Last time… I thought, yeah nah, no need to do anything special, I can just stay in Canberra and watch this one on the couch at home by myself, there'll be heaps of opportunities to get to a GF live.

I mean even back in 95 I have NFI how difficult it would have been to get a ticket as a non-member, but I bet it was a damn sight easier than it is now.

In 2016 the Tigers missed the finals, there was yet-another failed board coup and then 2017 happened and they all lived happily ever after.

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/afl ... qjh25.html

Actually, as much as I can't believe I'm about to say this, reading over Jack Riewoldt's comments in that article from 2016 (and perhaps with the benefit of hindsight) he was talking a lot of sense.

It kinda leads me to my position that we as fans sweat this stuff way too much. For those that say 2024 wasn't enjoyable, go back and watch the second Geelong game, or maybe the Port game over there. It's true there was a lot to dislike about this year, but there were some moments of greatness too. We are nowhere near as shit as many here make us out to be. We're not brilliant either, but looking at season 2024 in totality, is any team? But we're definitely not shit.

We're not that far off.

Improvement isn't linear. Sure. it's a cliche, but it's true.

Some teams get success quickly, but it's rare. Hawthorn jagged one in 2008, but it took another five years for that team to really get going. Everyone bleats on about Geelong and Sydney, but for all of their "success" and for all of their finals appearances and all of their GF appearances, combined, those two teams have only won 1 flag in the last 10 years.

The dynasty teams of Geelong 2007–11 and Richmond 2017–2020 both went through rough patches where their coaches were expected to be sacked off the back of a few years of finals and then missing September. They held strong and history tells us the rest.

We need to accept that winning premierships is bloody hard and it's certainly a lot harder than it was 30 years ago.

Remember, Melbourne was 10-zip the year after they won the flag. Would you rather be them going into 2025, or us?! That's just another example of how bloody hard it is in this game is to get ongoing meaningful success.

Brisbane has a long run of making finals and at times looking like they're making up the numbers. At the start of the PF last year we were smashing them at the Gabba. Them a seasoned finals team, us in our first finals campaign for ages. Mid year this year, we were sitting pretty in second. We're not that far off. It takes time to build finals resilience and success. We've played finals two years in a row and while it's not perfect, we clearly have the list to make finals next year. Nothing is guaranteed, but with good management and a bit of luck we'll make the finals for the third year in a row. Whatever happens, we'll keep building that finals resilience.

I agree with the theory that we rely on talent too much, but did we do that to the same degree in 2023 when, on balance, we had a fitter/healthier list? All coaching teams across the league are a handful of games away from basket case to brilliance, just ask Fagan. Actually, ask Voss mid-last year.

I definitely agree that we made some ultra @#$%&! puzzling selection decisions going into the Brisbane final this year, but if there is any defence for that, it's that we were pretty hamstrung by injuries/returning players and that obvs [REDACTED] with our decision making (pun most definitely intended).

I agree that we bomb it long into the F50 too often, but there's another team out there trying to win too. Watch a non-Carlton game with passionate supporters of the teams playing and, well, we all yell the same shit at the TV, haha! Every time we applaud Weiters for taking an intercept mark, there's a corresponding fan somewhere screaming "Why do we @#$%&! bomb it in all the time?!!!"

We're not that far off.

No doubt 30 years since 95 is tough to take and it's true we laughed at the Pies (32 years) and Richmond (34 years), but that's on us to manage. Noone else gives a shit.

If you ask anyone what factors you need for success the response will often be, before talent, before recruiting, you need a stable board with the pres, CEO and coach all in alignment. On that basis we are the most stable we have been since 1995. The list isn't perfect, no list is. Cerra v2024 looks shit, but Cerra v2023 was pretty bloody handy.

We're not that far off.

I really hate when players and coaches say, "We want to get back to where we belong." No team owns finals or premiership success. To pretend as much is arrogant and dismissive of how bloody hard it is to win.

