Living in the UK now it's hard to get a feel for what's going on back home and i don't get to see all the games, just watch Carltons replay's.

But after listning to SEN this morning and reading the SUN i am shocked to see that hardly anybody is predicting us to finish in the 8. Hell, some people have us finishing as low as 14th and Mark Allen (who i do like) has predicted MELBOURNE to finish above us?????

What the hell?? Have I missed something???

We have 3 x #1 draft picks, Dale Thomas on $700k per year, Malthouse as coach who's been given an Easy $1million a year and we finished 6th in season 2013 (i don't care how or why......... we finished 6th).

Not making the 8 this year is not acceptable and there are no excuses!
That said, i'm not expecting us to win the premiership (though it would be nice).


So, I believe a 'fair' PASS mark for Carlton in 2014 consists on us doing the following

1) Finish in the Top 8.
No excuses. If we don't, it's a failure of a season. Why get rid of Ratten for Malthouse on ridiculous figures if we're just going to go backwards.

2) At least 1 x Rising Star nomination.
We haven't had any since 2010!!!!!

3) Beat one of either Geelong or Hawthorn.
Geelong are an ageing team and we play them twice!!! We NEED to beat them.

4) At least 2 x AA Nominations.
None last year. And that's not good enough. And im not expecting Judd too either. I'm expecting the likes of Gibbs and Murphy to step up!!!

5) Warnock needs to step up
He has the size and the tap skills to be one of the premier rucks in the comp. Does he have the heart.

6) Win 4 games in a row.
Somebody else mentioned this in another thread (can't find it now).

7) Gibbs to be the player we al know he can be.
If he wants superstar contract on superstar $$$'s............ he needs to start playing like a superstar! Otherwise......... have fun in Adelaide.
Id rather spend the coin on luring Tavis Boak over here or use it for one of the Gold Coasts or GWS mids in 2015! Or even Patrick Dangerfield???


I don't feel like im being unreasonable with that???

Would love to hear what others feel is a Pass Mark for the Blues in 2014?

Mods:- I hate stating new threads so if you feel this belongs somewhere else feel free to move it.

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"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit"
- Aristotle

G'day ryan.....long time no talk mate.

'TBH....I was just about to log off and saw your post. and understand your angst.

For the first time ever....I'm just not off my head thinking of nothing else but the pre Season Blues.

I've got many worldly problems ATM, that are mainly to blame for my lack of enthusiasm but....I'm still disillusioned with the CFC and the direction they've taken in the last few years....other Clubs have just strolled past us.....and except for the appointment of Grumpy Mick...we haven't done anything.

Having known Damien Hardwick when he was at Essendon*, I was SO hoping that we had the balls to grab him when he was available...(he lived near us in Caulfield....probably still does)

OK....Mick may pull a rabbit out of his hat.....but it's been 19 years FFS !!!!....and I can't see a Flag side there ATM......perhaps I'm wrong.....hope so.....good to talk mate .....

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No ones listening till you make a mistake.

Hey mate. Yeah good to talk to you too.


Yeah i see this as a very important time for the CFC.

Malthouse needs to justify his price tag in a big way and us finishing 9th-12th is not good enough.

But from my perspective, the biggest thing that is worrying me is Development.

Players like Lucas, Watson, etc just haven't come on. Yet when we trade them to other clubs (Jacbos, Grigg) they excell.
I wouldn't be suprised to see Hampson become a superstar now that he's gone.

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"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit"
- Aristotle

How can things that are beyond your control able to be a pass mark? Rising Stars and AA selection? Really? As for Warnock and Gibbs...I was pretty happy with their 2013 and have cause to be optimistic about their 2014. So that leaves 1, 3 and 6 as pass marks I'd agree with.

I think the team is 3 wins better than last year. That's 14 wins and certain finals football.

Aggree that AA & Rising star is out of the clubs control............................what im saying is that we haven't HAD anybody worthy of a nomination for RS since 2010. Kane Lucas was, at one time, favorite to win it.......... yet he failed to collect a nomination!

In regards to AA. Simpson and Walker we're unlucky too miss out. I'll give you that one!

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"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit"
- Aristotle

To see us develop 5 young players that are capable of playing finals and 100 game
make the 8 but I doubt it

Cripps, Menzel, Docherty, Graham, Bell and we will make finals. What's the doubt about?

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dane's trolling again

Watson is looking great too.

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dane's trolling again

I can't believe how underrated we are this year. It's great.

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dane's trolling again

I am hoping that's the case!

I do believe that we are incredibly underrated. But i worry we just don't play to our potential.

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"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit"
- Aristotle

I don't think we're underrated. Have a look at the ladder prediction thread in Talking AFL, there's a pretty even spread of opinions.

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It's never as good as it looks and it's never as bad as it seems.

I'm hoping the coach can get the players up to speed. I have faith in his ability.

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dane's trolling again

Did you read the post about the media commentators?

Of course half the people on a Carlton fan forum are going to be positive.

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dane's trolling again

A preliminary final or bust!

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"our guest is dressed by hand-me-downs, hair designed by pillow"

A preliminary final or bust!

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"our guest is dressed by hand-me-downs, hair designed by pillow"

Hard to measure - but I just want the 22 blokes pulling on the jumper to have a dip every week, from start to finish.

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The only way for some people to understand is for them to be on the receiving end

Left wing moralists
In self serving denial
They shit me no end

I avoid much of the mainstream footy media, but from what I've seen most 'experts' have tipped us to finish just outside the 8. A lot of dedicated Carlton supporters I know are predicting us to either just make or just miss the 8. I share that view so I think we're rated about right.

Of course, what I WANT and what I EXPECT are completely different things...

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It's never as good as it looks and it's never as bad as it seems.

I would like to think that we should finish top 6. If we don't we should be very disappointed with the result. It is an even competition but we just have to bridge the gap between our best and worst. I'm convinced we have the talent and Mick has done more with less.

I know one of Mick's support staff at Carlton and spoke with him after last season. In simple terms, he wasn't enthusiastic about our chances this year and I got the impression that the emphasis would be on development (i.e. Mick doesn't think we are even close to a flag).

I'm filthy if this is the case. Wasn't Mick brought on board as the finisher? Ratts was VERY hard done by at the Blues. History may show him to have been a much better coach than most thought. He made mistakes sure, but the difference between how he is perceived and how Hird (who has a poorer record and took over a "ready made" list according to Essendon*) is amazing...

to nail colours to the mast. I'm confident that given a fair run with injury we are a better team Than last year. How much better? Doc's estimate of 3 wins better is probably about the mark.

We'll have the same deficiencies as previously, but Mick will be able to mask those slightly better with the greater flexibility Thomas and Everitt bring, plus a few blokes who have been around for a while should be able to figure out the game plan a bit better.

Most of the improvements I want to see are mental gains, and they're across the board as a team at all costs. Winning more of the 50/50 games than we lose, not capitulating in final quarters or having our trademark Captain Snooze 1st quarter, improving our mental drop-offs in 'red time.' Additionally, not squandering good half time/3 quarter time leads due to 'junk time' goals, rather put the foot down and really bury teams when we have the chance.

If these things improve, the win/loss rate will improve greatly as will our percentage, both massive gains.