with Hinkley and Koch just moves the playing group further away from the mindset of being able to win a flag. If you're not in contention and you're not selling hope that you're at least moving further towards it, then what are you offering your fans?

 

[Duck Farmer]

2011 last round at AO - 2012 - knew the club was safe with AO Ken Hinkley on the way

 

[Portwrld]

 

[El_Scorcho]

Ken Hinkley is demonstrably the clearcut most mediocre long term coach of all time. He's comfortably the worst coach to ever have been employed for more than 10 seasons.

We'd have enough ammo to be angry if we were St Kilda supporters, but when you also consider that we had a strong winning culture up until 20 years ago or so, I think generally our supporters aren't angry enough.

 

[240volt]

You keep saying this but its not relevant.

You can do everything perfectly, put in 100% and make perfect decisions on every level and still not achieve success. It's literally in the creed.

"We concede there can be honour in defeat, but to each of us, honourable defeat of our club and guernsey can only come after human endeavour on the playing field is completely exhausted".

There is a massive difference between trying to win it and coming up short, and our joke administration claiming failed seasons and our longest drought ever as a success. Carlton are doing everything to try to win it but they have come up short time and time again. Our administration simply don't give a shit.

Carlton are doing everything to increase membership.
Just what every other club has as there main objective.
If you believe any different and are waiting for Port to return to how it used to be you’ll be waiting till the day you die.

 

[240volt]

Ken Hinkley is demonstrably the clearcut most mediocre long term coach of all time. He's comfortably the worst coach to ever have been employed for more than 10 seasons.

We'd have enough ammo to be angry if we were St Kilda supporters, but when you also consider that we had a strong winning culture up until 20 years ago or so, I think generally our supporters aren't angry enough.

Everything you say is pretty well spot on.
The reason for this difference in what we see as acceptable and what other Port supporters see are very different.
Is it a generational thing with older supporters expecting more and younger ones going more along with the clubs thinking.
There is a massive gap in expectations, there must be some logical reason.

 

[El_Scorcho]

Everything you say is pretty well spot on.
The reason for this difference in what we see as acceptable and what other Port supporters see are very different.
Is it a generational thing with older supporters expecting more and younger ones going more along with the clubs thinking.
There is a massive gap in expectations, there must be some logical reason.

Most supporters at every club think that the club always does the right thing and should generally be supported in their decision making.

David Koch has latched on to that and used it to his advantage to shame people for demanding more and redefined what success means at Port Adelaide in the process.

Someone should really write a book on how David Koch instilled a losing culture specifically to lower the pressure on him to succeed. He's a parasite.

 

[Interstater]

Most supporters at every club think that the club always does the right thing and should generally be supported in their decision making.

David Koch has latched on to that and used it to his advantage to shame people for demanding more and redefined what success means at Port Adelaide in the process.

Someone should really write a book on how David Koch instilled a losing culture specifically to lower the pressure on him to succeed. He's a parasite.

He is an AFL appointed fly in fly out chairman with absolutely no understanding of how badly this club has let down the pre-2007 generation.

With a shakeup of my own situation (moving to Ballarat etc) I am really trying to be more positive, but I'm already finding myself waiting for 2026. But then we already have the media white anting the club in terms of Butters, Fireman Kane declaring Port can't win the flag (his brother thinks that also?).

I really would like to care again, but it feels like anyone over 40 that genuinely cares about the club is either getting coin from it, on the lower part of the IQ bell curve or doing it for their kids.

All optimism seems to have been destroyed, and it's just not good enough.
It has to come back.
There was a glimpse in 2020 after seeing all those past heroes.
No excuses.

Ken and David, premiership this year is the absolute minimum, this is your 1977, or leave this club not with a self written positive narrative, but as the losers you have demonstrated that you are. Actions speak louder than words.