I boweth down beforeth you.

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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.”

This thread is just rubbish isn't it? Prophecies, foresight, checks against those prophecies...it's like listening to Gary Lyon or James Brayshaw calling a game. I know it's pre-season but surely we can do better...

...like address the question at hand....?

To me Carlton is like Andy Murray. We can look really good and we have some strong points but we'd struggled to make any in-roads against the very top names. Under a Lendl type it could be different but do we really have the mindset, ruthlessness, flexibility etc to take on the big teams, consistently, and beat them? Or are we just happy that we're no longer at the bottom of the ladder and indeed no longer mediocre? Will we do enough to actually hit the top?

2011 was of course a great year for the Blues. Despite some key injuries and a concentration of those on the big blokes we were able to reinvent the forward line and keep the scoreboard ticking. This was a huge improvement on 2010. Our defense was changed over and stood up well with injuries. Murphy rocks and to have two clear leaders with some great change-up through Robinson etc. we really did improve. But how often did we put the foot on the throat of someone other than Richmond or Essendon* or Gold Coast? Did Collingwood just play with us?

I think as a playing list we are close if not at a list that could win a flag.

I think as a coaching list, well, seems to be working and Ratten had improved his decision making speed last year.

I think at team selection with a better run of injuries we will be able to maintain a better structured forward line and with Walker / Gibbs / Robinson rotating forward / mid I think we're going to look pretty exciting.

But we're going to have to be far more ruthless on that team selection. We have players who make mistakes and they'll need to be improve or kept aside - I'm thinking Duigan's mistakes in defence as an example. Love the work ethic and story but is he best 22? We have to have the forward talls as able to take a mark in addition to providing the contest (minimum). If we're just getting it to ground the great press defences will be able to clear against us. Hampson and Kreuzer step up now. I think our 3rd / 4th tier midfield players and combinations have to get that X% better, improving more than other teams, to keep a midfield ascendancy to feed the above. Lucas' maturity can help here but we do need a large improvement here. Walker's potential part-time move to the middle will be fascinating as he really turned some games last year in a very limited time basis (eg v Hawthorn) so this next layer of support is essential.

So how close are we? I think the list is good enough but question marks remain on the mental strength, our cohesion and improvement of the next batch of players. Could we win a flag in 2012? Yes.

Will we?

Yes, by 17 points!

I take your point .It's a fair one.
It is also a long summer.
I'm happy with steady improvement. Of course a flag this year would be pretty good too.

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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.”

That's not a bad assessment.

17 points or therabouts is the winning margin that I anticipate.

The mental toughness aspect is interesting. Takes a while to get enough of it to win a flag.

But it is easy to slip up and lose it if you are not careful.

But once you lock it it - you seem to hold on to it for a fair while,provided you have a team with sufficient talent - as Carlton now has.

West coast finished 8th in 2002, 7th in 2003 and 2004, 2nd in 2005 before their flag in 2006. - a bit of a slow grind..

Geelong finished 4th in 2004, 6th in 2005 12th in 2006 before winning in 2007 - losing their grip before a spectacular rebound and the start of a premiership winning dynasty.

As for Collingwood - well they have other problems that they seemed to temporarily address in 2010.

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My Blue Heaven

Taking the premiership talk out of the equation this is how I currently see our list as up against last year.

Players we can reasonably expect better seasons from:
Tier 1: Waite, Jamison, Kreuzer, Henderson, Lucas, Tuohy, Curnow, Russell, Gibbs, Yarran.
Tier 2: Mitchell, Joseph, Hampson, Kerr, Collins

Players we can expect to remain status quo:
Tier 1: Walker, Garlett, Betts, Judd, Murphy, Robinson, Warnock, Laidler, Duigan, Thornton, Simpson, Carrazzo
Tier 2: Armfield, Ellard, McLean, Casboult, White

Players that can possibly go backwards:
Tier 1: Scotland
Tier 2: Davies

I haven't included players that have not played games, other than a couple that have been in our system and have really showed form in the off-season.

It's the players that we can confidently expect to step up, or just to have a better season, that are certainly of interest to me. Not a bad little grouping right there.
Just generally, there seems to be a lot more upside than down, but anything can happen in the meantime.

Pretty good description of where we're at. I reckon we might see a little further improvement from Robbo, but I'm doubtful that Jamo can get much better than what we saw in the first half of 2011 (which was elite).

I have Jamo there because his overall output was low considering he really only played half the year.
Most of those other guys also had injury interruped seasons, so fair to say we may expect somewhat more out of them, health allowing.

you don't even know who we're playing yet and you're talking points margins, do you ever read what you write?

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Between our dreams and actions lies this world

KK, I know a couple of people who claim to be able to see the future. Whilst a lot of it is really hit and miss, there is one old lady I met about 35 years ago, whose accuracy is almost uncanny. I still see her pottering around every now and again. I first met her at a work related party and got into conversation with her. After 5 minutes or so, she started telling me things about myself that my mother didn't even know. I felt a chill run up my spine just being in her presence. I thought that I should see what she knew about footy and whether she could predict anything accurately. She took my hand and stared over my head. Her eyes started to glaze over a bit. I think that was a bit of show though. She was from North Queensland and only knew rugby league.

