Bursting the Bubble

Jarusa · **Joined:** Sat Feb 26, 2005 9:00 am **Posts:** 23123

Now I'm usually a glass half full kind of guy.

BUT

Since the emergence of King Dick, rightfully so a new sense of optimism is sweeping through the club and the supporter base.

But I have been reading a lot more confidence about our onfield performance this year which IMO is setting lots of people up for a big letdown.

We have to remember this will be one of the youngest lists in the league and they will be up against teams much more experienced most weeks this year. It is a long season and a lot for immature (in a relative sense) bodies and minds to cope with.

I would not be surprised this year if we again end up with 4 wins or less. The difference though is there is a lot more emerging talent on the cusp of doing great things, I just think it will be from 2008 onwards where the real improvement on the scoreboard will be noticed.

I'm happy to be proven wrong with the boys gaining early season confidence and stringing some wins together. That would be fantastic. But I am not expecting it, this year I am going to watch the young players develop. Whatever happens on the scoreboard this year is secondary to the young guys getting game time and gatherng experience.

Bring it on! Enjoy the year, but don't make the expectations too great for our young group of players this year.

camel · **Posted:** Fri Feb 23, 2007 12:35 pm

If we can get somewhere between 21 and 23 wins this home and away season I'll be pretty happy.

HTP · **Joined:** Mon Feb 28, 2005 5:06 pm **Posts:** 3366

Anyone else feel freaked out that the mods can read what you're writing BEFORE it gets posted? Some of the shit I write before I 'Think. Then post' disturbs even me.

I'll be cool with a win or three or five - but don't expect much more. Can't see who's worse than us really.

The reason I'm cool? I move back to Melbourne in less than two hours and I'm not just rapt - I'M RAPTED!!!

(with apologies to The Prez)

DocSherrin III · **Joined:** Tue Mar 29, 2005 2:09 pm **Posts:** 17232

Agree Jarusa...the one statement i did like coming out of Maloufs mouth was that the club has budgeted for a bottom 4 finish.

bluechucky · **Joined:** Sat Feb 26, 2005 6:29 am **Posts:** 13689

I'm expecting 6 wins, but kinda hope we have 4 or less.

Essendon* and Brisbane are worse than us.

JohnM · **Posted:** Fri Feb 23, 2007 12:45 pm

I think that while Pagan's our senior coach, we're going to struggle onfield.

If we had a more capable person at the helm, we could probably find ourselves being 'coached' to a few extra wins... both through improved tactical thinking and the excitement of not being coached by someone that's got 'Yesterday's Man' tattooed across his forehead.

With Pagan for the whole season... 4-5 wins.

With someone better... 7-8 wins.

Maybe the tankers should start lobbying for Pagan's retention

Blue Vain · **Joined:** Mon Feb 28, 2005 10:35 am **Posts:** 18046

I wont comment until I see the graph.

behindblueeyes · **Posted:** Fri Feb 23, 2007 12:51 pm

Think bottom four and we will be bottom four.

blu944 · **Posted:** Fri Feb 23, 2007 1:04 pm

I'm setting myself for a season that's worse than last year's. We lost a lot of average but senior players at the end of last year and we've gained a lot of youth in their place. We all have expectations of the kids we brought to the club for 07' but no one really expects them to show more than glimpses at the future rather than actual contributions. I think the class of 05' will step up and start to give something but I doubt even the messiah is ready to contribute across an entire season, and frankly, I don't expect anything from the 04' draftees.

We all have pleaded 'play the kids' at some stage but now we're forced to, as that's who's on the list so I anticipate some exciting football and also a return to the odd drubbing.

I think Nick Stevens will shake people with short memories out of their slumber and prove what a good footballer he is and I expect Jarrad Waite to take the next step, but overall I can't see which team is going to decline enough to facilitate our rise up the ladder.

To be honest I don't really care though, it feels like we're on the right track and I can't wait to get back into the action. I sat in great seats at the telstra dome last sunday and watched a one in a million goalfest grandfinal as the Victory took down Adelaide and whilst I had a great time I still think I would have enjoyed seeing the blue boys go around twice as much.

Blue Bird · **Posted:** Fri Feb 23, 2007 1:17 pm

I vote for tanking

Stefchook · **Joined:** Mon Feb 28, 2005 9:36 am **Posts:** 8187

I also agree. I'd be surpised if we didn't collect one more wooden spoon before the improvement becomes obvious to all.

Little chance of getting above the bottom 4. Probably looking at 4-6 wins.

If so, I hope it's 4 wins. I wouldn't mind if we qualified for one more 'real' priority draft pick.

dane · **Joined:** Tue Mar 08, 2005 10:14 am **Posts:** 22357

ummm guys not sure what ur talking about.
this is a premiership year.... :mrgreen:

blueboy8 · **Joined:** Fri Mar 04, 2005 1:13 pm **Posts:** 972

I don't think there is a big bubble that is going to bust if we dont win many games this year.

There are positive article in the paper which is good to see, but no one is making statements that where going to finish outside the bottom four.

Even most Carlton supports and people on this site don't think we can make the eight.

This inst going to happen overnight and I'm sure most people realize that.

All I want out of the season is to see as many kids play as they can and to see light at the end of the tunnel.

Anything above 5 wins this year is a bonus.

camel · **Posted:** Fri Feb 23, 2007 1:38 pm

No, I think we'll only get the bonus if we win 4 games or less.

Lurker Blue · **Posted:** Fri Feb 23, 2007 1:50 pm

Jarusa wrote:

I would not be surprised this year if we again end up with 4 wins or less.

Blue Bird wrote:

I vote for tanking

camelboy wrote:

I think we'll only get the bonus if we win 4 games or less.

It's all about Matthew Kreuzer. :garthp:

camel · **Posted:** Fri Feb 23, 2007 1:54 pm

I read somewhere his nickname is "THE TANK"! :lol:

blueboy8 · **Joined:** Fri Mar 04, 2005 1:13 pm **Posts:** 972

camelboy wrote:

I read somewhere his nickname is "THE TANK"! :lol:

Here we go again I know your joking but i hate tanking talk.

kingkerna · **Posted:** Fri Feb 23, 2007 2:02 pm

injuries permitting I think we will be better then what is suggested here, if you look at our forward line it has the potential to be one of the best in the league, another condition is if Gibbs is as good as Murphy was this will make a huge difference to our midfield rotation - if you thought Murphy was good imagine what it will be like for him to have an equal running around with him????

7 wins shouldn't be unexpected

camel · **Posted:** Fri Feb 23, 2007 2:07 pm

blueboy8 wrote:

camelboy wrote:

I read somewhere his nickname is "THE TANK"! :lol:

Here we go again I know your joking but i hate tanking talk.

So do I. But if you give in to hating it early it really does make a crap season easier to handle. Kind of. :oops:

mjonc · **Posted:** Fri Feb 23, 2007 2:09 pm

8 wins is quite realistic IMO. We should have won around that mark last season, it was only the lack of confidence, rotations and depth that cost us.

We do have pretty much the same best 22 as last year, the difference is we have added more class, depth and our kids are another season older. Even 50% improvement from the likes of Bower, Blackwell, Murphy, Walker, Kennedy, Carlos and injury free years from Waite, Fisher, Stevens will make us very competitive in most games and with a few early wins the belief to win will come back.

8 wins is realistic, which would most likely have us placed around 11-14. That would be a pass mark for where i believe the list to be at.

Bursting the Bubble

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