The scheduling is a joke. 100% Fairness will not exist until every team plays each other an even amount of times.

Injuries are the main reason for our terrible year, but obviously not the only one.
The Club should do a major review on all aspects.
We seriously need to fix how the Northern Blues operate (although it would seem we have already taken some steps in this area).


I think Ratten should be allowed to finish his contract.
I think he's earned it, the players are clearly playing for him, and I'd suggest that the person who is perhaps the best candidate to take over is unavailable in 2013 (but will be available in 2014).

I think we are absolutely a chance for next year.

Doesn't actually take that long to to look up provided you are know what you are looking for etc - the typing is the longest part lol

And yes, Ratten would keep his job - my post provided enough information as to why he can't be judged on this year alone.

What I'd do
1. Full review of the club (which I think will happen anyway)
2. In depth review to medical management/fitness staff - replace where necessary (think it will happen). Also review the preseason program to see what can be improved, player shape etc
3. Review line coaches/assistants - I think most are fine though I'm not convinced with barker. Hard to say with injuries but we haven't really shown anything there yet (as opposed to how we played when lapping looked after them). Would not object to changes in other line coaches either. We haven't been too bad at stoppages but we could be better - so that area should be reviewed as well
4. Employ a FULL TIME VFL coach, work out a system to ensure regular practice matches are available (think that will happen)
5. Recruitment - There has already been a change there (hughes to 2IC) - so I think you'd have to back the guys in for at least a couple of seasons. I don't think our recruiting has been too bad except I would have preferred less emphasis on athletes (something hughes appeared to have) and would have gone cotchin over kreuzer as there was not enough separating the 2 for mine, in which case 10+ yrs of top line mid >> around 5-7 yrs top line Ruck (physical development aspect)
6. List management - I can live with how its developed over Rattens tenure - though I would have ensured fisher got his 100th game.
7. Membership - needs a review/kick in the ass as they are not good enough. Delays to campaign launch, booked in the campaign launch on remembrance day, Unable to cope with membership applications (again) despite openly targeting 50k members 2 yrs running/changing cut off dates for renewals, delays in seat allocation, etc. Its been 2 years running where they've targeted 50k and fallen short.
8. Board - As I understand it, it will be reduced so thats a start as I don't think we need that many board members. What I would like to see is for EVERY board member to be able to publicly state what contributions they have made to the club/justify why they are on the board/what they bring. I don't think many people know - I certainly don't and I'm generally more informed than the average. If they only bring money into the club then frankly they can step down. Money should not = board seat. Its the contribution to how the place is run that is important. As for sticks - Meh - not fussed if he stays/goes - but again, justify his position - even if its on the basis of stability whilst we get things behind the scenes right then thats good enough for me. But again, Justify why he is there.
9. Swann - Has done nothing over the past couple of seasons. Has been extremely low profile when at times you'd think he should have come out with statements rather than Sticks. He should be reviewed carefully to see if we can find someone better.
10. Player development - From an external perspective, I like what darren harris has done, in previous years and this year. I was surprised that he wasn't the full time VFL coach. Whilst I like what he has done, I wouldn't mind seeing another development coach brought in specifically for older/more experienced players. Players can continue to improve into their late 20s (see scotland/carazzo) - we should be looking at how we can get the best out of older/more experienced players (or players outside the harris development group).

Nice review......

Bit liek the one we usually have.

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Understand the injury data and the impact on continuity.

Close to collingwood and Essendon*?

We've had over 50% more injuries to our depth players than the pies. More than double that of the bombers.

Bell has looked good in his first few games hasn't he? Casboult has been promising as well. White was also quite competitive. Now imagine how much better they might have been had they been able to play all year (either reserves/seniors) - the extra game sense, the extra fitness base, etc.

It is the lack of continuity in senior team and the injuries to depth players combined that have contributed to the season.

How do you think the roos would have done if they had just 5 players managing 17+ games to this point in the season rather than just 5? - have you gone through the actual injuries that they've had to front liners this year?

You also mention the saints and freo

Saints
- 8 players have played every game - A further 3 players have missed just the 1 game ie 11 players that have played 17+
- 15 Saints players have played 14+ games
Freo
- 8 players have played every game - A further 2 players have missed just the 1 game ie 10 players that have played 17+
- 16 freo players have played 14+ games

Again, look at the injury numbers and consider the impact on continuity. Thats not even going into the names of players that have been missing...

The best coach available to coach the Carlton football club should be coaching it (providing we can afford them .

No other criteria or stats matter.

