Well it's been interesting reading since I was banned...of course personal attacks are never warranted and the mods took the appropriate action. But in that time, none of you have bothered to think even a tiny bit outside the square. You've just presumed I'm the devil incarnate for not wanting my team, and yours, to not make finals. My reasoning is simple....Let me try and spell it out for you.

* I still don't rate us as highly as many of you do. I hope like hell I'm proven wrong - but against the better sides we lack a lot of things that would take up too much time to address with this post, but they're pretty obvious. Our coaching staff haven't drilled the players the likes of Sydney and Hawthorn's are drilled. Everyone....yes everyone, in those sides knows their role. Better yet - they know the game-plan. We still have a half a dozen who are a little confused. Their fault or the coaches? Probably both. Football IQ is priceless. There's a few on the Carlton list who don't possess a great deal of it. Perhaps it'll come...perhaps not. So if you're not genuinely in the hunt for that last Saturday in September - as i clearly don't believe we are - what do you do? 

* You put your injured players in for season-ending surgery. This is the uncompromising trait that Collingwood had in two seasons over the last decade. And it's served them well. So while you have renewed hope of finals, even up to the Brisbane game, I was still hoping the young men who need operations as much as Lachlan Henderson did - would be booked in at Vimy for their procedures.'Counting backwards from 10 now if you can Mr Robinson'...'10...zzzzzzzz'

FWIW - do you honestly think Hendo would have been sent off to the scalpel when he was if the MC thought we could make the finals? I don't. I think they would have jabbed him up every game and had him running around - leaving the likes Simon White struggling in a makeshift outfit of the Northern Blues and some of you lot calling for Whitey's delisting because he's 'done nothing'. That's my opinion - i'll stick to it. The medical room has never had a greater workout. Doc Barresi has never had such a furrowed brow. He knows some of these boys should be in post-surgery rehab. But they're lab rats and modern medicine being what it is, they can take blood out of your arm and inject it into your hamstring one minute and the next stick you in hyperbaric oxygen therapy for 6 days and give another jab to lessen the pain on gameday. Fun times!  Sorry guys, but in 2012, Adrian Whitehead court proceedings don't just come with a 7 year legal bill and a 6-figure out of court settlement.

As it stands - Betts, Casboult, Garlett, Jamison, Robinson, Walker and Yarran will need either surgery and/or weeks in a moon boot and hours in the underwater treadmill to be fit for pre-season. For some of those - the surgery should probably have already happened. Lachie H will be in a great position to start the November/December sessions. The others...rehab until after Christmas the likely scenario. Murphy, Waite and Judd likely to be given more time off the track over summer than the year just gone. Warnock - I hope, won't be shipped off for trade picks, but will be given the chance to have a full pre-season on the back of no pre-season last year after two shoulder ops and the possibility of another very soon.

* As for Ratts - I've not said a bad word about him. I really like him. Always have. Do I think he can take us to the next level as a coach? I have grave doubts about that. I have grave doubts about Chris Judd, Paul Williams and Mark Riley as implementers of a midfield game-plan. It works great when the opposition doesn't put any time into us and think they can beat us head-to-head - but the minute they do...oops. 'Hey Barry Predergast...you didn't tell us they were going to do that!'....'Sorry fellas....won't happen again'.

* So excuse me for thinking about 2013. Fully fit - this list (minus a few and plus a few) can win a flag. Everyone knows that. Even the Essendon-loving media. And I'll be cheering for it just as loudly as you.

But aside from the fantastic wins against Collingwood and Essendon*, I'm reminded constantly of the inconsistencies in form and player availability that 2012 has brought upon us. The red-flags in the Ratten & co game-plan were evident long before the injuries struck. I spoke to a senior player back in April and while I hate talking football with footballers, I quizzed him on something I witnessed during a pre-season game. His response shocked me. I'm not easily shocked.

The players attitude against Port Adelaide. The lack of effort against Melbourne and GWS and the basics of football that were thrown out the window against the Hawks and Roos. It doesn't hold up that you take another year to guess whether the message is getting across or whether it's the right message. Clearly - for a large part of the season, the players didn't want a bar of the Ratten & co game-plan. The evidence is there for all to see.

* Lastly...get your heads out of the sand! Whether you only take interest in Carlton for what happens between the sounds of a siren or whether you take considerably more interest at the club from a bottom-line company perspective...from whatever angle you look at it - it's a business. There are hirings and firings, there are investors, there is a board, an executive and business and strategic plans to adhere to. Planning for 2013 is happening and has been happening for a while whether you like it or not. None of us are going to influence the decision makers, who will make decisions on what they believe to be in the best interests of the club going forward.

The only beef you have with me is surely my looking forward to 2013 and wanting to wrap 2012 up as early as possible. But the coach and his team of merry men are trying to preserve their job...even if it has an adverse affect on 2013. I don't agree with that. Never will.

Surely you can't be having a go at me for wanting another team to win? By the looks of things, you all supported Carlton the day we played Melbourne for the Kreuzer Cup? How'd that work out for you? Personally, I love having Matty Kreuzer at the club. He's a fantastic young man and comes from a great family. Talented footballer too and we're yet to see the best of his talents. It's a shame you guys don't feel that way - but each to his/her own right?

Now get down from your high horses and take a good look around. It's a bit stuffy in here don't you think? Go open that 2013 Premiership window. There you go...fresh air at last! Feels good doesn't it? After all...it's the only window that's even slightly ajar. From my point of view of course. Ok...thanks. Hope that clarifies it. It's not a right or wrong opinion...just a different one from yours.

Yep.

Heard it all before.

Nothing new.

Still thinks we should lose and people who support us winning this year are dunderheads. It's a business, sell your stock, support when its convenient yada yada.

He doesn't get it.

Meh.

Define 'it'

Does that mean you think DS doesn't get the way YOU see the game, or that DS doesn't get the actualities of the game?

Anyway, it's good of doc to take the trouble to put in writing his standpoint, whether you agree with it or not.

Cliff notes:

"We aren't going to win a flag in 2012.
Let's focus on 2013 and get the on-field personell fit and prepared as early as possible for that campaign, and make changes to the off-field personell to give them every chance to succeed."



In essence I agree with Doc, but I must admit I still want Carlton to win every game they can this year.

BTW, That's a hell of a ban you've got in place there.

Naturally it's my view of the game.

The main forum is open to the public and can be read by anyone without the need to log in.

You may want to check the full details of Ratten's win/loss record for the period below rather than the convenient comparison provided by Walls.

http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/afl_ ... pe=&sort=p

Ratten's overall win % is behind that of Ayres, Chris Connolly, Grant Thomas, & Jeff Gieschen

Aside from the pure supporter in me just wanting our season to go longer, I reckon any sort of finals experience in 2012, be it one game or two, would have to be beneficial to our team for the 2013 campaign.

Yeah, me too.

In that scenario (imo) we'd have momentum to start next season up and running.

Yeah, they listened to Parko last time and appointed Brittain on his strong recommendation. Not sure if they're hanging off his every word nowadays.

Parko likes recommending people he's mentored. Most people do. Its human nature. But only people a few cards short of a deck actually take those recommendations at face value, as you seem to be suggesting the club does.

That went well....