Got nothing to do with possibly the second and third best lists of the past 12 or so years (Brissy No1) and the most money spent on footy depts.

Nah, it's because they can have that 5% of their fringe players in the magoo's playing in certain positions.

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I hope Essendon* folds.

Your missing the point.

We are talking about garnering a support base for the Northern Suburbs of Melbourne - you cant do that with a Carlton Brand - dont forget this was once a traditional Collingwood heartland.

We are talking about a long lasting footprint on the Northern Suburbs of Melbourne and we have to win the hearts and minds - it is going to be a generational thing and something that the club has to support for a long time going forward.

The VFL is going to grow in importance as a secondary state competition - in particular with the growth and support of a Champions League concept (which is the FOXTEL Cup) - Carlton need to be involved with this and the establishment of the "Northern Blues" is an ideal vehicle.

In 10 to 15 years when the schools, businesses and supporters of the Northern Suburbs of Melbourne support their local team playing in the Champions League it will be "Navy Blue" - and this will have a flow on affect when they choose a team to support in the AFL.

This will be the model for VFL teams going forward - and if other AFL teams miss the boat on this they are going to lose out.

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"Hence you will not say that Greeks fight like heroes but that heroes fight like Greeks"?

Winston Churchill

Northern BlueAnts

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Success is not built on success. It's built on failure, it's built on frustration. Sometimes it's built on catastrophe

Northern Blues is just fine.

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"Hence you will not say that Greeks fight like heroes but that heroes fight like Greeks"?

Winston Churchill

Another no brainer question.....

Collingwood and Geelong have stand alone reserves...

Carlton should too........

This is awesome.

Perhaps not as good as it could be, but definitely a great step.

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Where did the Geelong 2nds finish this year?

Geelong has had success due to incredible drafting and Father-sons.

Seconds have had little to do with it.

Question...........who's gunna run the show ? the current Ants crew,or CFC personnal.Hope they retain G .O"Sullivan........that bloke works his backside off......excellent nuts and bolts footy type.

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All my dangerous friends

Todays HUN has an article saying that the Northern Blues will wear red and white with a CFC monogram on the top corner.

Will have a greater interest in 2012 in the seconds...will purchase a membership to help the cause. Going to be great having footy back at Princes Park on a Saturday arvo...if only for the VFL. Port Melbourne is usually "the" ground to be at in the VFL in recent years...our basing at Princes Park will overtake it as the marquee venue in the league.

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Premierships: 1869, 1871, 1873, 1874, 1875, 1877, 1887, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1914, 1915, 1938, 1945, 1947, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1987, 1995.

"GIBBS."

I'm with Captain Dan.

AFL Membership (with Carlton support) and a Northern Blues membership.

Pretty sure the HUN is wrong - information I have is that they will wear a Navy Blue jumper (not sure of design as yet - may still probably feature a white Bullant - with the CFC monogram in top corner) when they play home games at VISY Park - they may wear their traditional red jumper when they play 2 or 3 games back at Cramer St.

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"Hence you will not say that Greeks fight like heroes but that heroes fight like Greeks"?

Winston Churchill

Not like the HUN to get something wrong!

shouldn't limit ourselves to just the Northern Suburbs.

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Between our dreams and actions lies this world

King Kerna this just relates to the VFL and and our VFL alignment - its a very clever strategic alignment as far as I am concerned. No AFL club has really staked a claim in the Northern Suburbs of Melbourne - this is a way for us to do it by "stealth".

As far as Carlton and our AFL brand is concerned its Australia wide all the way.

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"Hence you will not say that Greeks fight like heroes but that heroes fight like Greeks"?

Winston Churchill

do you really think people will support 'the blues (Carton)' because of the Northern Blues? You know it doesn't work that way, just like I won't support the Aints because they are linked with Sandy.

Neither will my kids!

Similarly I grew up in a Richmond zoned area, had no impact on who people supported.

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Between our dreams and actions lies this world

Your taking too simplistic view of this Kingkerna.

As I said in an earlier thread on this topic - this is a generational project for the Carlton Football Club.

All AFL clubs have staked a geographic claim on various parts of Melbourne - Hawthorn in the East, St.Kilda in the South East, Western Bulldogs in the West.

The Northern Suburbs of Melbourne have traditionally been Collingwood's heartland - which they really have abandoned chasing a national brand - we have a great opportunity to fill a vacuum here with a branded product that will help us in the long term.

What I have been saying is that by developing a "Northern Blues" brand in the Northern Suburbs of Melbourne in the VFL - we have to work with the business, schools and people of the Northern Suburbs with regards to sponsorship and support.

The VFL and AFL are encouraging a "Champions League" approach to the national second tier competitions - via the "FOXTEL Cup" and this competition will gain in importance and exposure over the next few years - giving Northern Melbourne Suburban business support very attractive exposure opportunities.

As I said it is a generational thing and we need to be patient (I am talking 10 to 15 years) - people and businesses in the North will start to support this Northern Suburbs team - this is why you cant brand it as Carlton.

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"Hence you will not say that Greeks fight like heroes but that heroes fight like Greeks"?

Winston Churchill

As far as the southeast go's,i'll back it in that there more Pies and Bombers fans than there are Saints supporters.And there is a healthy whack of Blues supporters down this way also.If you dont believe me,check the attendances at Casey,Franganahstan,and Sandy when the Ants play down here.Can understand your veiwpoint Agro,but would hate to see us focus purely on the North when i would suggest there is as many Blues supporters in the South,SouthEast,and Eastern suburbs of Melbourne as there is in the North...........in fact i would love the CFC to promote itself far more than it does at the moment in so-called alien territories down here in the south.Travelling is no big deal these days with ringroads,freeways etc.Hell,if a bloke my age can get along to Preston to watch the Ants then i reckon its pissweak if you guys cant travel south or east.

In summary im quite happy for the club to rediscover its geographical heartland,but dont lose sight of the big picture and that is single suburb of Melbourne no matter whether is North,South,East,or West.

Regards Mick.

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All my dangerous friends

I think the point has been missed here.


As far as our AFL Carlton Brand is concerned we should shop it far and wide all over Melbourne, all over Victoria and all over Australia.


When we speak of this new "Northern Blues" Brand in the VFL I am talking about shopping it around the "Northern Suburbs" of Melbourne.

Two entirely different things here.

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"Hence you will not say that Greeks fight like heroes but that heroes fight like Greeks"?

Winston Churchill

I agree. It's smart strategy.

Hawthorn have successfully (and gradually) been able to build their support from relatively low numbers over a period of 30 years. Success obviously helps (but not always - see North Melbourne). But so does smart targetting of potential supporters and investing in a region.