If thats seen to be MM or Roo's so be it, it shouldn't be Ratt's has done ok in the circumstances let him keep truing.

Yet to see why Ratt's would be considered a better coach than MM.

If Malthouse and Roo's aren't available............stick with Ratts fine but because he is the best available not because he has another year on the contract..

That, imo is a pretty sound way forward.

I'm completely on the fence regarding Ratten. Maybe I lean toward keeping him as a complete overhaul may take longer, may not have the desired results -- see Pagan, Dennis -- and may be too extreme for a club which I reckon is pretty close.

We need tweaks definitely, but maybe not a complete overhaul.

I'd like to see us get a little bigger and stronger, from a fitness & strength position.

imo our stoppages have been brutal ever since Round 3 when we gave it to the pies. I'd like to see that facet upgraded, both when we are hunting and have the ball, and just as importantly defending stoppages after we lose the initial possession.

Our forward structure is brutal, and every Hawk fan I know pins it squarely on Barker.

My biggest wishlist item is to have a coaching strategy guy implemented to help and support Ratten. If Richardson is currently it, lets upgrade him so we get an Eade or Bomber. Maybe enlist Leigh Matthews?

Its a good discussion.

I'm not convinced Barker is the cause of our woeful fwd 50 entries and amateur hour forward line setups....these issues have been around for over 5 years, well before Barker came on board....

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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

We can't afford not to.

IMO we have the basis of a Premiership side in the next year or so if we get a number of things right. No.1 is the coach.

There is no way that Ratts is the best coach around and it is extremely doubtful that he can take us further than he has.

We need to seriously look at all options available. That being MM, Roos, Matthews, Williams, Burns, Leppitsch, Harvey, Smith etc etc

If we don't review and look at what else is available we are a pretty ordinary organisation.

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#NewBlues beginning 25th August 2015

Frank

We lost to port at close to our low point of the season (injury wise) - I can accept the loss there but that doesn't excuse the manner in which they lost.

Saints? - they are still fighting for the top 8. They've also had a relatively injury free run - hayes, dalsanto, montagna, armitage, dumpster, gilbert, reidwoldt, milne - have all played every game. Steven, Jones, Koschitzke have missed 1 game. Goddard & geary has missed 2. How does that compare to our run?
- 8 players have played every game - A further 3 players have missed just the 1 game ie 11 players that have played 17+
- 15 Saints players have played 14+ games

Hawthorn uncompetitiveness - again unacceptable. IIRC, we were in the contest for large parts of the night? My memory could be hazy though.

Essendon* - A bad game + lots of injuries that day (4 from memory).

Yes. Extremely hard to judge asst coaches. We have no idea what influence they are allowed to have on the group.

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#NewBlues beginning 25th August 2015

Wayne Carey had Mattner in his 'worst' votes on Sunday on Triple M.

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"I had to eat"

ARMY!!!!

Yeah.

That's not a great scorecard if you're a Carlton midfielder.

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I hope Essendon* folds.

I didnt like the port loss - thought the manner was unacceptable.

But FYI
- duigan and waite were also missing
- Yarran was severely underdone (toe)
- warnock was 2nd game back in seniors after double shoulder ops preseason

Thats a fair chunk of the 2011 best 22 that were either out injured or not fit don't you think?

So let's blame Ratts instead. Sounds like a good idea that suits the argument.

It's like the set up in volleyball. J&TK sets it up, followed by Psych and then JJ smashes it for the winner.

5 years????? Wasn't too crash hot under Brittain. The less said about the forward line under Pagan the better.

Id say its more like 12 years.

When we move the ball down the field a certain way our forward line looks ok. When moved in other ways it looks terrible.
Perhaps if we didnt let so many counter attack goals teams would stop the tactic of flooding back, wearing our punches, pinching the ball back and then attacking in space to score. No flooded 50 would help our forward line look a little better.

I think we are pressing too high and positives of that are being outweighed by the negatives.

The side that took on & beat Footscray was weaker than the one that played Port.

The Port loss was simply unacceptable.

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#DonTheStash

You've been watching the olympics, huh?

I agree that Barker did not create our woeful forward line entries and setup but I have seen no evidence that he has done anything to try and fix it. He's had two (?) years surely there should be some visible improvement.

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Carlton - Nothing's changed
I still love you, oh, I still love you
Only slightly, only slightly less
Than I used to, my love

I agree with your post and now apply the same assessment to the head coach and substitute the number of years with five....look sometimes you just have to see something for what it is....not what we all hope it's gonna be....and then have the cahunas to make the necessary changes....

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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