What a depressing thread.
As a 40 year supporter I would never in a million years have thought of Carlton as being in danger of becoming extinct.
For the first time I now fear this is where we are heading.
I just cant see how we can come back from this, a few early draft picks for the next few years isnt going to help if we cant hold onto our better senior players.
I have pretty much given up on ever seeing a premiership ever again.
The introduction of free agency has killed off any chance the bottom clubs have of bridging the gap.
The two new expansion clubs have taken all of the good talented players and those clubs, like Carlton, just got left behind.
I wonder if the AFL are concerned about Carlton, to me it doesnt seem like they are.

It's not about getting a few draft picks and being good/not good on field. It's realising that Melbourne as a market is too small for 8 teams and either controlling your destiny, getting in early and gaining all the perks that go with it. Or shuffling off into the night like Fitzroy.

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The only way for some people to understand is for them to be on the receiving end

Left wing moralists
In self serving denial
They shit me no end

.......and its only a discussion about exploring the option. Like Synbad said earlier, it may not work out numbers wise. A study might prove what Moshe said, two shit clubs combined makes one shit club. On the other hand it might not.
A big play that is a win/win/win for two clubs and the AFL may be staring us all in the face.

I know it'd never happen, but here's my Tuesday afternoon (bored) musings on what a national comp could look like if it started from scratch:

You'd want two clubs in each of WA, SA, NSW and QLD (which we already have). You'd also have to have a "Melbourne", which would be the team for the city and the inner ring of suburbs. That's 9 teams.

On top of this you'd want:
1 team relocate to Tassie (Tassie Kangaroos?)

Makes 10 teams:

Then you'd want:
A team for the northern corridor of Melbourne up into northern Vic "Northern Blues"
A team for the Eastern corridor: "Eastern Hawks"
A team for the Western corridor: "Western Bulldogs"
And a team for the south down the Mornington peninsula: "Southern Saints?"

Conveniently that way we do away with Collingwood, Essendon* and Richmond

That's 14 teams. Scrap the pre-season comp and each team plays each other team twice (26 round season). Recruitment "zones" could be set up, just like in the old days as each team has a clear demarcation of their "pool" - and their target market. No national draft.

Finals would be top 6:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top_six_play-offs

No trading between clubs. No free agency seeing players go to the rich clubs. No flight risks; kids wanting to come back home. And (worth repeating) no Collingwood, Essendon* or Richmond

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O say does that star spangled banner yet wave.

people like home made stuff.
when the soul is lost,
we go in search of it again.

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That’s not a political statement — it’s a harsh reality, and we must act,” she said. “He is a clear and present danger to the things that keep us strong and free. I support impeachment.”

Robert, you've unwittingly suggested the Bulldogs should merge with Essendon*, Carlton should merge with Collingwood and Geelong should merge with St Kilda, all while Richmond, Hawthorn and Melbourne get to remain themselves.

I think you've created about 7 reasons for a Victorian civil war

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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.

richmond is northern or central melb under the plan big jimmy.


put the inner city ones together..


pies, tiggers, carlton, melb, norf.

one of these can go to tassie, or half half with hawks.

what could possibly go wrong?

apart from a very muddled jumper...

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That’s not a political statement — it’s a harsh reality, and we must act,” she said. “He is a clear and present danger to the things that keep us strong and free. I support impeachment.”

North Melbourne, Richmond and Carlton are the only ones that would be considered an inner Melbourne suburb, and apparently North & Carlton are toast, which leaves Richmond.

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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.

Even if in one million years I contemplated Carlton merging with anyone, North would be the last club I would consider for that merge after Collingwood and Essendon**.

I would prefer Carlton joined the VFL or the Eastern Football League or whatever. No to merging ever. If the AFL want to destroy Carlton that is their decision, but they don't get to keep the carcass.

The AFL have been trying to destroy us since black Friday & have been relentless ever since

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Cheats never prosper (except in the AFL)

.....fair bit of self destruction as well chubby.

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I hope Essendon* folds.

And the MRP are in on it as well

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Cheats never prosper (except in the AFL)

Carlton, Essendon**, North and Western Bulldogs should merge and be known as Greater North Western Melbourne Blues.

Yeah, it's pretty much the only thing that's keeping me from going down the Caitlyn Jenner path, I guess..

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BLUES 2010: PAV AND JUDD = FLAGS. DOING IT FOR THE LOVE OF DICK PRATT.

HAVE YOU SIGNED UP FOR TALKINGCARLTON SUPERCOACH 2009 YET?

Would rather we fold than merge.

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"The Wigg's big in 08!" - Chris Judd

Forget merging. Move to another country. New Zealand would provide better support.

Reports on the radio suggest West Coast Eagles have $25m in the bank and charge people $100 per annum to keep their spot on the waiting list to become a member. Pretty tough to compete against that. The time to start planning for the new AFL future was probably in about 1991 (when the Crows joined). Like Club 29 alluded to, it's hard to imagine us ever being better than "plucky Carlton" sneaking into the 8 every so often.

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Get comfortable being uncomfortable

THIS! If for no other reason than I refuse to be cajoled, coerced or resettled by any AFL demographic reshuffle. When you rip the history, the tradition and the soul out of a place all you have left are the demographic market analysis and customer profiling studies commissioned by the AFL and delivered to order by some large professional services firm. My interest and passion isn't for sale to the franchise with the slickest Business Intelligence dashboard. I can almost imagine Facebook analyzing my content to determine which membership adverts to flash on my screen based upon my surfing!

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"Who discovered we could get milk from cows, and what did he think he was doing at the time?" Billy Connolly

I refuse to see it as bleak as some. We are in an 18 team competition, its not like the 70s and 80s now but thats no reason to give up and just merge.

The club still has a soul, things are never as bad as they seem. If we rise and somehow make the 8 next year this thread will lay dormant. Its purely knee jerk.

Rather fold than merge.

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I hope Essendon* folds.