It's interesting isn't it?
Adelaide last year with a new coach made the finals without a blink of an eye. Change game plan and lost players. Fremantle similar! Port Adelaide to a lesser extent this year look like they have adjusted with a new coach and game plan.
I can keep going but I am sick and tired of excuses that our players need to adjust and or the coach needs to learn about our players. Football is not a scientific game, even though some might have you believe. Most of us that have played can adjust quite easily and well to knew "methods" and "process".

They're adjusting all right, back to a game plan from 07/08....was much better to watch with Fev at FF though

_________________
"I will rejoice in their anguish, delight in their failure and revel in our success"

We are Carlton, @#$%&! the rest !!!!!!

Fair enough, excuses are making me so sick.
I had high expectations this year, lowered them after the nab cup gf, now after three rounds I'm wondering what the early pick draft pick we'll be getting will bring us.
So sad.

_________________
Happy Days Are Here Again!!

Psycho thanks for that fixture update Melbourne played coasters nicely into form if we get within 5 goals of coasters I will be surprised

Not mentally tough enough and leakage of goals to opposition will continue

Shouldn't be a one man team but how many games over the last 3years would we have won without the little master Eddie Betts playing - gee he has been consistent over a long period of time and recent losses show how clinically dependent we are on him kicking goals and applying pressure in the front half
terrible indictment on rest of the forwards both big and small

At the moment we are hoping yarran and garlett will get us over the line with flashes of brilliance - each plays small cameos enough to teaze but not enough to impact our game so we can win - both need to impact scoreboard more -take responsibility when shooting for goal and be much more composed
Shouldn't be the case relying on small guys but we have been screaming out for a good tall forward for years - the club continually either says it cant get one (salary cap issues - ineptitude really) or cant develop one (ineptitude )
Couldn't even bag lynch over the offseason who isn't great but infinitely better than what we got - yes waite is good BUT WE NEVER SEE HIM

I think the Freo comparison is fair, not sure about Adelaide.

That 2012 Adelaide list was performing well down, but Freo's list has so many holes it's still hard for me to see them winning in Melb late September, but Lyon got them running after early hiccups.

_________________
I hope Essendon* folds.

Just watch the games before he did his collar bone again then get back to me about re writing history.
When he came back he couldn't stick a tackle to lack of strength and was getting beaten in the backline. Walker then wanted a change so they agreed if a good deal came up they would take a look at it. It didn't. They talked and Walker spoke about going forward. Had a good year then struggled. Then he asked the new coach if he could go back again and now we have a great energetic dashing defender.

Anyway that isn't too important to the discussion. Point is Malthouse was talking flags. Happy with the list. We were told by posters that player are going to improve out of sight.
So far it doesn't look like players are improving. Going backwards infact. We are seeing what we have known for a while - the list needs rejigging. There wont be a flag this year.
Think Micks ego got ahold of him in last years trade weeks and think the club got it wrong putting all the blame on one person for last year.

People were expecting a flag this year? Really?

_________________
"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

Amazing that we didn't learn the lesson after the Pagan debacle.

Had this thrown at me by some mates and co workers. My response has been while I understand where they are coming from, MM has inherited a much better list.

Looking like I'm wrong thus far.

_________________
We are on our way back...

Only mistake is should of got mick year earlier

Who is the one constant amongst the management group when it comes to poor coaching appointments/contract decisions over the last decade or so?

_________________
"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

Guess they didn't support freo chasing Lyon

Or collingwood chasing mick in first place

Or Brisbane chasing Leigh Mathews

I don't think any sensible person did.

Exactly....this season will be an adjustment....

_________________
"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

No but at a minimum need to make the 8 to justify Ratten not finishing the last year of his contract

Agree with Club great propensity to blame one person for last years result - he was gone when we had disastrous trade period last year and not there when we are 3 nil down and not there when we had insipid NAB CUP GF - the form in which we have carried into the season

You're a glass half full kind of guy.
I can just tell!
So am I as a rule but I can't bring myself to produce a post like that.
Good on ya.

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

Why did he baulk at trading last year? A blind man could see we needed to mix it up. Teams with a robust defensive game win finals.
We have not got the players to implement such a plan. We all knew that for a long time. Now we get another year of shootout football.
Wasted year.

My only hope is he has the mysterious "defensive mechanism" under his hat and is going to pull it out when he thinks we are ready.
For now he is happy for us to run ourselves ragged in prep of the "defensive mechanism" UNLEASHING that will come in round 6.
Surely that is what he has in mind....... Surely........

We're adjusting shitloads more points against this year.
Is that what you're talking about?

_________________
Looking forward to seeing our potential realised.

_________________
"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

The fact that Ratten was out of his depth for 5 years and some.. means thats a silly argument.

Ratts just had to go.... as he should nt have been in charge of our club in the first place

DONT EVER use Ratten as our standard.. maybe end of year and next year we can re assess the boards apointment of Mick.. but he does need time to adjust to whats a weird footy club.. and the list ... as well as players and staff to him.

_________________
Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil....... the Light at the End of the Tunnel has been turned off. We apologize for the inconvenience.