Hi all,

The Q&A session is returning to Talking Carlton!!

Mark Harrison, Stephen Moulton and possibly Zac Fried have kindly offered to spend a couple of hours next Tuesday, from 6:30pm, answering our questions and discussing the Mighty Blues.

They've requested we submit a list of questions to them by Sunday so please post any questions you may have, by Saturday, in this thread and we'll collate a list to send to Mark and Stephen.

In the interests of making the session run as smoothly as possible we'll be trying to group questions together so as not to ask the same question more than once, or in 4 different ways, so if your question isn't asked exactly as you sent it please understand why.

During the session, this thread will remain open for posters to discuss whats happening in the Q&A session so please keep any comments you have out of it and in here.

Be patient! If there are already have a number of questions to answer it will take some time for them to get through them. They will only be here for 2 hours so please don't come by at 8:15 expecting to have your question answered.

Please also understand that there are a number of dealings and projects that remain confidential so they may not be able to answer questions regarding them.

I dont know that any fan forum has this kind of access so please appreciate the time Mark, Stephen and Zac, if he is able to make it, are giving to us and enjoy the Q&A session.

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"The ability to speak doesn't make you intelligent." Qui-Gon Jinn 15-05-2005

"there’s more chance of me becoming the full forward for the [Western Bulldogs] than there is of any change in the Labor Party." Julia Gillard 18-05-2010

How about someone from the MC coming online (TC) every couple of weeks to answer a few questions?

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Oompa loompa doompety dee
If you are wise you'll listen to me

3 from me-

1- Is there any possibilty of games against low drawing interstate teams, Port/Freo etc being played at Princes Park?

2-How long is our deal at the Dome, can we play more games at the G?

3- Sticky one......Are there too many board members? Will this number be reduced?


Cheers

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I see you watching me watching you.

Congrats for all your efforts thus far in getting the recovery of the CFC off to a flyer. Obviously still a long way to go - to some extent off field and in a big way on field.

My question is, what is the on-field strategy for the remainder of the year in relation to selection policy? Have we made a decision to play the kids for the remainder to gain valuable experience?

Secondly, how likely will it be that we will field a Carlton reserves side in 2008?

Thirdly, Is there an additional alternate revenue strategy that we are exploring separate to the hotels that you have assisted or mastermined that we are exploring? eg looking at non property investments domestically or off shore, Carlton home loans deal with a financial institution where % of the loan goes directly to the club, etc?

What will it take for us to be the leaders of innovation off and on field once again as we were in the late 70's, 80's and even early to mid 90's? Do you honestly think we can recapture that title and reputation and why? (At the moment Collingwood seem to have taken that crown from us out of the Vic clubs, and WCE & Adel from the interstaters)

All good organisations have succession plans in place. Dick Pratt has been incredible since his arrival to Princes Park. Obviously he has flagged his intentions of being there for a short time, possibly until the end of next year. Has a successor been talked about at board level at this stage?

How does the board rate Greg Swann? Is he given the power to make changes as he sees fit with the operations and directions of the football club?

Is the Carlton board and administration truely united and pushing in the same direction, ie (Swann & Carlton board)? Do we have a strategic blueprint for success and does everyone in the organisation understand it?

Lastly, wind the clock forward 10 years from now - what do you envisage the Carlton Football Club to be at this time? Off field (est. revenue turnover), on field, standing in the AFL, the international arena.

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For some silly reason, you people want to assassinate him, and it's just rubbish. You people. All of you, ALL of you!

With the redevelopment of Princess Park, will we ever play AFL games there again?

I'm sure I'll think of more...

See if you can find one that hasn't already been asked

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"The ability to speak doesn't make you intelligent." Qui-Gon Jinn 15-05-2005

"there’s more chance of me becoming the full forward for the [Western Bulldogs] than there is of any change in the Labor Party." Julia Gillard 18-05-2010

Ok, here's my bash. These first couple are future looking, I'm just after best guesses:

1) What level of membership would you hope to get in '08

2) When do you think we will pay off the debt

3) What's the biggest problem left to fix?

4) What's been harder than you expected? What's been easier than you expected?

Whether it be this year or down the track, Denis Pagan will eventually move on as coach of Carlton.

Can Stephen and Mark give an undertaking that the club will implement a comprehensive and exhaustive selection process to select the next senior coach.
This process could/should include external assessments and a predetermined criteria that all candidates should be assessed by. In my opinion, there should be at least 5 candidates invited to apply.

I have a concern that we will make a rushed decision based on reputation or the need to sign up a candidate due to "market pressure".

