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I hope Essendon* folds.

apologies ....i missed the joke - been a busy day

Thanks guys. First time I've seen a 'Thomas' comment AND smiled!

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“Every single element of the Club has to be the best in the league, meticulously and methodically, and only by doing this will we be elite and challenge for number 17.”
Greg Lee

Do people who think we should follow the Geelong/Sydney/Hawthorn (take your pick) model, seriously think that those clubs have ever been as low as Carlton has been since those clubs have been doing what they are doing recruitment wise? I'm sad to say it but I think Melbourne is a better example for us at this stage.

Yes, let's not trade anyone of value because being below mediocre is far too precious an ideal to further risk being absolutely s***house. That seems to be about the level we are working at, at this stage.

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Just because I'm offended, doesn't mean I'm wrong.

I have names of some value to trade but there are those you just do not trade under any circumstances or unless the deal is overs and very very good.

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Essendon-Only team to have ever been found guilty of salary cap breaches in a premiership year!

I think casboult would thrive in a forward line with other genuine targets, unfortunately he is not suited as a number 1 kpf and his stats reflect this. He can be a number 2 or 3 target for us - the problem is we dont have another 1 or 2 genuine kpf' s ready to play now. Not unless you count charlie as a kpf. Will Harry make an impact next year? Its a big ask. Sure he will get games, as did Josh Kennedy for us at the time, but he was no world beater in the early days. It takes time, time that we dont have with Casboult due to his age. If we could engineer a good trade for him, to a club looking for that one extra forward, then i say let him go.
Your point about smart forwards, who can get separation , surely applies to sos. The little fella just screams footy smarts to me. Not a bad kick either.

Bottom line i would be hesitant to trade casboult unless it was for well overs eg a top 12 pick, because he takes all the big man heat at the moment. We need to have someone else other than harry and charlie taking that heat to allow them to develop properly. Without casboult they will surely struggle to develop on their own. But if someone needs that extra tall forward and is prepared to pay, then you have to take advantage.
Casboult has ability but he us a victim of our lack of forward depth. He gets far too much attention as he is our only genuine forward target. He is struggling because of this extra attention. Gibbs is struggling in a similar fashion since Murph got injured, similarly because of our lack of midfield depth. Fix the depth problem and they both become much better players.

Here we go again same old Carlton why would we go after
a total dud in victory this club will never change

The only problem with thomas is his contract. Relative to his reduced ability , its just not equitable. However he is still a good player and in an area where we lack depth- midfield. He isnt the brilliant Daisy of old but he is holding up his end. We need to get over his contract, move on, and realise that he is still a valuable player.

Casboult needs support, simple now move on....
Would any of these players get picked up from any other club??
Wood, Whiley, Graham, Walker, Everitt, Jones, Tutt, White, Jamison, Dick, Gowers, Foster, Smith, Rainbow or Gallucci??? Maybe Everitt that's it. Move them on..
Harsh?? Maybe but move on list cloggers, contract or not....
Needs in no order,
2 tall defenders, Maybe JGM or Jaksch?? Maybe Hurley??
2 tall forwards, maybe McKay, Curnow and SOJ?? I do like Josh Battle from vic country..
3 mids, draft please, hopefully Cuningham comes on..
2 quick wingman, draft please, maybe Boekhorst comes on..
It will take a few years but we have a lot of holes to fill..
I would target Hurley, he can become a FA, only 26 and is a serious player, cost us nothing..
Why play Jaksch in the twos as a forward then move him back, let him settle.... He can play the kid...
Don't see any other player doing that....
What do I know hey..

The "vibe"'

Classic

Mick Malthouse = Daryl Kerrigan??

Hawthorn vs Sydney tonight....Carlton are sooooooooooo far behind (sorry to state the obvious)

The club needs to recruit quality individuals...no patchwork job.

Can Carlton get there? With a little luck...

Can Carlton get there?

Perhaps...but they will need the AFL's selective "equalisation" policies to get the run on like Hawthorn.

The time of "equalisation" that allows Hawthorn to get $35 million from the Tasmanian agreement.

This quote below shows where Carlton is placed in the big scheme of things against Hawthorn...yet where is the anger and determination from our board? Not a word of dissention about "equalisation", not a word about getting Kerr...no action, just reaction.
Carlton is a lackey to their situation.
"CARLTON'S MISERY A BONUS FOR STATE COFFERS"- Is that where Carlton has got to?
At the very least when Carlton play the Hawthorn Tasmanian Hawks let's hope they play with real physical aggression. Go down swinging so to speak.

http://www.themercury.com.au/sport/afl/ ... 660e7600fc

“Following discussions with the Hawthorn Football Club, it has been agreed that no ­additional match fee would be required as a result of the ­Carlton game."

This quote says it all. Leaves me with anger.

You can't blame the Hawks or the AFL for that. We could have done the same but had no vision, not even when Hobart was beckoning. No, we want the MCG and the 60k crowds when actually NM get more per game than we do even with the big crowds.
Don't forget that if if hadn't been for Don Scott, Hawthorn would have merged with Melbourne. That's where they were situated before this era of dominance. They were as low as we are and thanks to the passion of Scott and the unpopular but effective presidency of Bloody Jeff, they are where they are now. They took a huge risk with Franklin and recruited well PLUS they tried a young coach right from the beginning and gave him a chance at success. We went the opposite (Carlton) way, trying to bypass the draft, put a band aid on a sucking chest wound and recruit several old and bold coaches and players when all the successful clubs were having their success with young coaches and cherry picked top ups. Sacking Ratten was a shocking decision and we are still suffering from it.
Finally the penny has dropped. Unfortunately the Tasmanian cash cow has bolted but PP can and should be more than it is if we stay in Melbourne. We have the young coach who MIGHT be the right one and we have worked out that the draft/trade for youth policy is the way to go. All we need now is a President like Eddie, Kotchie or Jeff who isn't afraid to go after the AFL and we have the whole set.
It will take time. It will take at least another two years before we see any consistent improvement and then another couple before we are able to challenge. Meanwhile, Hawthorn will still have Tassie and the best coach in the competition, GWS will still have all their high picks and the bottomless pit of money from the AFL, Sydney will still be the darling of the AFL because of the TV ratings when they are winning, Brisbane will have their bail out package, WA and SA will have their two teams each and their home ground advantages, not to mention their stadium deals, Collingwood will still be bullying the AFL so they can blatantly break the rules (Cloke's glove) and get away with it and Geelong will still have their own boutique stadium that gets them something like $750k per game.
That's the competition we play in. We are the new Footscray, the new Fitzroy, the new South Melbourne. It's bloody hard to win from there. W have to find something radical.
Ballarat or Bendigo Blues anybody?

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

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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

Interesting article. In SOS's words KJ has the talent but need la to lift his work rate. Hopefully he grabs his opportunity today and realises what's required to be an AFL player.

Work rate and a lack of a decent attack on the ball in the air (once) Jaksch is running out of chances.......

I just read your stuff in a Casper Jonquil voice now. Makes more sense.

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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

the fact carlton are playing hawthorn in tasmania means that we are a basket case of a club

we need a ceo and board that is a antagonist to the afl and stands up to our interests at the expense of every other club...

Bring back Jack!

Jack ...

Jack is one of the main reasons why we are in this predicament.

Would rather Jack Nicholson ... Jack Sparrow ... Jack Sprat ... Jack and the Beanstalk etc. etc. .. than have that bloke back in charge (or his son for that matter).

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I am as mad as hell and I'm not going to take it any more!!!