We might never win another flag. We might win the next three. WTF knows?!

We've got All-Australian talent across defence, mids and fwds. We've got a stable club and we're in a good financial position.

Just enjoy the ride, don't blow a gasket when we inevitably screw up at times in 2025. Expect nothing, accept everything.

We're not that far off.

I’ve been saying for 20 years on this website
The most important person at an AFL club is
your List Manager
Not the President or the Coach
Our List Management strategy compared to the more successful clubs is shit
Pure and Simple
During Richmonds 3 premiership dynasty around 9 of the 22 were not in the top 50 of the National draft
We still recruit Haynes
But he costs nothing
He is past it
His year in 2024 proves it
Cooper Whyte would be a better option
But not at Carlton
I agree with what Camel is saying
The game continues to evolve
The competition is so even
You have to be a stable club and have to be patient
Importantly he makes the point that success aint linear
But if you look at every premiership team’s recruiting profile including Brisbane’s this year players come to the club in a variety of ways
Trades where players make real impact and to fill a specific need
Picks outside the top 30
Rookie picks
Etc
Yes Brisbane have been advantaged by F/S and academy picks
But they have got their recruiting right more than they have got it wrong
That’s why they are premiers
That’s why they have been up there for so long
Same with Geelong and Sydney
When we recruit a 32 year old to the list you ask why
Haynes is obviously back up for a defender like Weiters if he goes down
Regardless of the fact that Jack Payne was recruited from Queensland he was seen as back up for Marcus Adams
You need 2 big key defenders
Adams retires because of concussion issues
Payne who was recruited as a kid with pick 54 steps up to support Andrews
That’s a classic example of good list management
Who is our support in the big bodied defensive department for Weiters
We haven’t got anyone yet we go out and recruit a 32 year old 33 in May who is undersized an basically has played most of his career as an interceptor
Meanwhile Cooper Whyte is available in November who is 5 years younger

Houston is another example of missing the point
Houston is not worth giving up our first 2 picks in 2025
One he has only played as a HBF
Two he doesn’t meet our needs which our another key defender quickness around the midfield and another small forward who
Can pinch it in the midfield
Is our window open
Maybe but there are 17 other clubs in the comp

not a scalper in sight on the morning at MCG in ‘95!

i ran into a few mates i hadn’t seen for a while running around like me trying to get one. went to every games that year except the two we lost (waverley park, FT! and swans in sydney) and either bought or was gifted finals tickets except the GF. grrr, to think of all those corporate wankers who wouldn’t know a torp from bork enjoying their entertainment and atmosphere.

watched from the action from the hilton and went down to G at 3/4 hoping they open the gates to let the drowning cats escape but they didn’t.

was lucky enough to spot an offical walking from the carpark towards the Ponsford Stand and unlock a door in that imposing brick wall. as if Obi-Wan Kenobi was standing beside me, the MCC offical in a suit forget to close the door behind him.

i sprinted my best 30 m down stairs from up on the concourse of the Southern Stand and the next 50 m on the flat and casually wandered inside like i was David Parkin .

miraculously for my friend who wasn’t in running shoes followed me inside a minute later, she was no more than 10m inside as i watched the same MCC offical come out of some little office under the stand and walked back to lock the door.

best quarter of footy watching from a seat 20 rows from the boundary behind the goals! deliriously applauding players holding the cup by the fence in front of us. those were the days.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

not a scalper in sight on the morning at MCG in ‘95!

i ran into a few mates i hadn’t seen for a while running around like me trying to get one. went to every games that year except the two we lost (waverley park, FT! and swans in sydney) and either bought or was gifted finals tickets except the GF. grrr, to think of all those corporate wankers who wouldn’t know a torp from bork enjoying their entertainment and atmosphere.

watched from the action from the hilton and went down to G at 3/4 hoping they open the gates to let the drowning cats escape but they didn’t.

