True WBY

I actually cant stand Brereton but I'm using them as examples.

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Looking forward to seeing our potential realised.

Who did Hawthorn use?

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"You are being watched. The government has a secret system. A machine that spies on you every hour of every day. I know because I built it." - Finch

Absolutely. Fans of other clubs in Stage 1 of the rebuilding process are able to sit and watch the kids get a go, some in spots all over the field. Instead, for the first half of the year we had to go to Cramer St for it.

Again, you have to ask the question of the Coach...'What were you trying to do in 2006?'. It wasn't develop the next great Carlton team. It couldn't have been.

According to Smorgon in an interview about 6 weeks ago, all our sponsorships are full. This doesn't make sens to me. We have 28,700 members this year, down about 5000 from last year (33,500). 5000 memberships equals $750,000 at $150 a membership.

So...if we had kept those 5000 members, and given that our sponsorships are supposedly full, we would be $750,000 better off, with no other 'plan' to bring in any more money (Smorgon and Collins both have been saying that our financial troubles stem from membership fall off). However, we needed $1.5 million from the AFL just to be able to trade through to the end of the year. So even if we had kept our membership at 33,500, we still would have been $750,000 shy of being able to trade out till the end of the year! What's going on?????????????

In regards to the review being conducted by Kernahan and Gleeson...I realise I am about to hang myself out as a stationary target here, but here goes...

There is no doubt that Kernahan has been an absolute champion of this club, and that his heart is dark navy blue from top to bottom. However, that doesn't ensure that someone is good at what they are trying to do.

At the extraordinary general meeting that was called to oust John Elliott, Kernahan, representing the incumbant Elliott board, stood up to give his talk, and then field questions from members. He was then, as he is now, both a member of the board, and a member of the match committee, whilst also being a part time assistant coach.

When asked about the performance of the coaches and the match commitee, Kernahan responded that they, and he, took full responsibility for the performance on the field, and that they, and he, had failed in their task.

When asked about the performance of the Board, he replied, "I am not the one to ask about that, it's not my area of expertise, you are better off directing that question to John (Elliott)".

Kernahan's performance at that meeting was poor to say the least. He admitted that he had failed as an assistant coach and member of the match committee, as well as a member of the Boad, that is, everything he has been charged by the club to do. And all the time telling members that they should vote for the incumbent Ellliott board.

There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Kernahan has a conflict of interest with his two positions, regardless of his performance...he is a member of a committee that appoints himself.

There must be serious question marks against his ability to conduct an IMPARTIAL review of the football department, given that he is a member of that football department.

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Mens sana in corpore sano.

Bring back the laurel wreath logo!!!

Blue Vain

you are right you do keep hearing it from me.

i am not discounting the issues of the on field problems and certainly their is an independency between on and off field practices.

my point on focus is simple. we lack resources and have shown we are good at the ordinary in both departments. as such it is a question of priority and getting the biggest sore fixed first. ideally we would have the capacity to do both.

"we can do and be anything, but we can't do and be everything"

Smoke and mirrors Siegfried.
Our sponsorships are full but at discounted rates.
No fault of the administrations but the club is not a partner that appeals.

Our corporate income is down dramatically.
In years past we had several luncheons at home games which were difficult to access. Now we have the Presidents luncheon which they have trouble filling and maybe one other room which they are almost giving tickets away.

They had a luncheon earlier this year where Guernsey Club members were offered tickets. This was not part of the original Guernsey club package but a way to get people through the door. At a loss to the club.
We are trying to save face. We are offering freebies to our corporate rooms to save face instead of having half filled rooms.

Some people may think it is an administration problem. I disagree. The corporate services team are fantastic, committed people swimming upsteam against a raging torrent. I've stated this before but we have quality people there at the moment but they will soon give in to the inevitability.

The club has been selling a message to the corporate partners that the football department doesnt have the guts to implement.
Until half way through this year we've had a Claytons rebuild.
People will only be taken for suckers so many times.
I know I've stated it ad nauseum but partners want honesty and consistent implementation of their message. Whether it be business or relationships.
Our club has been whispering sweet nothings in the ears of our corporates and rooting their ex behind their back.
Good Carlton people have been burnt and some wont come back.

