The scores against the Swans were no reflection of the game or Carlton's season it will clearly take a loss to Brisbane for Ratten to understand Carlton's season is a disaster unfortunately the tremendous amount of injuries will keep Ratten in the job which perpetuates this disaster through 2013.

Annus Horribilis

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"I had to eat"

Well that's a very thorough and well articulated article on why you think Carlton's season is a disaster.

I'd be surprised if Ratten believes this year is anything but a failure in comparison to expectations. What he says publicly and what he says privately that you never hear are probably two different things. A CEO doesn't come out after a disastrous financial year and slag off the company (though a CEO like Mark Neeld or Matty Primus might), he tows the company line, focuses on the positives, tries to give investors hope. Ratten by all accounts is doing this - whether he is the man to deliver on that hope remains to be answered.

I understand it's frustrating for you as a supporter because you believe it to be poppycock, however you probably need to look beyond the stated.

I may be against the majority, but I don't think the season has been a total disaster. I think it has brought to the table a series of problems at the club and with the playing list that have always been there and are now for all to see

Carlton have been found out. Missing the finals is sad to think about. Finishing down with the Melbournes and Port Adelaides would be a disaster.

If you review the season in its entirety the arguable best listed 11 of 22 players have rarely been on the field. Murphy, Judd, Carrazzo, Simpson, Waite, Hampson/Warnock, Henderson, Laidler, Jamison, Robinson, Walker, Yarran. These guys are (arguably) our best who have been extensively unavailable.

This means that the Carlton strategy (no matter how much you agree/disagree that it works) cannot be played on Carlton's terms. Once it fell apart - you can make your decision on when that happened - it seems so did the club.

What prevents the disaster though is the opportunity this has brought. Love or loathe, Watson, Bell, Collins (somewhat) and McLean have shown they can add depth. Casboult, McInnes, Dale, Bootsma and White possibly too. I may have missed some other names here.

I personally believe there are problems that need addressing in terms of structure (something which appears completely amiss this season). The writing was on the wall mid-season. The Blues were shot this year for the reasons mentioned above.

What will be a disaster is if this turns into a multi season pattern. That's when you know that things are well and truly bleak.

"multi season pattern"


Edited for stupidity, WCE was top 8 in 2011, sadly for us

Wins against top 8 teams

10 - Geelong, St Kilda 2/11
11 - St Kilda, Sydney, WCEx2, Essendon* (+ 1 Final) , Bombers were seriously bad in latter half of the year 5/12
12 - Pies x 2 (so far) 2/10

All this is news to me

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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

Maybe we're in a holding pattern.

I am pretty sure we are going to win the premiership.

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dane's trolling again

This reads like it should have been in the post-match thread. Little bit of grand standing going on me thinks.

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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.