Please someone tell me that Ruffy G has some genuine passion towards AFL footy and the Blues as he certainly has impressive business achievments and savvy. Don't want another Smorgo! I was hoping for a Tom Elliott/Ahmed type to take over from Sticks.

Can we keep him just to invite people for a drink or coffee?

So far it's got us C Judd, G Brown and A Richardson.

Not sure about Richo, was he a Swann coffee appointee.?

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I hope Essendon* folds.

This bloke is not coming to carlton is he ?

http://www.sportal.com.au/afl-news-disp ... orn-124997

Don't shoot me down for mentioning this but Pelchen has resigned at Hawthorn. Alot of people credit him for getting that 2008 side together....

The Kangaroos deserve more credit for Hawthorn's 2008 flag than they get.

They basically gave them 4 first round picks in exchange for Pelchan's shit eating grin.

Also, the key blocks of that flag were Roughead and Franklin. How they got the latter given the clubs drafting before them is simply mind-boggling, even to this day.

More good fortune? Got it right here: Trading Croad to Freo for pick 1 (which they used on Hodge), then getting him back on the cheap a couple of years later.

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"In fairness it did seem in the early days of the draft teams would just pick a name totally at random out of a hat. I'm pretty sure we picked James Cook at #2 one year. The mediocre forward, not the explorer" - Me, 12/9/2011

Carlton 2012: Lets remind them why they once feared the Dark.

Let you know when we get Josh Kennedy back.

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"Hence you will not say that Greeks fight like heroes but that heroes fight like Greeks"?

Winston Churchill

Mitch Thorp one pick before Joel Selwood looks about as bad as Tambling before Buddy.

This should put an end to the speculation...

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/swann-expected-to-stay-with-carlton-while-cook-likely-to-sign-new-deal-with-geelong-20110603-1flfj.html

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Carlton. Yes, Carlton are into the grand final!!!
- Drew Morphett, after 1999 prelim final

It aint over till its over

Stability is very important in anyone's language.
Progress is important for the members and supporters of any group.
I'd say that just about describes where Carlton is at right now: Stable and progressive.

The light at the end of the tunnel is real. The premiership looks like a possibility. The window is open.
We have state of the art facilities and a great (repeat, great) young list led by the best player in the land.
We are an attractive club to come and join (to play for and to support), and for this we are less vulnerable to losing our stars to other teams.
If anything we are likely to snag a great out of contract player at the end of the year to build on our challenge for the next flag.

The $5M debt will be eradicated from an new stream of revenue (albeit pokies) which is signed and sealed.
The money spent on paying off the loan in the past can be invested elsewhere in the club: football club, memberships, assetts.
Our membership exceeds 40,000 which is a great platform to realise 50,000 and 60,000 memebers in the near future.
The addition of Jeannie Pratt to the board as senior vice president, with an eye to improve our memberships department.
More sponsors will come on board. The perpetual cycle of growth has started, and its getting bigger by the day.

Apart from the home base debate (MCG vs Dome) which is not going to change before 2014 there is not much we have missing to enhance our 5 year strategic plan. When the time comes for the next stadium deal in 2014 we will be negotiating from a position of strength.

Why change the status quo? I'm talking Kernahan and Swann.

I know they all (footy community) know we are coming as the Navy Blue giant awakens.
The aura around the club today reminds me of aura around the club after the Barassi coup in the 60's and the Parkin plan post 1991. I was around then.

The focus has always been premierships and I feel that the same applies today. Remember all we have to do is our very best. There are no guarantees of success in this 'socialist' footy comp. That is all I expect: to give our best shot collectively.

I welcome Geminder and any other talented people to come on board to add value to this great club, because we are stable and improving in all areas and there's nothing to worry about now the ship is steady. Blue skies.

I can't see anything sinister happening whilst we are heading in the right direction. I see no bloody coup happening nor the need for one, so enjoy the ride people because any change that happens will be a change for the better and will be welcomed from President Kernahan right down to the boot studder.

I welcome any change for the better, but I am happy with the status quo.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Where did this new figure of $5mil debt come from?

The impression I had from reports after the last Annual Report was far more than $5mil
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/b ... 1b8um.html

I'm thinking we are going to have to find our next superstar pretty soon. Judd will be around for 3 more years, with some luck 4 years. The aura around the club is by in large because of Judd and our premiership window is open now, as we are a more consistently performed club so far this year. Reminds me of circa 1992/3 when our stars were approaching the twilight of their careers (Kernahan and Williams - Bradley was just a freak to play another 10 years from that time) except the difference these days is Judd is our real genuine superstar and he is approaching his late 20's.
The task for Swann and the football department is to lure another star (either through trading, free agency, or draft) to keep that aura going. Murphy, Kreuzer, and Gibbs we hope become those genuine stars but we just don't know yet.
Membership is a worry for us - the other 4 big Vic clubs (Ess, Coll, Haw, Rich) have taken over us. Whilst we have the pokies revenue starting to come in later this year, surely we cannot just rely on that revenue to make up any membership shortfall and reduce our debt. That is the old carlton way, and I hope we invest our efforts to equal or surpass our cross town rivals in membership.
Why can't we launch a campaign to smash our debt - I'm sure our most affluent backers will pitch in, but give the opportunity to our rank and file supporters to participate in this, too.

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For some silly reason, you people want to assassinate him, and it's just rubbish. You people. All of you, ALL of you!

WIPE OFF 5....OR WIPE OFF SWANN could be the slogan

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If I want your opinion, I'll give it to you!

From the top of my head...sorry about that....the intent was not to create a stir, or downgrade our exposure....bla bla bla

Nevertheless, whether it's 7 or 8 or 5...it's millions, and its a debt: a debt I personally couldn't cope with, and we haven't been eroding this either.

But I believe the point I make is correct that the pokie revenue will pay the for the interest (and Principal, if the revenue figures are right) instead of the money coming from the traditional channels which have fed our bank account.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

The pokie revenue might get us out of trouble, but relying on it isn't good and that's the perception I have is that we are.

What initiatives has Swann been responsible for in generating revenue?

Pokies are Bruce Mathieson
Visy is Pratt Family
Mars and Hyundai? Old relationships from before Swann's time

And everyone else credits him for why three years later they've only got the one and they needed the Cats to choke to get it.

Perhaps Swann has dropped away somewhat. He still has the ability and is only a decent president away from getting back to that high level of performance.

Group within 12 board members who have a problem with amount of money going into football department - Barrett on TFS.

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"You are being watched. The government has a secret system. A machine that spies on you every hour of every day. I know because I built it." - Finch

Barrett as much credibility as Kim Duthie.

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"Hence you will not say that Greeks fight like heroes but that heroes fight like Greeks"?

Winston Churchill