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Looking forward to seeing our potential realised.

Exactly.
A LOT of development time has been wasted the past couple of seasons trying to get the odd win by playing the bigger bodies.

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There's so much I could say...

Gotta focus on both things.. if you dont its like youre a duck with one leg paddling round and round and round...

both things are what makes up a club so why wouldnt you focus on both.. ???

as a matter of fact you must be able to focus on alot of things to be a great club.

There will be NO independant review.. because that review will make reccomendations that will be unable/ unwilling to make...

so we will pretend for another year...

Its all about the message the stars on the Xmas tree have sent us over the last 4 years....

What was their message over 4 years????

Well it was a bunch of mixed.. bet each way messages...

And why would Denis want 'Marketing money'????

What does he do to earn it????

He hates the media......

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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.

Oh totally agreed...

We ust cant seem to grasp what we really need to do because its all too hard.. in the meantime we just keep racking up wooden spoons anyway.
Bower comes in and encourages us.. makes you think how much more encouraged wed be for next year if he had played more games.(At this point i know some joker will rush in and tell us all how Bower was injured and he couldnt have played more games)... but Bower represents ALL the kids.....

"Knocking hard enough" was the Denis metaphor for why he wasnt playing them... and even more crazy was the decision to keep Kouta and the fear to not trade Lance and get an extra midfielder in....

Its because theyre so shit scared they cant make hard decisions... its all too hard.... they go the conservative route...in the mean time we have kids that are not signed up yet.. in Betts..Fisher .. Russell...Simmo.. and others...

A couple of those will be trade bait i reckon....i reckon Fisher and Russell are....!!

One because Denis thinks he isnt hard enough.. and the other because we have a forward line and he is surplus (cant kick)..

But i want to know what has been done to improve (read develop) these kids...?????

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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.

When did this magical notion created in fairy land get created that ALL 18 year old footballers can ONLY be developed by playing LOTS of senior AFL football?

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Theyre not all 18 years old... there are some 19 years old.. and we have 20 year olds.. and 21 year olds... etc.

We also have players that need development on and off the field.. skills decision making etc.

BUT we also have players on our list that offer nothing for the future and are there when they shouldnt be there.

Funny how Ports kids get given an opportunity to repay their clubs leap of faith... or Brisbanes.. etc.

By the way did you know were older than Richmond and Hawthorn and next year more clubs will be younger than us????

So the youngest team is a fallacy... whats worse is we talk about playing them.. they get chosen then they have to bench warm...

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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.

http://www.realfooty.theage.com.au/realfooty/articles/2006/08/30/1156816968249.html

You will be pleased to know we are continuing with our youth policy.

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"Whoever said you can't buy happiness forgot about puppies." - Gene Hill

Tell you what?
If Russell and / or fisher are trade bait look out...!!!

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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.

So you really mean that Russell and Fisher might be trade bait Synbad? Is it a whisper you are hearing, or gut instict?????

Absolute stupidity if that's the case. You don't get a number nine draft pick and turf him after two years in the system.

Here's one for you Synbad. Earlier in the season when you had just turned against Denis, you said that Denis is a decent bloke and that somebody should just tap him on the shoulder and say 'sorry Denis, wrong man at this point in our club's history - could you just take it easy and walk out on us?'. At the time (in Feb or so) you thought that Denis would be amenable to the idea. Do you still think that would be the case?

When did this magical notion created in fairy land get created that your chances of improvement as a team were improved by continually playing 22-24 year olds who had had many years on the list and not quite made it?

If you took a straw poll at the start of the year as to who would be delisted at the end of the year, 90% of us would have got 6-7 players right. Instead we rejoice in a seconds team that wins at their level whilst we bounce along the bottom scarring our asses.

Its not the 1st and 2nd year players that I am too concerned with.

Its Adam Bentick, Carrazzo, Setanta and those types who have had a few pre seasons and are physically ready.

We take a player like Carrazzo who is plain and simply a ball magnet. He was as a junior and in the VFL and AFL he just racks up the numbers. But his problems are his kicking and decision making.

So instead of working on that in the games we ask him to play as atagger/run with player. He gets the ball and chips it sideways. So his effiencey rating goes up but its meaningless stats. He woint take any chances and risk a turn over.
He is playing to instruction and its not in any way his fault. But we are not getting "value" out of him or developing him.

