Mods: Please let me know if I have posted this in the wrong area of the forum - but I have some things I need to get off my chest as a Carlton supporter...

I never used to like AFL Football, as a little kid was dragged along to Waverley Park and my favourite player was "the Dominator"... could never make out the players when I was a little tacker so I quickly lost interest - fast forward a fair few years when I was 15 years old and I was basically forced to go to a game as the parents were sick of me spending the day at home by myself.

This game was Carlton v Hawthorn, at Princes Park in Round 3 - the week before we had drawn with Essendon* after Kernahan kicked it out on the full.

From the moment the match started (was sitting up in the Elliott Stand) I was so drawn to the spectacle and how skillful the players were. In the end it was a really close game and Kernahan kicked the match winning goal - I vividly remember the goal going through and all the supporters in the Heatley Stand going nuts with celebration.... since this day I have been going to most matches each year and have been a member since 1993.

Fast forward 17 years - I am now 32 years old and the glory days are merely just memories. I sat through the dark days after our salary cap penalties and attending games where it looked like we had no nope and ended up losing by 10+ goals most weeks. However I had faith that brighter days would soon be upon us and we would be finalists once again - and at least be competitive.

I have found over the past few months that my love and dedication towards the Navy Blue has been slowly but surely ceasing to exist. I turn up to matches and still support the boys and enjoy noting down every goal and point in the record with my lucky pen... alas not much to cheer about recently.

Find myself sitting there during the game at times thinking "give me a reason to turn up and watch this..." At the moment I really have no answer. I did not go to the game today as I had to work extra shifts at work due to the workload we have but I watched the game on One HD. To have a total score of 2.1 at half time on a perfect MCG football day was nothing short of disgraceful - kudos to Collingwood though for not allowing us to play to our strengths.

Thoughts have been entering my head also in the past few games that I actually hope we get really spanked and thrashed to show the lack of quality, skill, mental toughness, tactics - call it what you will... I think that we have the talent out on the park and I really thought once Judd came to the club that blue skies were ahead, we would be competitive and the days of losing by 7-10 goals to any teams would be way behind us.

I now find that we are 9-9 after today and in danger of missing the finals this year. To be honest I would not be dissapointed if we missed the finals - the way we have been playing over the past few weeks we do not deserve to be there in September, and if we do get there... would just be making up the numbers... - I just hope that the club is able to work through anything that comes it's way and come out the other side with the glass still half full.

This post has no real hidden messages behind it - I am not calling for Ratten's head on a stick or to do a mass clean out of the playing list and get players that may improve our squad. I merely just wish to voice my opinion and overall dissapointment in the team I love - and have done since 1993. I just wonder if there are further dark days ahead and how many of us - as supporters - can put up with it, and continue to hold onto any hope of being there on Grand Final day playing for Flag #17.

Thanks for readin'...

Regards, Shaun (Sticks1977)

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37°47'1.59"S - 144°57'43.30"E - Home

yeah its pretty [REDACTED]

i just laughed at half time and went and played basketball

we almost do need to be smashed by Essendon* and richmond just to expose the shit that is going on right now

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*(grow - fun - gah)

Yeah but whatabout your whataboutism.

Totally agree Shaun, couldn't of summed it up much better. Ive been a Blues fan for about as long as you too, 1992-93 or so and have sat through the good times and the bad times. I go watch us pretty much every week and have travelled interstate many times. I live and breathe Carlton.

However the last month or so ive just began losing interest. Dunno what it is, because even during the dark days when i was certain we'd lose (and did lose) id still go watch us and enjoy being there. But ive missed going to a few games recently and am honestly just fed up with the way things are going. Im not enjoying being a Carlton fan right now and am losing faith. Its been nearly a decade of this rubbish now and things just dont seem to be improving.

Its just bitterly disappointing and todays deplorable display was the real kicker this season. I just dunno what to think any more

I skipped the Sydney game and won't be going next week against Essendon*.

Last 6 weeks have been painful.

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NOW YOU'RE JUST SOME CLUB THAT I USED TO KNOW.

And, well sh*t I'm flying over for the Richmond game......my only one for the year! Couldn't have picked a worse
time to go- If we lose to Richmond I'll spew...........

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Don't look at me, I'm irrelevant....

I said at the start of the year that we would miss the final 8.

In many ways I would prefer it if this occurred - because it would help to bring things to a head sooner than would otherwise be the case.

