Interesting times indeed.
Following the 66 game rebuild by SOS, we now hear we are in a 75 game plan to reach our peak
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Carlton chief executive Brian Cook has revealed the Blues plan to reach their on-field peak “in game 75” of his and Michael Voss’ three-year deals at the end of the 2024 season.
Having overseen the club’s best start to a season in 26 years, Cook is confident the Blues have an on-and-off field team and program in place to satisfy the long-suffering Carlton faithful.
While he isn’t promising flags in the club’s soon-to-be-ratified mission and purpose statements, he says every decision that has been made has been aimed at chasing sustained success.
“If you are talking about myself or Vossy, we are eight games into a 75-game contract, that’s the way I am looking at it,” Cook said this week.
“We’ve been here for six months and we have a long way to go. I hope we are at our absolute best during that period in our 75th game. That’s the peak.”
How he defines the 75 games?
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Then he added: “You will notice with those 75 games, it is 25 per year – on average.”
He is already counting the F.......word starting this year.
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While the man who turned Geelong into a football and financial powerhouse across the past two decades is loath to use the ‘f’ word this season, his arithmetic shows the club believes it can play an average of three finals per year until the end of 2024.
“It is going to need three years of list management … it is going to need three years of working in the new facilities … it will take a while,” he said of the time frame that takes in both his and Voss’ contracts.
Target Free Agents still on the Agenda.
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HE sees “a bit of a young Joel Selwood” in Sam Walsh while he remains confident forwards Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay will recommit long term as Walsh, Patrick Cripps and Jacob Weitering have already done;
THE club can still play a role in the free agency/trade window later this year.
Respectful players that show humility, which hasn't been part of our DNA since the 70's.
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He also pleased the Blues have had the fewest 50m penalties paid against them on the field so far this season, saying that goes back to respect.
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Cook knew the Blues’ playing list had “a terrific spine” and good overall potential when he signed on, but has been pleased with the recruitment of Adam Cerra and George Hewett.
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He was impressed by how “resource-rich” Carlton was, but said that also came with an obligation.
“You want the players to have the best facilities, the best leaders and the best medical team. but while you want to pour all your support around them, they have to be accountable too,” he said.
“We will do our darnedest to give you the best environment whether you are in the AFL or AFLW programs, or whether you are a staff person, but you also need to play your part.”
“It’s a central headquarters and training facility for the men’s and women’s programs. It has a new gym; it has a new restaurant and cafe, it will have a new function space for 250 people and an indoor facility for indoor training …
that will be the best indoor facility of all the AFL clubs.[/quote]
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Cook has been buoyed by the support the club has always had from its loyal fans.
“We are the most attended and most watched (club) and the most eyeballed on most of the media channels,” Cook said. “I just love the passion, the excitement and decibel levels.