The only way his kicking and decision making will really improve is if he is allowed to play his natural game. That is half the game on the ball and rests and then a bit down back ina rotation. Then as the 4th to 8th midfielder we can start to see how much hurt his disposals can have on the other team. Encourage him to run and take players on which is what he wad doing at the end of last year.

Not to stop, prop and chip it sideways or tag. Play as an accountable player who works both ways and hunts the ball and runs and takes chances. A full year of that and we might then be able to see if he is up to it as a midfielder. If his kicking and decision making are good enough and have improved enough then he can continue in that role the following year.

Otherwise you end up with what has happened to him this year and not really knowing if he can do the job. Suspecting he might not have the skill but never really knowing if he can step up. That requires perserverance and development and experience in games to see if he can improve it.

Work on the training track but take it into games and show some faith and take a long term approach.

JR as an aside does not find the ball like Carrazzo. So putting him on a player as a run with player in the AFL and keeping him there will develop that side of his game. We could have used him on Pearce on the wing against Port and shown him what a kid with pace and flair and work rate does to use it in games.

In the last 10 or so games this year after JR had found his feet in the VFL I think he should have played on the wing for 80 minutes a game and for the MC to have stuck with him. Played on a few players and really develop him and have faith.

But its not just about kids.

I dont believe we have used Stevens very well this year either and have just about run him into the ground. Which is what we did with Kouta last year with a lack of bench time and rotations.

Lance forward and someone else moved back for an opportunity to see how they handle it.

Jesse Smith looked a bit sharper earlier this year after coming back from the injury and I was impressed with his clearance work. His kicking had improved since last year. Dropped a few kgs and moving better.

Not sure why we bring him in now when he was worth a shot 2 months ago and then only play him for a bit part. Nothing like being over run in the last quater of a game when we have used our bench as if its a black hole and think the word rotation is a dirty 4 letter word.

Does my head in this stuff.

I look at Richmond and Hawthorn and Brisbane and Port and I see development and chances being taken. I look at us and see a huge reluctance and the first sign of a mistake or a kid a bit quiet they are benched and dropped the following week.

If we are going to keep doing that then we better hope we get Murphy and Gibbs every year for the next 5. Because if we dont and get kids like JR and Bower who require coaching and development then we dont seem to have the stomach for it.

Gibbs will require little coaching and neither does Murphy. Its the other kids that I worry about.

Imagine what we would do with a Grant Birchall? An outside player who likes to run. Hawthorn have taken the huge and surprising step to ask him to run and kick long in the AFL. Meanwhile he slowly learns the defensive side of his game and how to use his body.

But in the meantime he is encouraged to back his instincts and talent and play. They picked him with this in mind and so they play him that way and also he slowly learns the other side of the game. But he is not hung out to dry as soon as he makes an error.

Flair and talent is encouraged.

Not every kid can be played in this way. But the game is moving that way and its a run and stun style of game and players who have those instincts are to be encouraged and not frowned upon.

Mojo, if I could, I'd give you a coaching job based on that post.

Great post.

If we had delisted those extra 6 or 7 players last year we would have restricted ourselves with how far we can dip into the 'superdraft' this year.

Let's see what happens come trade and draft time.


On a side note, trouble is at the moment is that Carlton supporters are like a pack of junkies. They cannot get their heroin (wins) so they are wanting the young player to be played every minute of every game fix to tide them over until the heroin is available again. Just because it is something you crave doesn't mean it is good for the players or the club.

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Agreed Mojo for coach, exactly the common sense dicussion that just can't happen at the MC, because they are all Pagan plants.

Even if you actually buy that argument it doesn't mean you have to play them in preference to youth. It doesn't mean you need to keep youth constrained in certain positions or give them limited game time. It doesn't mean that Jesse Smith only gets 7 1/2 minutes in a junk game. It doesn't mean that Kennedy has 3 of his 9 games with 30 minutes or so game time. It doesn't mean that Sporn has to play 13 games, only 1 with serious game time.

Fans of other Clubs get to watch a resurgence...why do we have to go Cramer St for the same privilege?