Its an even competition and it is early on...sure, we shouldn't be happy with the results of the last two games but those teams fighting for a finals spot are placed from 4 to 13 currently and there is a long way to go...Blues might rue their loss to Sydney yesterday, and be genuinely unhappy with going down to a generally ordinary Essendon* side, but... - it's still going to be a great year. We need to make some changes but we're good enough for September..

Very even competition. We are, at worst, only even also. But, we bring our best -

5th on the ladder!

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"I had to eat"

Yep Geelong are clearly the best.
Freo, Richmond and Melbourne the worst.
Not a great difference between the other 12 sides......saying that St Kilda are playing great footy at the moment.

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In the Truth there is no news, and in the News there is no truth.

St Kilda haven't played any decent teams yet. Wait til they come up against a genuine contender (or get an injury or two). Don't count the hawks out yet either.

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WADA medical director Dr Alan Vernec describes Essendon* FC drug case as biggest scandal in team sport the world of sport has seen. #WC2WB

#GUILTY

I think the only genuine contender is Geelong, so the Saints the way they are playing may very well cement a top 2 spot IMO.

Hawthorn has come back to the pack in a hurry and when they do gain players back they will still be underdone.

The Bulldogs are simply built up to be a contender based on the Prelim peformance, prior to that they showed at the end of last year and start of this year they aren't a standout and have as many holes as most teams.

Port are still mentally fragile.

The fact we are still 5th is great considering we've had two poor games. Win next week and we could be top 4 again (I still think we'll finish 7-8).

A loss will always hurt, but if you're going to lose, losing by a combined 21pts is gold at this time of year.

Gotta beat the teams you shoukd beat ....

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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.

..exactly, not beating teams (ess/syd games) in such an even comp type year is worse..

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

Of course we should, but it doesn't work like that does it!! Even teams are even teams, it means anyone can win on the day, we are no different as part of the chasing pack.

My point in such an even comp is if we do lose 10-11 games which is a possible reality, we at least want to limit the loss to under 4-5 goals. Percentage is gold come Round 22 in an even competition.

If someone told me before the season started that Carlton would be 5th on the ladder after round 4 - I would have taken it.

Our list is young and does have a few players who are only there because we have nobody else (i.e. they get a game by default not based on performance) better to fill that position (not naming names) so of course we will be up and down. We will win a few and lose a few that surprise us. 2009 is going to ve exciting.

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It is not as bad as you are lead to believe.......it is %$#^& worse!!!

Interesting - even comp, St Kilda on top, Carlton probably in the lower part of the 8.

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My Blue Heaven

You know I was thinking about you blueman.



(Not like that.)

We have played 4 sides that wont makr the eight

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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.

It could be that things will align in an interesting way.

No war yet though. But July might be an interesting month

Maybe I will be correct with the football, but out a bit with the war.

If this is the season that nobody expects, then it will get very exciting from about round 17.

There have been other seasons where we werent rated - but surpised.

after a pretty average 1998, 1999 was a year of interest - especially at the end.

I can remember the David Parkin A and B team discussion.

I think we might have started 1999 as a C team - but things changed.

Back then, inaccuracy under pressure cost us a few games early too.

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My Blue Heaven

No, no, no, no, no...

There must be a war.

There must.

Without a war your prophecy becomes what...?

The Blues will win a flag...

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"Liberals feel unworthy of their possessions. Conservatives feel they deserve everything they've stolen."

Mort Sahl

Blueman is not the only one predicting a Carlton win this year. A friend mentioned knowing of mate's wife who visited a clairvoyant in March 2007 who predicted Geelong would win the premiership that year; in March 2008 predicted a Geelong v Hawthorn GF with a Hawthorn win, and has in March 2009 predicted a Geelong v Carlton GF with a Carlton win. This mate has been putting his money where his mouth is and laying bets accordingly. So perhaps there is something floating around in the ether that us mere mortals are unable to latch onto.

So now we're at DLC's friend's mate's wife's clairvoyant...

Sounds good to me...

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"Liberals feel unworthy of their possessions. Conservatives feel they deserve everything they've stolen."