A big dose of acute pain in terms of a failed 2010 season would do us more long term good than harm.

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My Blue Heaven

Similar position to you Shaun. My obsession goes back a little longer, I watched our video tape of the 87 grand final so many times it actually broke. I too have endured the rotten last decade and have barely missed a game.

Like you, my motivation for all things carlton has been dwindling by the week

I didn't go today. First Melbourne game I've missed for the year... I don't think I'll go next week either.

The whole lack of caring disease that seems to have affected the club would now seem to be passing itself onto the supporters. Pretty sad state of affairs really.

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Fat, drunk, and stupid is no way to go through life, son.

Well when you don't respect your grassroots members the way you should their interest will naturally drop off when times are tough.

They made their bed...

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There's so much I could say...

I've given up with this club for this season ... bring on 2011... 2010 without Fev has been crap.

This ^

There's a very good reason Collingwood and Essendon* continue to trump us in the membership stakes. Yes, they have larger supporter bases, but the clubs actually give a shit about these supporters. With us it's like giving money to a beggar, you do it and then wonder if it was worth it as you probably never see this beggar again.

The fact that our comms dept think they're doing a bang-up job speaks volumes.

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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

To answer your question Sticks1977, I'll be watching only because Ratts finally sparked up and told the boys how it is and I'm interested to see if they have the guts to respond and show themselves to be worthy of wearing the jumper.

and it took him five weeks to get to that point.

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This might sound extreme in the context of alleged sexual assault, drunken violence and a drug trafficking charge...

I've had this feeling too, and wonder if it's because we went to all the games through the hard years, and thought we were on the up now.

For me it is the giant doubt that we can fix this...limited draft options now...good players under performing ..a team that appears to lack the joy of playing, and team unity.

it's hard to sense hope for the future right now.
But....even though I've lost my ability to stay and watch them lose..

Despite this doubt..I still find I'm looking forward to next year, and rising up once again.

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That’s not a political statement — it’s a harsh reality, and we must act,” she said. “He is a clear and present danger to the things that keep us strong and free. I support impeachment.”

I think we are all upset because during the dark seasons there was always that hope of a light at the end of the tunnel. And then with last year it felt like we caught a glimpse of it, and then over the last 6 or so weeks, we have realised that the glimpse was just a mirage of sorts.

I think it is plain to see that this team is 3-4 years away from being a solid unit - without making excuses, until all our now young purported guns (kreuzer, warnock, yarran, murphy, gibbs, henderson, russell, bower, gartlett, jamo, grigg) reach at least 24-25 and have played 150 games, I dont think we are going to be consistent. I think we are going to be like the geelong team which took that 4-5 years of playing with eachother before they nailed it.

It looks like it will be either that, or this group will spectacularly underachieve. In all likelihood, ratten will be given next year to prove this year was just a stepping stone. If the team fails to improve next year, ratts will be probably replaced. Whatever happens, I hope the team at some time does find a way of getting it all together.

its funny isn't it.

People have bagged Collingwood consistently - even lately some have dared to suggest they are not a top 4 team,

they have bagged players

the coach

and so on

and have missed the point.

It takes time to really build a list

and that's what its taken Collingwood.


We on the other hand

get Judd and think well we'll be brilliant in 3 years!

Na.

Sorry


We are a long, long way off.

We need 1 more Marking forward

1 more backman

and 3 more classes midfielders (with grunt)


we need depth.

It just takes time.




Oh and we need a whole new administration - specially a president

new coaching department - and one that is given time

and a club that embraces its supporters

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This type of slight is alien in the more cultured part of the world - Walsh. Its up there with mad dogs, Englishmen and the midday sun!

And.............

STOP THE OATS...........!


kindest regards tommi

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that'siti'mnotchangingthistagain......!

When did we become Richmond?

Haven't got much going for us, have we?

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We are on our way back...

This is worst than the Pagan years, at least we were just shit back then.
But now we are capable of playing better but players just couldn't be stuffed performing.

actually I think we have

including time

we need to be patient

and watch the players grow and get a core of 25 - 27 year olds who are the mainstays of the team

and then kids around them.

At this point in time I would say along with Judd and Simmo

Kruise Murph Gibbs Yarran Hendo Lucas Bower are our mainstays and they ar ejust kids.

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This type of slight is alien in the more cultured part of the world - Walsh. Its up there with mad dogs, Englishmen and the midday sun!