She had no idea about Aussie rules. Within 2 minutes, she said "This Black with the White squiggle team you follow in Victoria will win 3 of the 4 possible tests, although they won't be allowed to go to one of them. Kinda like an almost hat trick in cricket. One other team will get the other prize. They have an orange stripe on a black background. Can you get me a drink, please? Champers thank you". I beetled off and came back with the bottle, hoping to hear more news, but she was gone when I did. Weird.

Anyway, my interpretation was that she confused our formerly Dark Navy for black and couldn't work out the monogram. The other mob was obviously Richmond. So, she was referring to the years 1979, 1980, 1981 and 1982.

I think that these gifted people, see bits and pieces and can't always work out what it means. Blueman clearly fits into that category. I wouldn't dismiss what he writes. When he first started making these predictions on the Blue View, we were at our lowest point. Did any of us imagine that we would be knocking on the door this soon? I had the privilege of meeting our former #7 (I won't say who, but it wasn't Ratts) at a function in 2004 and asked him how long he thought that we would be in the wilderness. He didn't hesitate to say, that we would be lucky to survive in our current form, let alone be a power again anytime soon. I pressed the issue and he thought that we might be merged or relocated if the AFL had its way. He said only a White Knight or a group of saviors might step up to the plate and buy the club or bail us out to keep us alive. He then said, that he couldn't even see us making top four before 2014.

So in summary, we were able to stave off oblivion thanks to King Dick, Big Bruce and many other supporting our great club and with some judicious recruiting, trading and dubious selections & game plans, we are almost there. Very few people truly believed that we would rise as we have. Most people I have talked to over the last decade, say that we are lucky that we have so many influential and wealthy people and man in the street supporters. It is gunna be the greatest and most satisfying achievement when we get our hands on #17! I still believe that #18 and even #19 will follow closely behind.

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2002:> "In their Masters Chambers
They Gathered for their Feast
They Stabbed us with their Steely Knives
But They Just Can't Kill The Beast!" <2016

THE BLUEBAGGER BEAST IS BAACKK!!

same, some, very few, have some sort of gift, blueman is certainly not one of them, he the sort of person that will throw a thousand darts at a dart board, get one bullseye and talk about that for the next ten years.

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Between our dreams and actions lies this world

Every year Ratten improves and every year Carlton improves ... we are getting very very close.

As I have repeated many time ... I would rather Ratten any day to Mick Malthouse (overrated with tickets on himself).

I see some similarities between Carlton and Melbourne Victory supporters. Even if Ratten was successful in the next 2 years ... there is a group which will be continually dissatisfied ... always looking for change and not really understanding that a premiership takes time ... recruiting is a major component and a coaches job is to make the most out of what he has to work with. I believe Ratten has done this ... he certainly has won the players over ... thats a major step. Under Ratten the club has developed self belief and I am amazed just how quickly we have risen up the ladder. (Please don't mention West Coast ... they had a dream fixture ... and we were real unlucky not to move past them ... I don't believe their rise will be sustainable ... ours will).

Stick fast ... not long now.

Go Bluebaggers!

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I am as mad as hell and I'm not going to take it any more!!!

amen brother.

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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 had my 'future' told in Cuba about 6 years ago.
The woman was very clever and told me things about my past and about my present. She did this by asking questions that had two answers or more and depending on what I said, she was able to couch the next question. When I stopped answering the questions and just asked her to keep talking, she was at a loss. My wife, of course, is still waiting for the twins we are going to have to bring my tally of kids to 5 and hers to three. Seeing as I am firing blanks and on the wrong side of sixty, it isn't going to happen. Unless there is a miracle birth, if you get my gist...

I don't believe in it.

I believe in appreciation of the situation and best guessing from there.

The woman with the white squiggle? Who knows.

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Let slip the Blues of war (with apologies to William Shakespeare) (and Sir Francis Bacon, just in case)

kk is a very angry man.

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dane's trolling again

A power again so soon? It's been 10 years! 10 years in a system that inherently fuels the development cycle of all teams so all of them can have a crack.

We should have been more of a contender last year, but I think our game style, as good as it could in some areas, blunted our sense of daring that might have net us a few more wins. Balancing when and when not to be dour, as well as the usual increase in mental toughness, would go a long way to helping us get a gig on Grand Final day.

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29 different attributes,
And only 7 that you like;
20 ways to see the world,
Or 20 ways to start a fight.

A power again so soon ... since Ratten has taken over.

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I am as mad as hell and I'm not going to take it any more!!!

Pretty wave that is.

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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.”

IMO we are now in the "lucky" zone.

We can win one if we're lucky enough.

It may not sound all that positive but I mean it to be. This is first time in a decade that I've
felt this way. We're not favourites, not by a long shot. But if things fall in our favour, and I'm
thinking of form and injuries to the right players at the right time, (or not in our case), close
results ... all that sort of stuff then I believe we really could do it.

Go Blues.

We would have been lucky last year, this year we should be in the mix.

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29 different attributes,
And only 7 that you like;
20 ways to see the world,
Or 20 ways to start a fight.

Very well said BBW

I have also been a quiet critic of Ratten's coaching/decision making in the past.
Maybe I expected too much too soon, forgetting he is a young coach.
Not to mention our personnel deficiencies and rebuilding, but it has been over 15 years.
Last year marked a vast improvement in both coaching maturity and players maturity, which cannot be cast aside as coincidence .
We saw more aggression and confidence and dare I say more arrogance.
Ratten matured and so did the team, unfortunately our injuries took their toll on most of our big men and most at the business end of the season.

This year we take another step to reclaiming the tag most successful VFL/AFL team in history.