The master

dannyboy · **Posted:** Mon Feb 28, 2005 11:35 am

In the past Carlton has played through its champions. And what a list of champions. Full back to ruck to CHF we had 'em lined up and ready to destroy their opponents.... Now while we had champions and while the system allowed you to gather champions to a club with a scythe called money it meant sometimes we carried a few players who maybe were not that important in the scheme of things.

Those days are dead, buried and now being dug up as museum pieces. But Carlton still played through its champions. We still looked for a CHF (Lance oh Lance where art thou?) or waited for a SOS punch to save the day. And we forgot about drafting a close nit team.

Champions are harder to get now. The drfat saw to that. What was needed was a new method and that's what Denis has brought.

We play a team game, so much so that there are no 30 possession getters, not when we're on song. Everyone contributes from Wiggo to a Betts. Each player has a role to play, play that role and you stay in the side and the team keeps clicking along. Play that role becvause you must if this gameplan is to work. You fail and the team wil, struggle. You don;lt have to star but you do have to do certain things...sort of like a Bill of Rights...each player must do certain inalienable things.

No champions dominating, rather a sharing of the load. Sure lance and Fev are standing up but the players around them and before them are setting the board up so they can stand up. And even Fev and Lance copped some flak for trying to include others in the game on sunday (the one to JD for example) - but these incidents should be seen as part of the tapestry of team-orientated play. Yes those two incidents didn't work but how many did? Well enough to win another game, that's how many!

This side really does play as a single unit, a sort of swarm and the more they play together the better this will get. The fact is this is September football, you play as a team and absorb the pressure collectively. No one stands alone. No one. This style will win you finals. And going by the past two weeks this side has his collective eyes and minds set on finals. And more...much more...

Denis has constructed something out of very little. there was a bliuuse called Houla who runs and destroys with pinpoint passes, there was thre wild dog called Fev who marks and kicks and chases. there was Lance, lost in the flotsam of too much too soon too easily, now striding the turf like a colossass. And there are the forgein legion, the players culled like too small fish but now breathing new life into a club, into a side, into their own careers.

Best of all there is a dynamic, fluid brand of football that takes the breath away with its speed, its artistry and its sheer reckless joy at taking risks, at playing on, knwoijg a teammate will be leading, another will be blocking, a third will be offering an alternative. It's a joy to watch this side play.

Denis is a master, this side will be his Mona Lisa! His David! His Sistine Chapel!

bluehammer · **Posted:** Mon Feb 28, 2005 11:37 am

dannyboy wrote:

Denis is a master, this side will be his David!

Clarke?

God I hope not.

Great piece DB. Couldnay have put it better myself.

Blue Bird · **Posted:** Mon Feb 28, 2005 11:39 am

*sob* - now I know I'm truly home.

Danny - inaugural winner of ROW? Or is that copyright. :oops:

camel · **Posted:** Mon Feb 28, 2005 11:42 am

Blue Bird wrote:

*sob* - now I know I'm truly home.

Danny - inaugural winner of ROW? Or is that copyright. :oops:

Haha, yeah I was thinking about that, and seeing as we're all prisoners of the Carlton Footy Club, I was wondering if a POW acronym may be better...

...Post of the Week.

Great stuff as usual dannyboy. Can't wait to see Choco try and reinvent Blue Poles in 2005. :lol:

Jarusa · **Joined:** Sat Feb 26, 2005 9:00 am **Posts:** 23123

Maybe it could be TOW? (Talker of the Week)

Hitting the nail on the head there dannyboy, the master has introduced a new philosophy.

Blue Bird · **Posted:** Mon Feb 28, 2005 11:44 am

WOW - wordsmith of the week?

natnat · **Posted:** Mon Feb 28, 2005 12:27 pm

Just a bit worried about those close nits, db....maybe denis should keep the liceblaster nearby to be safe...

melbelle39 · **Posted:** Mon Feb 28, 2005 12:34 pm

Excellent work Danny

I say pay pagan whatever he wants - pass the hat round after every match if necessary, I dont see there being any problem raising the necesary moula...hes rebuilt a team from scratch with very little in terms of draft picks...

For whats its worth I like POW

bluehammer · **Posted:** Mon Feb 28, 2005 12:59 pm

POW is good. Certainly beats the option I was thinking of which was ROTLSD

Ranter of the Last Seven Days

Kaptain Kouta · **Joined:** Mon Feb 28, 2005 12:41 pm **Posts:** 63509

camelboy wrote:

Blue Bird wrote:

*sob* - now I know I'm truly home.

Danny - inaugural winner of ROW? Or is that copyright. :oops:

Haha, yeah I was thinking about that, and seeing as we're all prisoners of the Carlton Footy Club, I was wondering if a POW acronym may be better...

...Post of the Week.

Great stuff as usual dannyboy. Can't wait to see Choco try and reinvent Blue Poles in 2005. :lol: