I love when the media write us off because when they pump us up we routinely let everyone down.

At least this way we can't get ahead of ourselves.

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I'm shocked to be sitting here

Agree ... big big year unles we get destroyed with injuries.

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

SEN is saying the ceiling is just making the finals ... the floor is 18th. They are predicting 6 wins. They keep talking about the 'Coleman Medallist', and how we will go backwards without him. Seriously, did they watch Carlton and Curnow last year. Curnow has been a liability for 2 years.

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

I think we might be a little better than people think. A bit more run, a fit walsh with Jagga and Dean, and a more diverse forward line. Last year we had between zero and one good forwards (an unfit charlie and harry was good when he played). This year we will have Harry, Ainsworth, Hayward, an improved Moir, Kemp and I think HOK will surprise.

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Go Blues

Spot on.
Plus with better midfield service and Florent and Newman coming out from the backline, our transition will be improved and so to our F50 delivery.
A Lot of new moving parts to watch and get excited about this year.

I think we may struggle a little with the different side at first then come good.

I was confident….

but now everyone’s freaked me out a tad….

By confident i mean…we “represent”…

I feel we may not finish high on the ladder…
but we’ll be competitive…a stronger team
overall…

Better bottom 6…and better middle tier…

oh well…we’ll know in a few weeks…lets see…


kindest regards tommi

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that'siti'mnotchangingthistagain......!

All eyes on the coaches this year...

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“I would rather have questions that can't be answered than answers that can't be questioned.” ― Richard Feynman

I am very confident. I am not saying we don't have issues but rather I am comparing this year to 2025.

Positives

1. We lost Curnow, but seriously, how much benefit was he the last 2 years.
2. SOS was a great competitor but was always getting injured and I don't think we will miss him.
3. It seems that there was a lot of unrest at the club associated with Curnow and SOS.
4. Pet hate is the constant bombing into the forward line. Seems to have been that way since the Madhouse. A smaller forward line commands the ball to be delivered in a different way making us more unpredictable.
5. We have been crippled with injury for 2 years. Surely things will be better this year.
6. Nick Newman, one of our most consistent and important players comes back into the team. He was badly missed last year.
7. From what I have seen, Jagga, Ainsworth, Haywood and Florent will increase the quality at the club.
8. Last year we were able to blood some youngsters and I think that will pay dividends. In particular Carroll and F. Young.
9. I am encouraged by the progress of Cowan and Evans.
10. Walsh and Cerra are fit.


Negatives

1. TDK is a bad loss not easily fixed this year.
2. CHB is as big a problem as it was last year.


Overall, I just think we have a better team than last year. A good run with injuries and some smarter coaching decisions will make an enormous difference.
I am hoping the Campo's, Dean and Ison all get their chance early in the season.

GO BLUES!

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

Lazy journalism. Gee , I've been scathing of Carlton but 6 wins? I'll go eat andrew walkers hat

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

I’m not sure how Charlie leaving could be seen as a positive. He has won our goal kicking every year for the past four years. He is a big loss.

But he’s gone and we move on.

Unfortunately I think we’re only a few key injuries away from being bottom four in 2026. But if we have luck with injuries, and the team develops a synergy that wasn’t there last year, we could make the wild card round.

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It's never as good as it looks and it's never as bad as it seems.

Yeah I'm not that positive about this year. I think Adam Simpson will be acting coach by Rd 8

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Congratulations CK95

Great talent like Charlie out is a loss. However, I balance that with the upside that surely comes with a more accountable culture. The ins versus outs gives us that opportunity.

I’m tipping we’ll go with Josh Fraser.

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"Hence you will not say that Greeks fight like heroes but that heroes fight like Greeks"?

Winston Churchill

Very good observation Agro.

I gave up on saying "if we have a bit of luck with injuries" a few years ago

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#DonTheStash

Edited for accuracy

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"Hence you will not say that Greeks fight like heroes but that heroes fight like Greeks"?

Winston Churchill

There's really no need to go bringing up my love life

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#DonTheStash

Losing Charlie is no guarantee of a culture change. It only guarantees the loss of our best scoring source for the past four years. I would have preferred to change the culture and keep the talent, but that’s not happened and we just have to move on as best we can.

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It's never as good as it looks and it's never as bad as it seems.

Well I see things differently. I just don't rate Curnow's last 2 years. I thought our structure up front was terrible. He would rarely lead and the big forwards just did not work together. I would have liked Voss to try Curnow on a wing ... get him running again. In finals he was poor and culturally it seems he was a thorn. Yes ... Curnow at his best was a great player but he was so predictable for 2 years and we will do better up forward without him (in comparison to the last 2 years).

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