When the decision not to field our own reserves side was made,what exactly was the reason behind it?
I remain confused about the whole thing. We seem to have let others steal a march on us. Essendon* moved in to Bendigo , a Carlton stronghold,
after the Blues knocked back the Bendigo Diggers on their desperate bid to align with the Blues.
Mark Robinson , a Bombers man and fellow Bendigonian, has referred in his articles to Bendigo being a Carlton town, and he's right. Opportunity lost
In today's Bendigo Advertiser the big story is the Bombers are going to play Collingwood in a curtain raiser in July, for all intents and purposes it's Essendon* v Collingwood . Where the hell is our side, Cramer St. Preston?
Collingwood will increase their exposure by fielding their own reserves side. Especially playing on our ground, and they will draw crowds.
So what do we do, get cold feet sit on our hands, and stay with Preston.
Opportunity lost.
I may be wrong but was the decision to continue with the Bullants, made
to ensure the Bullants don't fold?
Absolutely no disrespect to the Bullants, a fine club over many years,
but Ihope the Carlton reserves option is revisited sooner rather than later.

Traditionally Bendigo was our town and when it was part of our zone we got a lot of players from their (champions in fact).

But these days with the draft - the AFL has in fact severed all the ties that bind a club to a geographic location.

Indeed all the Melbourne based clubs are really now trying to establish community roots in Melbourne in areas other than their old suburbs.

Hawthorn - Eastern Suburbs
St. Kilda - South East and Peninsula
Richmond - Craigieburn
Western Bulldogs - Western Suburbs
Collingwood - have moved from Collingwood - and have in fact established a national brand - as has Essendon* - and hopefully Carlton are not too far away now.
North Melbourne are [REDACTED] - as tonights meeting shows.
Geelong is a one horse town.


Dont get too carried away with Essendon*'s alignment with Bendigo - I think Cazz has posted somewhere else at some stage that this alignment is very difficult for Essendon* practically speaking - in particular for their Rookies and all their fringe players.

Carlton has a huge advantage with the Bullant alignment - firstly it is reasonably close to us.

Secondly it strikes into our traditional suburban heartland of support - Northern Suburbs (and part of Collingwoods as well ).

With the appointment of David Teague and Matthew Lappin as an assistant I think you will find the ties to hte Bullants growing stronger.

People more in the know can correct me.

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

Winston Churchill

I'm hoping the current deal is part of a long term move to "take ownership" of the northern suburbs.
I'm very interested to hear what the senior Bullant selection criteria & player ratio is in terms of CFC listed/Bullant listed players?

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There's so much I could say...

Agro you mention the collingwood heartland - I want to make it clear that if you follow the filth and you have always followed Preston - you will not follow them now as Carlton are aligned to them.

I would like to follow Sandy but just can't do it while Melbourne players are running around for them.

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Between our dreams and actions lies this world

Our Northern heartland is basically either side of the Number 19 Tram going up Sydney road - Brunswick, Coburg to Fawkner.

Yep Preston is traditionally Collingwoods - but Collingwood have eschewed taking a suburban Melbourne focus - and have chosen the Manchester United path of global brand - this will be to thier detriment as AFL will never be anything more than a very minor sport internationally (how many Collingwood jumpers do they think they will sell in China ) and by the time Collingwood realize that we will have taken the Northern Suburbs from them.

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

Winston Churchill

kingkerna wrote



I was a Zebra man till that happened.

I can't barrack for Preston BullAnts, like I can't barrack for Collingwood or Port Melbourne. When in Melbourne, when I see the Ants, I go to watch how our kids move; couldn't give a shit about the result.

The passion is gone; I miss it. It's all fairy land, lalalala stuff. It's not right.

Nowadays it's hard to passionately follow several teams from different competitions because Carlton play on a Thurday, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

I want OUR players, at least wearing Carlton FC JUMPERS on any of those given days; that would really help.

I'm 100% with you murraycray.

Synbad is really strong on the alliance and the synergy between Carlton- Preston and the link to the northern suburbs. Agro makes a similar point. I don't buy it because of the very reason kingkerna gives....

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Its a generational thing - it wont be for my kids or your kids but for their kids - it wont happen overnight but it will happen.

Collingwood have given the Northern Suburbs away - we put the stake in the ground now - we will reap the rewards in - 2050.

And we wont be having any meetings at Dallas Brooks Hall to save our club then either.

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

Winston Churchill

out of all great decisions the board has made this year... we were bound to screw one thing up... i hope the situation changes soon... the development of geelong players is testament an VFL side is good for the club.

Agro wrte



Your hypotheseis has merit. I truly believe there's credence in that.

If the alignment means they will be called the Bullants, then at the very least they can wear the carlton jumper; that'sa all.

My question is do we really have to have an alignment with the Bullants to have a northern suburbs marketing strategy/ focus?

There's more than one way to skin a cat. The Bullants connection sends mixed messages.

As far as generational change is concerned, one must be mindful that the kids of parents usually follow the same team as their parents (fanatics have no choice), and it's the fence sitters who have no team or inclination to follow Aussie Rules that we should be converting. Whereas the Carlton supporters we should be moving them emotionally to become bonafide supporters in the form of members.

They need a jumper to follow to pledge their allegiance to. Red does not equal Dark Navy Blue. How many Carlton supporters would buy and wear 2 different jumpers. That's an easy answer. It wont work like that, or put it this way less bang for your bucks.

Bullants - Carlton alignment does not equal a campaign that will touch the hearts and minds of the locals and loyalty towards Carlton. Realsitically it's doomed if that's the objective; wrong backdrop.

Truly, I think it's all about money and our tight budget (at this stage) that has forced our hand.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

plus we should be looking at all of melbourne as our turf not just the northern suburbs

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Between our dreams and actions lies this world

Very true kingkerna.

A wholistic approach. All embracing.

Look even further to Australia wide.

It wont be long, with the Dome as our home ground, we will be locking out Carlton members from the ground ala WA and SA teams' home games....so Austrlia wide members seems like a good idea.

Start with Melbourne first though...immediate catchment area.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

The locals don't give a toss about the Bendigo Bombers. The local comp gets bigger crowds.

Not such a bad decision now that quite a few of the home games will be at MC Hammer Park. I am not a fan of the red jersey but there may be some benefits - other than the fact that it is cheaper than fielding a stand alone team.

The money saved might be able to pay for some players - including Lappin and the alignment arrangement might allow the club to retain some veterans who could not have been retained in a Blues reserve team.

I am not sure about the rules relating to this matter but seem to recall that Geelong used to have to drag players from various local leagues to just make up the numbers a few years back.

I know the club gave serious consideration to going it alone and, as money is no longer an issue, I suspect the decision was made because it was considered more advantageous.

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Hey Rocky; there are too many rabbits ... in China.

I'm hoping there's a long term 'method' to Swanns 'madness'.

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There's so much I could say...

I think at some stage down the track there will be a stand alone Carlton side in the VFL.

In particular when Eddie, Dick Gary and Greg realize that a VFL Carlton -v- Collingwood game at Princes Park would attract about 20,000.

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

Winston Churchill

Do the AFL gain anything financially from VFL games?

I reckon they'd be packing it if a Melbourne vs Freo game was on at Telstra at the same time a Carlton v Collingwood game was on at Princes Park.

Watch Demetriou and his merry band of game wreckers put endless hurdles in place to stop this from happening.

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Richard Pratt - A Carlton legend.