Mort Sahl

How do you know???? Sydney, Brisbane and Essendon* are every chance to make the 8.

We don't have a list that will make us dominate so we will win some we should not have and lose some we should have won. I have read some of your posts Synbad because I like what you have to say and I do believe you overrate our side. One post you mentioned that we went for Yarran as he was icing on the cake. I think it is too early for the icing. That is arrogant recruiting (if true) and we should always go the best available. You also mentioned that you thought Houlihan was icing - well you over rate him too.

A 50 50 win loss ratio is pretty good for where our team is at. I am happy sitting 5th.

Don't be surprsied if we knock over the doggies this week - when everyone expects us to lose.

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It is not as bad as you are lead to believe.......it is %$#^& worse!!!

If they make the eight with their lists theyre beautifully coached... organised and drilled.....

Why cant Richmond make the eight if the others can?

Essendon* Brissy and Swans????

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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.

He asked DLC's friend's mate's wife's clairvoyant, duh.

Actually, I dont call it predicting - but I can understand others seeing it as predicting things..

It might look like a prediction - but what I am actually doing is matching the events I 'saw' occur at some point in the future - with what is actually occuring in the real football world right now to try and pinpoint the big event in time....

Its a bit like having half the jigsaw puzzle pieces in place - and then to say what the full picture looks like - its a bit tricky and theres a fairly good possibility of an error in judgement somewhere in the process...But if you get the general theme right and also get a few details correct - then youve been successful in 'predicting' what you see in front of you.

The premiership win I saw could actually occur in 2009, 2010, 2011 or maybe with the coach after Ratten. but I think it happens earlier rather than later.

But looking at all these possible times and looking at the particular circumstances that I 'saw' - or more accurately, received a selection of glimpses through the eye of time - you can look at the task of matching what you saw with what is happening at the particular time you are in right now.

These things that I saw included stuff like :

new and young coach at Carlton

very even season

gibbs doing very well

finishing in a low spot in the final 8

others said that it was going to be a 'development year' for Carlton. but they were all shell shocked to discover that we seemingly came from nowhere to win a 17th flag with a young developing side...

a premiership that occurred unexpectedly during a time of depression and war - the depression bit is not far off the mark - but the war hasnt occurred yet - but I think it might happen suddenly and unexpectedly - I have a feeling that the month that it occurs might be July 2009. The war is located in the Middle East and is rather scary because it affects oil production and also the political complexion of the people that control Middle Eastern oil.

Islamic Radicals have a lot to do with this war.. - which of course is why I post information in relation to alternative fuels like Australian sourced CNG for cars and trucks - because we are actually playing straight into the hands of others by being oil dependant. The longer this goes on - the biggers the downside risks are.

In relation to the flag victory for the blues - there is a great deal of stupid, senseless anger (actually more like jealousy) directed by other supporters towards Carlton after we won. - But the truth is that we won the cup fairly and squarely - the other side were just not as good on the day.

A very slick attacking style of play slowly developing, but emerging - seemingly from nowhere - late in the season - resulting in a string of wins - culminating in a flag. After a faltering start, we come good in a very unexpected way at the business end of the season.

Winning the flag by 10 points.

Could be Gelong - But I thought we beat the Saints for the flag (then again, maybe a saw a premlim with the saints for a crack at the flag with another team - this is also possible.)

But the sense I got was that the 17th flag winning season for Carlton was also the last roll of the premiership dice season for St Kilda - before they had to look at a bit of a rebuild.. not sure about how open the premiership window is for the saints - but is must now be surely starting to close...

After winning the 17th - there are Carlton supporters crying tears of joy at this glorious victory. - And it really is one of the truly memorable Carlton flags

Others are shell shocked - pinching themselves in disbelief at what they have just witnessed.

the other glimpse I had is that this isnt the only flag we win with this group of players - there is an 18th flag as well but this occurs after a bit of a premiership hangover season following the 17th cup..

Judd wins another brownlow and retires as a triple premiership player.

The coach in this cycle of players (probably Ratten) becomes one of the great Carlton coaches in our history.

The biggest reason for this accolade is because of his tactical moves that won us the 17th cup.

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My Blue Heaven