Nah, just means see ya later Murph.

What I would like to see us do is keep recruiting kids through the draft for, say, the next three years. The kids we have will age and, mostly, improve. The missing demographic then will be 25-29. This is a much better age to go after some top up free agents - they'll be a lot cheaper and probably more reliable, (barring injury anyway). If the youngsters have worked out as we hope we will have started moving up the ladder by then too and so will be a more attractive destination. We go after them now we're just going to pay way overs for players we don't really need now anyway, (not if your sole interest is in winning a flag which is not likely to happen anytime soon).

Problem is, as I see it, no one thinks long term. Can't really blame them I guess - it's a cut throat business and a couple of good FAs now might help Bolton keep his job.

Free agents don’t cost draft picks, so hardly short term thinking. 3 drafts then we hit the free agency pool, was always the plan.

If we were to trade pick 1-4, then it will be for a Shiel or equivalent at a minimum.

You’re right, we have so many good midfielders we don’t need Murphy anymore....

Not saying I like it, I just think it's the reality.

Would love to see him end his career as a small forward blue. He would be very handy.

My point was we could keep Murphy AND trade picks for players if we had extra picks like the priority pick.

I agree with your premise BK.

Unfortunately the media and the supporters couldn't wait for that organic growth and natural maturity to happen.
After all Carlton tell us we don't need a priority pick and we have the list of talented albeit young footballers on our list now!
The only thing missing is 22-26yo bracket.

No harm going for 22-26 yo now if we still use our 1st rounder on the superdraft, and if we can use our 2 x 2nd rounders to attract that age group we are void of, well it may be a case of best of both worlds.

Gaff....may come to Carlton to play in 2019 as a FA
Guthrie for a late 2nd rounder/ 3rd rounder if Guthrie really wants to come to the Mighty Blues in 2019
Shiel Kelly .... one or 2 of them will come our way in 2020 as FA.

We can still go to the draft, but a bird in hand ie target for pick may be better insurance.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

I don't think that we're far apart on this one Bondi - just minor differences. My concern about some of the earlier opinions is that many of them seem to discount the importance of how much we would pay for a FA at the moment. Top $$$ I reckon. I don't think it likely that we're going to build a premiership list if we pay too many "overs".
(Tom Boyd may disagree I suppose).

I think most Carlton supporters, and the general footy public, have come to the conclusion Carlton is not a destination club given the exodus of class eg Betts Gibbs Waite Henderson Tuohy... We know the reasons they are gone are not to do with being a destination club, but on the surface they left.

The above mentioned were in the 28-30yo bracket. Players looking for a flag when our window seems closed. Fair enough.

The FA or trades we would be targeting in 2018, would be in the 22-26 bracket. They would be proven players rather than unknown draftees (with years of development required, and no gurarantee of success). It would involve big bucks for the first 4 years but thereafter they become a bird in the hand and as our window opens, for them, the after 2-3 years and a period of sustained success awaits us, and them. Those players become the 26-30yo bracket we would be bereft of if we didnt.

I like our options, and whilst this years 1st and 2nd rounders (and we have 3) in the draft look like keepers, if we could, and its a big IF, snag a Trade or FA this year, and another next year, our club looks like a stronger club, and with them there's more support for our developing youth and we become a club players want to stick with, let alone a destination club.

I love this journey.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

I'm sure Gaff and Wines are just desperate to play for us as a result of watching this game.

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Don't blame it on the sunshine, don't blame it on the moonlight, don't blame it on the good times, blame it on the WIGGINS!

Don’t worry, it is all going to plan. You see the plan is three years of going to the draft, getting one good 18 year old per year, and 2 average players whilst losing established players to other clubs eg Tuohy, Gibbs etc.

I laugh at how they have all these AFL committees investigating congestion and the look of the game. If they free up the game anymore rubbish clubs like Carlton, StKilda, Gold Coast etc will lose by 120 points every week instead of 70 points.

Look of the game - rolls eyes times 10000

Priorities are all wrong. Why are there 3-4 games each week that are dead rubbers? That should concern the AFL more, but don’t worry, it’s all under control, Carlton is getting games into young players... half of them won’t be here in 3 years but shhh! It’s all going to plan. 1 win, no priority picks, no nothing. It’s all good. Going to plan. (Rolls eyes)

That's a really good point Bondi - one I hadn't thought of. I think I'm still scarred by the Dale Thomas deal.

Dale THomas was a disaster before it even happened. Everyone in the world knew he was cooked. I myself have no issue with Thomas, if someone came along and offered me the contract that Malthouse offered him, i would have taken it as well. That was all madhouse.

Look, yesterday was rough.

I honestly think, we have been smashed this season by injuries and we are side that can least afford it at the moment. And if you dont think injuries play a huge part in a how a season unfolds for a club, i present Adelaide football club as my first peice of evidence. They are should be top 4 (if not top 2) yet, they are struggling big time.

Injuries, when you have that many, are a reality, not an excuse. You can cover, 1, 2 injuries, not 10.

Rowe replaced with Marchbank
Thomas replaced with Williamson
Kerridge replaced with Kennedy
Lamb replaced with Pickett
Graham replaced with Gartlett


through in Docherty, Murphy and ASOS and we are 8 players that are vastly different. Rowe, Thomas, Kerridge etc.. are then playing in the Reserves and the reserves are structured up better etc..

injuries, at the level we have, are a huge impact. Its a perfect storm almost.

totally agree.... doesn't excuse the first half effort though....poor.

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"I had to eat"

no it doesnt. yesterday was terrible, even after half time i wasnt that impressed, how much of after half time was it, we played better or freo took the foot of the peddle etc..

I would argue we don't even have the depth to cover 1 or 2 injuries, let alone the 8-10 that we have had all year.

agree. we are starting from a long way back.

i must admit, i didn think the abscence of Docherty would be that great, but it has been. Then throw in Marchbank and its a disaster .. Weitering not playing well hasnt helped (though he has been better since his stint in the twos)

Docherty/Marchbank out of Defence
Gibbs/Murphy our of Midfield

that hurts and hurts big time.

I still think we cut the list back too far.
I know it needed to be done but we have let go or lost good senior players such as Touhy and Gibbs when they were the type of players we needed to help bring on the young players.
Everyone will say that the Touhy trade got us Marchbank, he was always going to to come to Carlton and a trade would have been done some other way.
At this point questions have to be asked. Our young players are not developing as they should because of our lack of senior players around them.
Injuries of course have played a big part.
Because we are so bad no free agents will want to come to us so we are in a difficult situation.
It is either the draft of bringing in players who other clubs don't want.

Agree

Still think letting Gibbs go was a mistake

A good durable player with at least 5 - 6 years left in him, would have been invaluable for our younger players

That is why I also believe keeping Murphy should be a priority

We ain't getting Gaff

Thanks NBH.

Could not agree more...
If that effort is a reflection of the players checking out, it's going to be a long second half of the season

Go Blues

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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