I've never really understood the split round. But it's here and we have to live with it, so I'll just get on with life but still be annoyed this weekend when there's no Bluebagger game on. I'll get over it.

So at least we get a bit of a break.

Anyway, I have found this season pretty enjoyable to date. The pre-season cup was a great start to the footy season and it introduced us to Gibbs. To win it was quite a feat and beating the Lions was awesomely exciting.

Once the season kicked off and we beat Richmond, I wasn't particularly pumped as I remembered last year and our demolition of the Demons first up.

There have been a few disappointments, the Geelong loss was a killer, and to be smashed by the Hawks also a downer. The loss to West Coast was neither here nor there.

But there have been plenty of exciting games, including losses to the Lions and North which were excellent games. And the pulsating win over Essendon* was pure adrenalin. Last rounds victory over Port was also a beauty.

There's bound to be a few more ups and downs for the rest of the season, and the Carlton lads deserve a break and a bit of R&R. We've already won one more game than last year and there's still ten games to go. If we win three of them, that's seven wins -- exactly double last year's return.

That will mean 14 wins next year.

Good post, Verbs. It's too easy to stick the boots in the Blues after that thumping by the hawks. We just weren't good enough on the night. The Hawks played well, and we didn't. All credit to the Hawks.

This season has also been enjoyable for me so far. The good thing is that it is only Rd 12. There's still a half to go. We've shown that we can be a good team. Sure, some ppl here will probably shoot me down for trying to be too positive and that I am expecting too little of the Blues. But I don't want to be like those ppl who sing the Blues' praises when we win (like the previous too weeks) and kick them in the guts when we lose. A true supporter does just that. Supports the team through the good times and the bad times.

Come on Blues!!! We'll bounce back from this one and take another step forward.

I too have loved a loty about this year Waite's growth, carrots, the kids, Tex shining. Stevo until the injury.

I just wish the same flaws did not show up each year.

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This type of slight is alien in the more cultured part of the world - Walsh. Its up there with mad dogs, Englishmen and the midday sun!

I am inclined to agree with the theme of this thread. It has been an exciting year, lots of ups (Pratt Prez, NAB Cup, Gibbs, Irish, Ess Bullies and Port wins) and a few downers (Stevo injury, Lance, Dawks game and the 6 losses in a row). The brand of footy is better to watch, the players have shown they have the ability to go to the next level (now we need it on a more regular basis) and the members have flocked back to Carlton. Last Friday night was just one of those days, we will bounce back over the next couple of weeks. As for the remaining 10 weeks of the season I'm looking for wins over the Pies, Saintas and the Dees (x2) to cap off a good year of rebuilding.

it's been painfully slow these last five years and i think a lot of people got ahead of them selves after the two wins in a row.

last week was a reality check, but we have made progress definatley.

i would have liked to think that the massive losses were a thing of the past but every team will get a touch up from time to time.

heck Essendon* were 75 points down to the power and team we were 66 points up on just last week.

i have been at times angry and the MC for uninspiring selection and i think we are screwing over hartlett and kennedy by playing them out of position.

but other than that i've enjoyed the progress of most of our kids. particularly the young guys in russell, betts, and walker who is going to be very scary in a couple of years.

i've also enjoyed how guys like fisher, wiggo, waite and carrazzo have matured into good consistent players.

anderson looks likley.

gibbs looks fantastic with his poise.

Murphy will learn a heap out of all the tags but i do feel for him.

Setanta's efforts have been heartening and we've only had two really bad results out of 16 if you include the preseason.

as long as we are competitive in the second half of the season and dont have too many more 10 goal + losses i'll be pretty happy.

still 2 years away from finals though i reckon

That passage of play against the Bulldogs when Setanta had the ball about 3,000 times and we ended up kicking a goal, I was laughing and laughing. He's great to watch. I hope his brother is just as entertaining.

Agree with gezman. The team is there. We just need to get a bit more consistency. Walker is going to be a REAL gun. We were killed with turnovers on the weekend. As the skill improves with consistency, we will be up there. Stay with the Blues, guys!