I really can't fathom the fatalistic attitude of those who have written off our season after round five.

Yes it has been a very disappointing start to the season, but fair dinkum round five is no time to be chucking in the towel!!! Yes there are some big chinks in the armour but we are not travelling that badly. Our main problem was lack of intensity in the first three games. We have fixed that by and large, now lack of accuracy is costing us. We only need to combine the intensity with the better finsihing and we will start winning a few more games. If we can get on a roll, we certainly can make the finals.

Having a look at the ladder, there are two games separating 16th from fourth. We are half a game out of the 8 FFS!! Only 2-3 teams are really looking the goods at this stage, and it's a lottery with the rest.

Do we really think Richmond, Adelaide and the Doggies will kick away from the field - good luck to them if they do - but history says that Richmond will disappear after 6 rounds and the Dogs will not put games together on the trot. Who knows what the Crows will put together for the rest of the year.

My point is that the ladder is pretty wide open, and there is quite a bit of correction going to take place. That 2 point gap between us and the doggies and the two teams between is not particularly significant at this point in time. We are not the only team shooting itself in the foot at the moment. Last year's grand finallists are currently 15th and 12th!!

Fair enough if we lose both our next games it will start looking like a bad season, but can we at least put the knives and the knee-jerk reactions on the back-burner for another couple of weeks yet?

Well said Ponkstar.

It's only round 5 for crying out loud. We lost to freo because we didn't kick straight, pure and simple. If a few of those points had snuck in for goals, and if Walker had have been paid those free kicks in front of goal in the last 1/4, we would have won the game. Then we'd all be celebrating and saying how wonderful it is that we don't need Fev & Lance to fire in order to win a game.

Yes, it was a frustrating game but there were plenty of positives to come out of it in regard to the long term future of this footy club. Walker Waite Fevola Thornton Wiggins Sporn etc are names that we are going to be saying for quite a few years to come. I think the future is bright. Let's stop looking for the quick fix solution. We are starting to get a group of youngsters together that we can build a team around, a team that will achieve real success.... be patient.

I think the point isn't so much where we are currently on the ladder. It's more can we win enough games now to make the 8. I'd suggest not. I don't think we're good enough yet to win 10 and 1/2 games out seventeen. And although we've had 2 games on the road, we're yet to come against many of the better sides. We'll struggle to make it.

I'd like to get on board, but I'm almost out of ink. Been writing us off since Round 1 like the dismal pessimist I am

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"The Wigg's big in 08!" - Chris Judd

We´ve been competitive and that´s the best part of a disappointing start to the season. So far this season our losing margins have all been within 20 points and when u look at scoring shots (accuracy again) we´ve clearly had the chance to win:

V. Kangas 25 v. 25
V. Pies 28 v. 28
V. Freo 29! v. 28

But who are the better teams - that's my point. Not Port or Brisbane on current.

Of those we are yet to play, I don't think we are in the same league as St Kilda and probably the Dees - you can't tell me that if we put it all together we can't beat any of the other lot?

I never wrote us ON

write us off what, exactly?

You either play for the cup, or play to develop a team that'll win us our next cup.

There's a lot of development going on there... but I think Denis needs now to sit down with the list, make a note of the kids with talent we have, and just play them.... even at the expense of short-term failure.

Without meaning to sound like a bastard, but I think bringing in the Johnsons, Bowyers and Bannisters of team is a slight step backward. I know we need muscle to ease the burdon on the blokes like Walker already in the firsts, but I would like to see Simpson and Bentick et.al given extened opportunities this year.

Its a fine line, but if we can start winning games with Simmo/Bentick in the firsts and the Johnno's and Bowyers of the team in the seconds, THEN we're ON!!!

(without meaning to be ultra critical of Brett Johnson and Glen Bowyer... they have roles in the squad and perform adequately... I just see Simmo and AB and those blokes as more of the "future")

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Love Cricket? Love me

Our draw from here on: Hawthorn, Richmond, Geelong, Melbourne (OO), Adelaide (away), Sydney, Brisbane, Western Bulldogs (Darwin), West Coast (away), St Kilda, Fremantle, Hawthorn, Richmond, Port Adelaide, Collingwood, Essendon*, Kangaroos.

I don't think we can beat Geelong, West Coast or St Kilda.

I think it's unlikely we'll beat Adelaide away.

I think Brisbane and Port Adelaide will be very tough once they regain some of their players (as they should by the time we play them).

I doubt we'll beat Sydney, as we haven't beaten them in yonks.

