I have a theory

The theory is this club has been propped up for the last few years by a handful of players

And what happens is when you take away these players, or they play under their best, what you are left with is ... In our case an ordinary team

While he didn't always play well in the biggest games, Betts was nonetheless a class act with experience and i would argue we a missing him right now

His replacement Thomas is a mile off his best football

Judd obviously is not there

Murphy has struggled for a couple years now with injuries and is struggling with the captaincy and right now is playing very poor football and struggling to lead

Gibbs has the issue of Free Agency hovering over his head and this is affecting his performances. While he's never been a super star he is certainly not having the impact he has had in previous years

Carrazzo was playing very good footy a couple years ago then has had injuries and is nowhere near his best right now

Scotland is in the twilight and has only just played his first game after having an interrupted off season and having only now finished his pre season

And then that's about it

(I don't inc Kreuzer because he has never been elite)

So you take away all our guns and what you have left is the 'others', which I think we are all seeing now is not up to scratch

Players like Waite and Garlett and Robinson and Warnock and and Jamison etc have been exposed as being merely so so, not leaders

Then there's a bunch of rookie types who are again merely so so like Curnow and Ellard etc

Throw in a bunch of kids and a few spuds like Rowe and you have a very mediocre side

Is this Mick's fault?

I'm not sure you can say it is, aside from the fact he approved Murphy as captain and in essence replaced Betts with Thomas

I'd argue this is mostly list based

Remember this side never did any better than fifth under Ratten so it needs to be remembered the tem was never a great team by any means

The foundations I'd therefore argue we're always a bit shaky, susceptible to collapsing as they have now

So they have dropped form fifth a few years ago do dead set last with as explained all their leaders and best players for one reason or another not having the impact they have had in previous years

There was never such a sustained lack of effort under Ratten like there has been under Malthouse

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"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

You could argue that Mick's game plan isn't up to scratch by being way too predictable and not inventing anything new, teams work us out so easily.
Also, the players aren't putting effort in, that stops purely with the coach. They never put in pathetic efforts like this under Rats.

BTW, I agree with you about the list, that is sh*thouse as well, recruiting has sucked so badly.

Right now where we're different to any other season since I can remember is our fitness.

We are flat out out of shape. How does that happen? Whoever is responsible for that, needs to be fired on the asap.

That would be Buttifant.

Trouble is we can't sack him, he's Micks mate.

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I hope Essendon* folds.

It's not up to Malthouse to chase, tackle and hit targets from 25m.

I've not felt this bad about them since r22 2003.

We were puffing, hands on hips, unable to pursuit the ball after 13 minutes into the 1st quarter. We were totally expended. Our bodies by and large are soft and look void of any hard gym work.

We're a disgrace.

Maybe Eddie and Malthouse hatched this plan to hire buckley, MM go to carlton and bum root us from within?

I mean it's plausible, right guys?

That might be true but you're completely chosing to ignore my argument/theory

Your terribly one sided in your views Effes And you come across as naive given you don't know for sure what the cause of the problem is

Unless you are inside the inner sanctum and know the players and the game plan intimately you are merely guessing with your slanted take on Malthouse

I may sway in my thoughts on Mick but that's because I don't access the inner sanctum and therefore don't know for sure what's happening at the club and what the core of the problem is

But the facts above about out leadership being decimated and the second tier of experience being mediocre at best is a clear undisputed fact and I'd argue this has resulted in the collapse

Also factoring in the fact that maybe just maybe it is over for this leadership core of Simpson , Judd, Carrazzo, Scotland, Waite etc . They missed their chance at success. The era is over and really never got any better than fifth anyway

Anyhow that's not correct

When he got the sack the efforts were terrible

Remember the last few games under Ratts?

You have an economical memory mate

And that was with a side bereft with injuries a bit like the side now bereft of leadership and it's best players playing their best let alone playing at all

I'm not sure the Buttifant argument stacks up just yet

On Tv they said we won most KPIs like I50s and shots on goal etc So the effort was there we are just not very talented and lack leadership right now and have a bunch of kids in the side it is as simple as that

Don't let the fact get in the way of an argument mate

Are you also into Scientology? I means be serious !

He got sacked with a game to go. Defeated Brisbane by 6 goals then smashed Essendon* by 96 points then done by GC then sacked with one left.

So do you remember the last few games under Ratten?

_________________
"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

I'm not saying not to have kids but recent births for Carlton players have coincidentally resulted in a fair decrease in performance.
Carazzo
Tuohy
Robbo
Garlett
Even Judd
Just to name off the top of my head.

I'm taking the piss.

We are horrible, and your theory is laughable. It's football 101. You're best players let you down, of course we lose games.

Mick bringing in Thomas on top dollar doesn't help galvanise the group also. Then not dropping him but others probably doesnt inspire the group either.

We knew the list had problems in 2012 but did nothing about it at the end of 2012.

The talk back nuff nuffs and posters on hear convinced the board that the problem in 2012 was that Ratts, quoted stats in pressers, ate lollies, cheered our goals and coached from the sidelines.

Ratts had his time and put together a list that didnt gel. We all knew that in 2012. Change coach - yes . Get list that does gel - forgotten by nuffs and coach Dr Strangelove (running with it for Bigwave). They all believed Dr strangelove would turn them all into guns.

I remember we lost to a new club
That was it for him

But hey you continue to be one eyed Efffes

Continue to overlook others theories and just keep wearing those blinkers of yours

Another poster who ignores facts

Club have said repeatedly they had issues with contracts and so were not able to make many list changes

You said last few games

That claim has been shown to be false.

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"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

How many proven, quality footballers played for Carlton today?

The list is shocking

And the leader are either out injured or playing below their best

Or they are nearing the end

But it's easier to blame the coach isn't it

Pagan had a shit list too remember

Judd said the other night that Carltons best footy can match it with the better sides in the comp. Surely he couldn't even believe that.