No, this isnt a glass half empty post.

Okay, so we played horrible today, got shutdown in the middle and killed down back. However, it was against a side which, in my opinion, is easily the best side by a mile outside the top 4, and they could have made it too if they had a kinder draw (theyve played all the top 4 teams twice). Adelaide are a well drilled, slick outfit, they are going to be up there for the next few years, they have some great talent. Definitely the dark horse in the finals.

Now, whatever the outcome of the game between the Lions and the Swans, we are we deserve to be, 6th/7th. Our aim this year was to make the 8 and weve done it, anything is a bonus from here on in. Weve had some good wins and some shocking losses, and its been too easy to get excited and start dreaming of us making a massive run in the finals and playing off in a grand final. Today showed that this kind of expectation is unrealistic. Weve won 4 in a row, then put in a shocker against a very structured side, but that sort of inconsistency is to be expected when we are a young team on the rise.

Sure, there are some worrying signs, the defence is the biggest, the same defence that kept Geelong to 62 points and Port Adelaide to a similar score in Adelaide has conceded almost 100 to the cellar dwellers of the league and a whopping 176 points today. We need to address this issue during the week because we know the boys can keep decent opposition to low scores when things go right.

Judd and Murphy both had absolute shockers today, what are the odds of that? More importantly, what are the odds of that happening 2 weeks in a row? Whatever the outcome tonight, I am confident the Blues will bounce back next week, weve beaten the Lions twice and we should not fear them at all. Juddy will not allow himself to play like he did today again, Betts will be back in the side, and the boys will be pumped for their first finals match in yonks. Oh and the biggest positive from todays match is that weve sent the Scum to AAMI next week

I hope people dont get too disillusioned after todays match, because I believe we are where we deserve to be. Dont forget too we have been killed by the injuries to Waite, Jamison and even Austin to a lesser extent. All things considered, weve had a great home and away season and I for one am rapt to make the finals. I think we can realistically beat the Lions, but after that anything is a MASSIVE BONUS.

I have faith in the Blues, I cant wait for next week!

_________________
"our electorate seeks less to be informed and more to be validated." Sad times.

+1

We're a good chance against the Lions next week. I'd be happy to play against any team in the finals, as I'm confident that on our day we can match, and beat most of them (except maybe Adelaide)

_________________
And so while others miserably pledge themselves to the pursuit of ambition and brief power, I will be stretched out in the shade, singing.

I told my partner after the game...

We play Brisbane. We have already beaten them twice.

If Western Bulldogs win tomorrow... They play Geelong, Collingwood get St. Kilda. If we beat Brisbane then we get Western Bulldogs (if they don't beat Geelong again)... We beat the Western Bulldogs (which we've already done this year) we get St. Kilda. If we beat St. Kilda we get Geelong. We've already beaten Geelong.

Not all is lost. We avoided the Scum and sent them to AAMI. Hell yeah! Bye Bye Scum. Adelaide by 85.

Nice in theory...but I reckon in reality the real reality check will come next week.

_________________
"Truth, for the tyrants, is the most terrible and cruel of all bindings; it is like an incandescent iron falling across their chests. And it is even more agonizing than hot iron, for that only burns the flesh, while truth burns its way into the soul"     — Lauro Aguirre

Never nice to experience reality especially in football.

We are planning Finals so that's our reality for 2009.

How this Finals campaign is experienced, is up to the players now, which quite a few, let the side down, in addition to the 3 who were dropped.

_________________
“It is a state of mind, a system of belief, a way of seeing the world, a deep faith that, because you are Carlton, you belong to something great.” - Mike Fitzpatrick articulating what Out of the Blue means.

there might be someone in charge at Carlton that gets a reality check. it can be tough sometimes.

_________________
My Blue Heaven

Well said Blueboy_Dan, even the initial disappointment of getting pumped puts it into perspective that we have had a great season. I just wish we could have seen the blue boys in our first final in ages in melbourne, darn Sydney!!

_________________
"our electorate seeks less to be informed and more to be validated." Sad times.

What do you mean "darn Sydney"?

_________________
Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil....... the Light at the End of the Tunnel has been turned off. We apologize for the inconvenience.

for losing to Brisbane - it seems everything is everyone else's fault

_________________
This type of slight is alien in the more cultured part of the world - Walsh. Its up there with mad dogs, Englishmen and the midday sun!