This appointment will be the most significant in my lifetime following the club. We have a young and talented list that deserves every opportunity to fulfill their potential and the possibility of decisions based on insufficient processes are a real concern.

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Looking forward to seeing our potential realised.

Given the age of our players, we understand that a long overdue Player Development Manager [PDM] is being hired.

Is this true and if so, what other player support is being looked at?

Are you able to name PDM?

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“It is a state of mind, a system of belief, a way of seeing the world, a deep faith that, because you are Carlton, you belong to something great.” - Mike Fitzpatrick articulating what Out of the Blue means.

Alright, alright...slight difference, though. The word 'ever'.

And Princess.

Here's a few questions for consideration...

1.
When DP (that's the president DP, not the other DP) came on board his likely tenure was said to be 1-2 years. Apart from all the great work we keep hearing about in regards to the off-field infrastructure and staff appointments, what succession plans have been put in place to cover the eventual stepping down of Richard Pratt?

2.
Scott Burns on Foxtel last night gave a brief example of the development coaching role's at Collingwood. Clearly Greg Swann would be familiar with these as well, will our development coach(es) take on a similar mentoring role with the 1-3 year players, or are there further improvements still to this role within the context of Carlton?

3.
Have you told Mattew Pavlich that Melbourne is much closer to Adelaide than Perth?

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Start of the year was all good news but things have turned a bit sour of late. How are we going to sell the message next year to our battered humiliated and despondent fans. 4 or 5 'backs to the wall' campaigns have shown us to be pretty resiliant fans coming up with record memberships on the back of successive wooden spoons, but there has to be a limit to people's patience.

How do you keep the momentum going next year? How many False Dawns do you think the average supporters will cop before they decide to stay at home (with their wallet) on a cold and wet Saturday in July? Many fans wont be interested in debt levels, development coaches, sports science, list management etc etc, they just want to go to the footy and see see their team win. How do you sell the message to these folks.

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"Who discovered we could get milk from cows, and what did he think he was doing at the time?" Billy Connolly

Easy, sack the coach

I am soundly beaten.

Oh, camelboy, what's this? A repeated question? Not from you, surely.

Anywho, that's all from me. But I do see a foot in your mouth.

My question deals with the Carlton Football Club song and is an old chestnut of mine.

Is the club aware that 2 versions of the club song are out there?

Should line five read,"... they like to send UP" or "... they like to send "US"?

I know the players are currently singing "US", and that "US" is written on the board in the Princes Park change rooms and is on the club's website, but what is the correct version?

The players do run onto the ground before each game, with the "UP" version playing. Obviously, this version is also played around the ground following a victory.

Exactly when did the club's song (based on 'Lily of Laguna') become Carlton's official anthem, and have the original written lyrics of the Carlton version been stored somewhere?

From my understanding, most supporters would prefer "UP", despite what the players are currently singing. I am sure players of the past would have sung "UP".

Should the members have a vote on this matter?

Thank you. Now I'll shut UP.

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THEY LIKE TO SEND UP!!!!!!!!

Until each team plays each other the same number of times, the AFL, as a fair dinkum competition, cannot be taken seriously.

He (Mr Swann) said the honour and pride associated with the club's traditional navy blue jumper was priceless.

Thanks to Mark & Stephen for their work for the club and their communication with TC.

My question:

1) Does the Board believe that the slower development of our draftees relative to those at other clubs is primarily due to the quality of the product brought to the club (recruiting), or primarily due to how we are developing that product (development)?

Follow up question -

According to the answer to the above question, is Wayne Hughes' job at Carlton under review, or is he safe?


Any answer will be greatly appreciated
(watching Collingwood's pick 60odd make our Pick 17,18,19's look like foreigners is doing my head in!)

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They will know that they've been playing against the famous old dark blues

Is there any chance we might go back to our old jumper logo?
The one we all associate with success and winning!
Or am i just an old meloncholic fool?

That's why i got in first, everyones repeating my questions

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I see you watching me watching you.

A fool you are not. Would be a good move in my mind, but some here think we have to 'move with the times', believing that the current jumper is better for marketing purposes etc.

I promise not to comment on anyone else's posts in this thread, and just allow the questions to keep rolling in.

Unless SparkyBlue responds...

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THEY LIKE TO SEND UP!!!!!!!!

Until each team plays each other the same number of times, the AFL, as a fair dinkum competition, cannot be taken seriously.

He (Mr Swann) said the honour and pride associated with the club's traditional navy blue jumper was priceless.