I think Western Bulldogs in Darwin will be pretty tough.

Of the remaining 9 (or even remaining 11, if you include Sydney and Western Bulldogs), they're all winnable. But given what we've seen so far. And given where we are development wise. There's absolutely no chance that we'll win them all. We're not good enough or consistent enough to expect to win a whole lot of games on the trot.

So even if we 'pinch' some of the other games (and I think we'll beat Melbourne at OO), I can't see us getting near the 10 and 1/2 wins we'll need from here. Basically, I think, those early 'stumbles' will cost us a chance of creeping into the finals this year.

Thank you Ponkstar,

Some of the stuff written by some over the past couple of days has bordered on the hysterical. As an old Digger once said "You wouldn't want then in the trenches with you, they'd be off before the first shot was fired.' There are one or two posters are now on my 'Don't bother to read or even reply to ' list until they write something original from what they have been writing the past three years.

We have a young developing team that has a lot to like about it, one that I am going to enjoy watching this year despite what the doomsayers say.

Making the finals would be nice, but if we don't then we need to work harder next year. Success is never easy, particularly in sport, but I am going to enjoy the journey

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A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty" -Winston Churchill

L.M 35-06

i think everyone knows my stance on this as well.

i have been really surprised how alot of people have reacted to the first 5 weeks.

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Got to love the stare Down by Setanta on Llyod

In round 8 or 9 at Optus Oval in the year 2001, a Carlton team thumped Brisbane and relegated them to the midst of despair. Come September and who won the premiership?

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Mjonc signing off at 8888

Well said Bluemark & Ponkstar!

The hysteria post-Freo game has really shocked me. For some to be talking about early first-round draft-picks & PP's after round 5 astounds me.
Yes, round 1 was disappointing (albeit against a team who has gone out & won 5 on the trot), and the final quarter aginst Collingwood was ordinary. However, the rest has been thereabouts.
We almost beat the reigning premiers away (yes, they had a few out, but so did we) & we lost to a Freo side on the weekend as a result of a 20-minute period in the 2nd quarter when we could not put a halt to their run-on.
A few players have stagnated somewhat but let's judge them at the 1/2 way mark, not after round 5. There have been some extremely positive performances by some our youngsters (Waite, Walker, Wiggins, Carazzo, Houla) and we've been without our 2 key defenders for the first part of the season.
Yes, we'd prefer to have at least another 4 points on the board at this stage, but FFS, can some of you supposed "realists" talk amongst yourselves for at least another fortnight - suggestions such as "stevens is our only class player at the moment " belong in a post titled "Negative as all fu*ck", not in the "Positives" thread.

I'm with you Ponk, BM and Prez - really, it's not all that bad.

I think the wiz cup maybe raised the expectation of some people, and they're struggling to re-evaluate their expectation.

We'll be ok people, we're on the right track. It'll be a bit bumpy, but hold on tight and there'll be smooth sailing ahead.

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Richard Pratt - A Carlton legend.

And therein lies the answer.

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Writer for SuperCoach Paige www.scpaige.com.au
Twitter - @johnfeeney24

Im with you Ponk.Lot of water to run under the bridge,and anything can happen.Im a while theres life theres hope man.We are a lousy half game out of the september action.A win here and there can change your fortunes overnight.Im frustrated that not one of our young guys has taken a game by the throat.

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All my dangerous friends

Have to agree with you guys i am dissapointed with the Freo effort but i am not gonna start crucifying the team just say that performance was below what we expected thats all. i was really happy with the effort against Port and yes 4 points would have been nice but hey we will take the 2 points.

What has bothered me most is that some people think that players are like playing cards play a round and then you dont like what cards you have you can toss them in and pull out a a-grade football team. Players need time to develope and to show what they can do .. Carrazo been a great revolation for us though 3 weeks ago people where saying he wont make the grade his kicking is poor. Also i read on another post that somone wanted to get rid of Teague cause he was too small and slow Kouta to old and slow yet he is third in center clearances with stevo Number1 .. so i think some people really need to stop over reacting.

We dont have a pack on the side where we can pull out a Royal flush or Full house. We work with what we have dealt and we have our VFL hand to pluck and change cards with on a week to week basis as we need to shuffle chaneges. And do as player perform on a wekly basis.

THis wek we prob need some changes as we will have some tired players and there where some good Bullants players that put there hand up. If you win games you usually dont change much if you loose matches then that will justify a change until you start winning games

Cheers