was lucky enough to spot an offical walking from the carpark towards the Ponsford Stand and unlock a door in that imposing brick wall. as if Obi-Wan Kenobi was standing beside me, the MCC offical in a suit forget to close the door behind him.

i sprinted my best 30 m down stairs from up on the concourse of the Southern Stand and the next 50 m on the flat and casually wandered inside like i was David Parkin .

miraculously for my friend who wasn’t in running shoes followed me inside a minute later, she was no more than 10m inside as i watched the same MCC offical come out of some little office under the stand and walked back to lock the door.

best quarter of footy watching from a seat 20 rows from the boundary behind the goals! deliriously applauding players holding the cup by the fence in front of us. those were the days.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I like the bit where camel said we might win the next 3.

Imagine that after a generation of shitness.

I'd be absolutely insufferable

In 2016 the Tigers missed the finals, there was yet-another failed board coup and then 2017 happened and they all lived happily ever after.

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/afl ... qjh25.html

Actually, as much as I can't believe I'm about to say this, reading over Jack Riewoldt's comments in that article from 2016 (and perhaps with the benefit of hindsight) he was talking a lot of sense.

It kinda leads me to my position that we as fans sweat this stuff way too much. For those that say 2024 wasn't enjoyable, go back and watch the second Geelong game, or maybe the Port game over there. It's true there was a lot to dislike about this year, but there were some moments of greatness too. We are nowhere near as shit as many here make us out to be. We're not brilliant either, but looking at season 2024 in totality, is any team? But we're definitely not shit.

We're not that far off.

Improvement isn't linear. Sure. it's a cliche, but it's true.

Some teams get success quickly, but it's rare. Hawthorn jagged one in 2008, but it took another five years for that team to really get going. Everyone bleats on about Geelong and Sydney, but for all of their "success" and for all of their finals appearances and all of their GF appearances, combined, those two teams have only won 1 flag in the last 10 years.

The dynasty teams of Geelong 2007–11 and Richmond 2017–2020 both went through rough patches where their coaches were expected to be sacked off the back of a few years of finals and then missing September. They held strong and history tells us the rest.

We need to accept that winning premierships is bloody hard and it's certainly a lot harder than it was 30 years ago.

Remember, Melbourne was 10-zip the year after they won the flag. Would you rather be them going into 2025, or us?! That's just another example of how bloody hard it is in this game is to get ongoing meaningful success.

Brisbane has a long run of making finals and at times looking like they're making up the numbers. At the start of the PF last year we were smashing them at the Gabba. Them a seasoned finals team, us in our first finals campaign for ages. Mid year this year, we were sitting pretty in second. We're not that far off. It takes time to build finals resilience and success. We've played finals two years in a row and while it's not perfect, we clearly have the list to make finals next year. Nothing is guaranteed, but with good management and a bit of luck we'll make the finals for the third year in a row. Whatever happens, we'll keep building that finals resilience.

I agree with the theory that we rely on talent too much, but did we do that to the same degree in 2023 when, on balance, we had a fitter/healthier list? All coaching teams across the league are a handful of games away from basket case to brilliance, just ask Fagan. Actually, ask Voss mid-last year.

I definitely agree that we made some ultra @#$%&! puzzling selection decisions going into the Brisbane final this year, but if there is any defence for that, it's that we were pretty hamstrung by injuries/returning players and that obvs [REDACTED] with our decision making (pun most definitely intended).

I agree that we bomb it long into the F50 too often, but there's another team out there trying to win too. Watch a non-Carlton game with passionate supporters of the teams playing and, well, we all yell the same shit at the TV, haha! Every time we applaud Weiters for taking an intercept mark, there's a corresponding fan somewhere screaming "Why do we @#$%&! bomb it in all the time?!!!"

We're not that far off.

No doubt 30 years since 95 is tough to take and it's true we laughed at the Pies (32 years) and Richmond (34 years), but that's on us to manage. Noone else gives a shit.

