we should be targeting 17 plus......ie Collingwood have put an infrastructure and process in place aimed at winning multiple flags and a dynasty of success.

Carlton will be first to the 17th flag, but there will be what amounts to a team makeover before that premiership winning combination becomes a reality.

This will be a fresh infusion of youth into what is already a youthful side.

We will have a new full forward - a big man that can take a strong mark - but he wont be the focus of the forward line in the way that Fevola was.. it will be a matter of strengthening that key position without making our game plan predictable.

Unless there is a trade - Casboult or Henderson are possibilities for this role

Ratten will not be the coach that wins us this important premiership - as I have stated previously - it will be a young coach - probably in his first year.

He is very good with football tactics - and takes our game to another level.

I don't know the identity of the next flag winning coach at Carlton - But I would suggest that the progress of Simon Goodwin be watched carefully - especially as he has now snared an assistant coaches position at the Bombers.

It is interesting to note that Essendon* has had him in mind for an assistant coaching role for quite some time. For what it is worth - Neil Craig also speaks highly of him.

He was also considered for a role at Carlton - but chose Essendon*. However this might not turn out to be the best choice..

His leadership attributes match those of the coach that I see in the mind's eye. This doesn't mean that he will be the one - but it is indicative of this.

He is a person that may discover that he grows and develops a little more quickly than what might have been initially expected - able to take on bigger things a little earlier than originally anticipated...

Sometimes it is difficult to keep 2 big egos co-existing happily within the one tent. And if things came to a head - I dont think that Hird would be the one who would be going anywhere.

The 17th will be an unexpected flag that generates a great deal of jealousy and hatred and vitriol from other clubs and their supporters - but especially from Essendon* and Collingwood.

We all know what the true motives are behind the disparaging comments that they will be making.

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My Blue Heaven

Stop it blueman. You are going to ruin the suprise.

IMO we played a couple young players against the Swans that shouldn't have been playing. I reckon if we had a few more experienced players we would have beaten Sydney then put us in a good spot to beat the Dogs.

The benefits to the team from winning those 1 or two games would have eclipsed that of playing a couple of kids.

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end of message

Agreed Duke.
IMO we were 5 points away from a prelim this year dur to ending up in the "right half" of the finals . We still need a few things to go right, but we are not that far away from starting to present our case.

One of the journalists said that the eagles finished eighth three times - and then went bang.

So finishing in a low spot in the eight for a few years isn't necessarily a bad thing to do.

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My Blue Heaven

I feel we are building a list to challenge for the 17th. No doubt about that.
That goes with every club in the AFL, but we have youth, and a classy bunch of youth on our side.
We're better than 8th and should've beaten Swans then Doggies. That's the past now.

ATM, in this preseason period, there seems to be quite a few 'if' players on our list who could make the 17th flag a reality sooner than later.
But so many 'ifs' are doing my head in. 'If' this 'if' that.

So many IFS.

Just the other day, someone posted that there's only a handful of players who pick themselves.
I think from memory they were Judd, Murphy, Gibbs, Simpson, Waite and I added to the discussion Kreuzer. I would add Russell to that list too.

A team has 22 players in it and we're only as good as our botoom 6. Well I think we need alot more than the bottom 6 to improve if we are going to improve our chances to win the 17th especially whilst Judd is with us.

We could win the flag in 2011-12 'if' the following players step up:
You can find an 'if' comment for everyone of the folllowing:

In defense: Austin, Setanta, Jamison, Bower, White, Laidler, O'Keefe
In midfield: McLean, Yarran, Walker, Carrazzo, Lucas, Scotland, Joseph, Robinson
Forwardline: Henderson, Betts, Collins, Hampson, Warnock, Houla, Joseph

'If 'the new coaches in Brown, Barker and Richardson can bring out a 5-10% improvement in the playing group and game plan, we can really rock the boat in 2011.

The list looks good. I like the list a lot, but we need a few players to really step up to help CFC become part of the elite on the ladder: Top 4.

I'm really hoping that Bower and Jamo improve in 2011...really do.
I really hope that Setanta or Austin make CHB their own.....no grounds to believe they will star in that spot...but if one of them steps up and takes it on...well it will go along way to plugging up our major gap.

So close, yet so far.

I'll start an 'IF' thread after the Draft and PSD....because it's a long way away before round 1.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

2012 grand final team

B: Army Tom Lynch Bower
HB: Russell Waite Laidler
C: Lucas Gibbs Simpson
HF: Yarran Hendo Collins
F: Garlett Casboult Betts
R: Kreuzer Judd Murphy
IC: Warnock Jamison Carrazzo AJ

OK, so its 2012 for the 17th; I'll take that.

Only IF:

Casboult, Laidler, Collins and Yarran make the grade.
Tom Lynch makes our list and makes the grade
Jamison & Bower improve by at least 10% on their 2010 form
Carrazzo, AJ and Waite don't lose any pace

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Unless we can learn to beat Collingwood, they will leapfrog us. Essendon* is not the problem.
IIR, Collingwood thrashed us twice in 2010 so we have to take up the slack pretty smartly as they traded better than anybody else to improve an already great team. Forget the one point and St Kilda would have won rubbish. They didn't and the difference in class was evident the following week. Make no mistake, Collingwood is a worry.

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Let slip the Blues of war (with apologies to William Shakespeare) (and Sir Francis Bacon, just in case)

Portents to the 17th.

'http://www.businessinsider.com/leaked-german-military-report-warns-of-apocalyptic-peak-oil-scenarios-2010-9'
'http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/apr/11/peak-oil-production-supply'

It is not wise to rely on our media for vital information.

So there are going to be more than a few extremely upset people who will be sorely needing a bit of a football highlight.

Others will be thinking about things in a more fundamental way.

They will only see an ordained opportunity that is ripe for the picking.

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My Blue Heaven