With all the talk of the young blues being flat, fatigued or even not switched on mentally, it got me thinking of how in mid to late 2008
we were running out games so much better than our opponents.

A year ago (maybe a little longer) we were all very proud of the last quarter come backs, which resulted in famous victories - port and doggies come to mind. Justin Cordy was on everyone's 'what's hot' list.


With the boys now being a year older, the above hasn't really happened. Any ideas or reasons why?
I know we haven't had to come from behind as much as last year, though it still has me scratching my head.

Is it possible the squad is in a heavy training phase, maybe prepring for what's around the corner?


Interested to read your thoughts....

I don't think it's so much fitness related as a variety of things...i.e. no clear game plan (to me anyway) or at least a confusing one that has us playing in fits and starts and also that probably teams this season are taking us more seriously than they did last season.

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"Truth, for the tyrants, is the most terrible and cruel of all bindings; it is like an incandescent iron falling across their chests. And it is even more agonizing than hot iron, for that only burns the flesh, while truth burns its way into the soul"     — Lauro Aguirre

My cousin says that I'm wrong for suggesting this, but...

St. Kilda game -- we play one of our best games of the season and almost beat a still undefeated Saints team.

During the break -- Pigs Arse comes forward to the media with all of the comments about how Carlton paid hush money to women who were raped by Carlton players

Essendon* game (first game after the break) -- Blues get spanked

4 out of 5 since, but none of the wins (save for the 4th quarter against Sydney) have come at all easy.

Still a lot of media coverage on the rape allegations and now Melbourne underworld links: http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/australian ... k-carlton/ from todays ABC.

Is it more than a coincidence that the poor level of play has come at a time when all of this negativity has been going through the media?

..well, lack of a [obvious] gameplan shouldn't make any difference, considering last year and this year seems much of the same in regards to tactics.. ....as for other teams figuring us out, not sure how that would apply to our fitness and ability to run out games.. ..we certainly have been looking flat for a few games now....

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..if you can't be good, be good at it..

We have played more defensive this season...this slows you down....makes you look rudderless at times. When teams figure you out they work you over more...and have you chasing more.

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"Truth, for the tyrants, is the most terrible and cruel of all bindings; it is like an incandescent iron falling across their chests. And it is even more agonizing than hot iron, for that only burns the flesh, while truth burns its way into the soul"     — Lauro Aguirre

..hmm, maybe.. ..reckon we played fairly defensive at times last year as well.. ..still, either way we look considerably less fit when compared to last year.... ..and i can't see the way we play as being the main reason, cos we're not nearly as defensive [run both ways] as a team as we need to be.. ..not sure what the reason is, these closed training sessions aren't my bag.. ..anyone have an idea what's going on..?.. ..is the training load too heavy..??..

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..if you can't be good, be good at it..

It's been mentioned that the flu has been through the club lately. Unlike a cold, which can also be pretty sapping, a real flu is really debilitating after the event, even when you're back and operating at what you think is 100%. Your endurance suffers for some time after. Wouldn't be surprised if that has contributed.

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And so while others miserably pledge themselves to the pursuit of ambition and brief power, I will be stretched out in the shade, singing.

..wasn't that just recently though..?..

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..if you can't be good, be good at it..

I reckon a few of us wish we knew what was going on in those closed sessions...

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"Truth, for the tyrants, is the most terrible and cruel of all bindings; it is like an incandescent iron falling across their chests. And it is even more agonizing than hot iron, for that only burns the flesh, while truth burns its way into the soul"     — Lauro Aguirre

This is an interesting one ! Teams have come harder at us this year, imo that would have happened slogan or no slogan. Kruze and AJ have looked tired the last few games. But then we have played insipid on and off footy since round 3.

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Scott, things aren't as happy as they used to be down here at the unemployment office. Joblessness is no longer just for Philosophy majors - useful people are starting to feel the pinch.

Tend to agree. We played ordinary football in rounds 7 (Fremantle on the Gold Coast and lost), 8 (very ordinary after half time against a depleted Collingwood) and 9 (got belted by the Crows).

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"IF YOU FAIL TO PREPARE, YOU'RE PREPARED TO FAIL" - Mark Spitz

Great thread.

I don't think it's got anything to do with tiredness either mentally or physically. The players simply aren't playing at the required intensity to win games of football consistently. When you look back at then Aints game, our tackling was enormous, so much so that both my mate and I were confident we'd get back into the game if we kept it up. You don't lose that overnight.

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You want the flame? Give us the marbles!!

So then what are StKilda doing right ? WE have an almost identical "for" score but around 500 points difference in the "against" score. If you call St Kilda an attacking side then you should be saying we are too. We have a few players at the moment that are not travelling flash ... or as good as we know they could ... Jacobs starts well, gets injured ... Bower ripping them up, gets injured ... Thornton holding things well, gets injured ... Stevens, Scotland, Fev are up and down ... Betts is inconsistent ... Setanta comes good then gets injured ... Anderson comes in, looks promising, gets injured ... five changes five weeks ago, six changes last week ... we need continuity.

Our fitness and medical people will know what is best.

I think the keywords when you talk about last year are "come backs".

This indicates we were behind in many games and only when we reverted to a high intenstiy game we actually produced results. Sound familiar?

I don't know but Ireckon Johnny might be onto something. I haven't read a training report in a long time so I don't know if they are gearing themselves up for the games ahead. I must admit though the same thought crossed my mind last night.

I therefore hope training involved a slow walk through the Lexus Centre.

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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.

the second halfs have been far better than their first half which suggests to me they are finishing off game pretty well

Foot skills is the problem not fitness

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If you allow the Government to change the Laws in an emergency
They will create an Emergency to change the Laws

I posted in a previous thread (can't remember this one) about this. We have won 12 of 18 last quarters this year (which is 2nd best in the comp after the Dogs), where as we only won 11 last quarters last year. Sure, we haven't had the 'barnstorming finishes' that we did in the latter half of the last year, but to say that we aren't finishing off games as well is a bit of a fallacy. The fitness staff is doing a great job IMO.

The difference between this year and last year is that we are not so far behind the 8 ball at 3 qtr time that our strong finishes haven't been noticed as well as last year.

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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.

I think it comes down to expectation. It has been our arch enemy this season.

When we have been expecting to win we have struggled especially on the big stage on Friday nights.

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Koperek.