If you ask anyone what factors you need for success the response will often be, before talent, before recruiting, you need a stable board with the pres, CEO and coach all in alignment. On that basis we are the most stable we have been since 1995. The list isn't perfect, no list is. Cerra v2024 looks shit, but Cerra v2023 was pretty bloody handy.

We're not that far off.

I really hate when players and coaches say, "We want to get back to where we belong." No team owns finals or premiership success. To pretend as much is arrogant and dismissive of how bloody hard it is to win.

We might never win another flag. We might win the next three. WTF knows?!

We've got All-Australian talent across defence, mids and fwds. We've got a stable club and we're in a good financial position.

Just enjoy the ride, don't blow a gasket when we inevitably screw up at times in 2025. Expect nothing, accept everything.

We're not that far off.

Looking at 2025 you have to ask where is the improvement coming from to win another 4 or 5 games and finish top 4.

The way I look at it these players will not get better you have seen what they offer and it is as good as it gets
Charlie Harry Owies Cripps Walsh Hewett Kennedy Fantasia Acres Newman Pitto Saad Weiters Gov JSOS Docherty Cotrell Fogarty Boyd Cunningham Marchbank Young Williams Martin and at 27 years old probably Cincotta.

So where is the improvement coming from apart from a free run of injuries.

TDK was pretty bloody good this year can he improve to Adam Goodes level
Cerra needs to discover 2023 form
Can Cowan step up

Can it be the Holland boys
Durdin Motlop can't see it

So then we get to the reserves
Binns maybe
Lord yes
Moir huge question marks same applies to Wilson Carroll the other Carroll Monohan Okeefe Mirkov Lemmey Akuei

There is not a lot there that is going to make a difference.

We need to trade . We need to do what all other clubs do when they are in the window and bring in 2 or 3 established players to replace Martin Marchbank Cunningham S Durdin

If we don't we are in the wilderness for another 10 to 15 years

I don't have faith in Austin or the club being able to do it

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Leigh Matthews says we're too one paced in the midfield, and we were closer to the premiership window last season, than this.




it's true. if there's a team stat for bounces taken. we would be stone dead last and daylight to 2nd last.

no new news here. but hopefully leigh can talk to voss and get in his ears and that filters thru the draft/ trade room. those two still talk regularly, so i live in hope.


https://www.3aw.com.au/one-paced-afl-great-exposes-carltons-big-problem/?fbclid=IwY2xjawFKB9NleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHVSYhnTZQqcH7ROEUtqTBc9-FKHVZZ0HXvWKK4trz31POYOcZUMDlPgltw_aem_oNLzZUJJl47CGHAOLho0mA

Essendon* cheated, simple as that

2025… what do we think?

Well 3 of the top 4 are now set.. which leaves a bunch of teams competing for the remaining top 4 spot.

1-Brisbane. They will win the flag again barring injury.
They’re only getting stronger as they get Ashcroft (who should go to Richmond at pick 1 but is going to Brisbane at pick 40.& 42.. or whatever dud picks they’re handing over. Starcevich - he’s great, midfield depth, Harris.. what a team.

2- Collingwood. They have Houston. They have Daicos. They have a good defence.

3- Geelong. They’re a lock.

The next top 4spot is out of Hawthorn, Fremantle, GWS and maybe Carlton.
Surely 2025 is the year Adelaide improve. They have a lot of good players.

Very good Tap . A reality check . Its a long way to the top . You have to have your act together . Things have to be spot on otherwise you fall by the wayside and you become just another also ran . I think there is a massive opportunity for us to take the next step .

No one is a lock. And I'm surprised you haven't got Sydney in contention for top four. They freeze on the 'G but will always rule the roost harbourside.

I personally think Hawthorn will take a backwards step this season as clubs devise a strategy to beat their perpetual outside run, but they're on the right path long-term (unfortunately).