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This email hit my inbox three times earlier tonight, I guess he nailed the consistency message…
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Dear Liam,
To be honest it was a hollow feeling waking up this morning, heading into the week knowing our AFL season is over.
There is no point starting this email by telling you we weren’t good enough, we all know that, so it is important to take ownership of the standard we set at the start of the year.
Back in March, we were very clear on what our expectation was for 2024 – to be a consistent home and away team, striving to finish in the top four.
Clearly, we fell short of that. In our performances and in our durability.
A season we wanted to be measured by consistency, was ultimately defined by inconsistency.
Eyes may glaze over when you see the word ‘consistency’ – people may find it dull, boring, cliché.
But it matters. Consistency matters.
And for far too long this club has not paid it the respect it deserves.
That is why, when you walk into our training field at IKON Park, you will see 16 flags hanging from the rafters – yet only one of them, just one, has an AFL logo on it.
What more motivation do we need than that?
We either embrace a consistent commitment to elite behaviour, across all levels of this football club, or we will get left behind.
I cannot spell it out any clearer than that.
We know when at our best, we are good enough, and I believe our best was absolutely good enough this year.
But we need to perform at the level we are capable of over a long period of time, not in patches.
Over the coming weeks and months we will address the areas that we’ve fallen short in and be relentless in making sure these areas will meet the standards of excellence that this football club now expects.
True unity is being able to look one another in the eye, being honest in our performance, ensuring that we move forward, with clarity.
Further evidence of our inconsistency was our inability to field a regular team on the park, for the entire year.
Only once in 24 rounds (Round 12 v Port Adelaide) were we able to name an unchanged line-up. In Round 24 against the Saints, we went into our most crucial game of the year with over 40 per cent of our playing list on our injury list.
That isn’t sustainable for success. We need to be better.
This game does not give up its rewards easily.
Reality is that if you want to succeed, competing in the biggest games of the year, there is a very real possibility that pain and hurt comes with the territory.
But we know it is worth enduring together, as one club, in order to give ourselves a shot at the ultimate reward we are all craving in the coming years.
Much will be said and written over the coming days about our football club.
Our narrative though will not be dictated to us by external noise
While this is not the way we wanted 2024 to end, we get to decide what it means for us in 2025 and beyond.
Before I finish, I sincerely want to thank you Liam: you have been incredible in your impact and support.
106,345 members, the most in the history of this football club.
An average home game attendance of 58,311– ranked No.1 in the AFL.
11 of out 23 games sold out.
It is going to take time for our collective disappointment to dissipate, however out of this we will emerge with a fierce determination.
One that will see our entire army, the biggest this football club has ever had, charging as one into 2025.
For the coming months our support centres around our AFLW side, who are chasing back-to-back wins when we host the Cats in our home opener at IKON Park this Saturday at 2.35pm.
The group has put in a mountain of work over an extended pre-season, and we wish Senior Coach Mathew Buck, captain Kerryn Peterson and all our players and staff the very best for what is to come for the remainder of the season.
So please take care and look out for one another, ‘Baggers.
For most of us, we were born into this, as Carlton people.
That means sharing in the elation as well as the heartbreak.
But no matter what, I am proud to share it with all of you.
Stronger Together, no matter what.
Go Blues,
Luke Sayers
President
Member ID: 2908822
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