Note: Junk time only adds respect to the scoreline.

Bulldogs flogged us.
Pies flogged us.
Sydney flogged us.
North flogged us.
Hawks flogged us.
Freo flogged us.

Apart from two great performances against the Cats and Saints we haven't beaten anyone in the top 8. Our game plan has been worked out and the good teams have exposed us over and over, hence why we've been such a focal point in the media.

Give me wins against Geelong and Freo and I may change my tune, but beating Geelong would mean we have to win 3 in a row , or alternatively if we lose to Richmond the questions are asked anyway.

Last night the players were driven by a direct attack at individuals pride, anyone will respond to that criticism. Our performance was still poor but masked by inaccurate kicking by the Bombers and lay down in the last quarter.

So did we 'respond' last night, or was our performance 'poor'....or maybe we just responded poorly? After reading your post I'm very confused.

I think the whole club from the president down responded well from the end of the collingwood game to the end of the Dons win.

Player bake, players taking responsibility, honest team meetings, the day of rest and team selection all well thought out .

Full credit where credit is due.

We responded with effort obviously.

Last night is the standard expected each and every week for the Carlton Football Club, its players, its coaches, everyone.
That effort is the minimum acceptable level for players every week.
That performance, as far as effort and contested ball is concerned, is the standard.
Ratten is going to be judged over the last 3 weeks of the year and beyond from that level. The players will be judged over the last 3 weeks of the year as against that level. Anything below that level of energy, hardness, physicality will again allow further questions to be asked of everyone involved, and Ratten's position called into question again.

Great effort last night- but it's not exceptional, its EXPECTED.

QFMFT.

Absolutely - great post.

Praising whats considered the bare minimum required by any sportsman/club is embarrassing but that's what we're sunk to in the last 2 months. Win, lose or draw, keeping this intensity up for the rest of the season and giving a good account in the finals is the only thing that can salvage this year.



btw...no more fist pumping Ratts, please.

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“I would rather have questions that can't be answered than answers that can't be questioned.” ― Richard Feynman

Well done Ratts......your idea of being with the team on the sideline was a masterstroke.

He was there virtually on the ground with them in the trenches; and every little bit helps.

And.....I loved the fist pumps.....much better than dropping the head in despair.

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No ones listening till you make a mistake.

Agree Warby, I love the fist pumps.

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"The ability to speak doesn't make you intelligent." Qui-Gon Jinn 15-05-2005

"there’s more chance of me becoming the full forward for the [Western Bulldogs] than there is of any change in the Labor Party." Julia Gillard 18-05-2010

Rafa even I don't agree fully with what ur saying....our performance last night was not poor
....the scum were kept in the game by some dubious umpiring and the bad kicking was a direct result of the game plan to close down the corridor and force them wide....it doesn't take rocket science to beat the scum....but we did what we had to do and we did it well...next week? We'll worry about that then....

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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