What a great day. Beautiful Melbourne sunshine with a gentle breeze. The soft green grass of Princes Park Oval and 600 kids running around, kicking and tackling with their football heroes.

The highest kudos to the club on a magnificent day. The crew from Camp Australia organised the clinic. One of them at every station with one or two Carlton players. About 18 stations? on the ground, divided in 2 so each group visited 9 of them. Standard kicking, handballing, bouncing and tackling drills.
The highlight must have been Fev and Cloke doing a tug of war game. First they divided the kids and had best of 3 among them. Then it was all the kids against the 2 of them. They got the kids to grab the rope and pull full weight, then let it go so all the kids fell. Then as the kids got up, Fev said, "lets do it properly this time". Same deal . let it go and the kids fell. Fev said again "we'll do it properly this time" The kids got sucked in again, but Clokey pulled hard enough that Fev fell then got all the kids to play stacks on. The kids had a ball. It was the most fun all day and Fev is a master with the kids. He was haveing fun too. I started the day thinking ot may be his last year at the club, but after that 10 min, I hope not.

Besides Fev and Cloke, the senior players I noticed there were Fisher,Carrots, Betts and Ackland. The rest were the youngsters, although we only went around half the stations. All the players hung around for photos and autographs. The merchandise shop did a good trade. My son got a jumper with no 3 on the back.

Definitely will go again. Well done Carlton.

It was great Buzz. I took my 5yo there. After Fev and Clokey fell over Fev called "Stacks On" and the kids didn't know what that was and I whispered to my boy to jump on Fev, which he did followed by about 30 kids. I hope they didn't injure him.

Fev's great with the kids. He always has been - and this not a criticism - because he's a bit a big kid himself. He does a lot of kid charity stuff apparently and he's always the last to leave because he's signing autographs and chatting.

Someone described him on the radio as being the heart and soul of Carlton and in a lot of ways he is. Like him or not, it can't be denied. When he's up, everyone else is. Even if he's contributing but not kicking goals, the team is bouyed by his presence.

I wish him every success.

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1945 - End of round 3 Carlton was last.

Last round Carlton made the final four for the first time.

Eventual premiers.

That's what I'm talking about!

Didnt make it this time as one of the kids had their appendix burst on good friday so he probably wasnt up to footy. I normally take them for the 2nd one later in the season and am always amazed at how giving the players, especially Fev are of their time. At previous ones I have been amazed how some of the 'stars' like Murph, Gibbs etc sit behind a table and a huge queue forms for their autograph but Fev just wades into the crowd, often with rows 10 deep around him, holding babies for photos, signing shirts, books, whatever. There's never any cameras around to capture this!!

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"Who discovered we could get milk from cows, and what did he think he was doing at the time?" Billy Connolly

Yep, I concur with the above. Took the four yo along and he had a great day given the breeze.

Fevola and Cam Cloke were definitely highlights for the lad. Fev may misbehave off the field occasionally but his commitment to events like this are sensational (thanks Denis).

He gives his all and the kids genuinely enjoy the time - none of the cursory "i'm a star' stuff you see with some other (teams) players. Cam Cloke was great - always a big smile and plenty of voice and fun.

Eddie, Fev were the last to leave the oval - well after everyone else had left - continued to sign pics and pose etc.

Top score to the club and the players for a great day. Well organised and my kid loved it.

Perhaps the only drawback was a lack of yummy mummies out there. I got around most of the activities but didn't get to exercise the ocular too often. Can something be done about that next time? Carlton usually draws some pretty decent chicks. It was better viewing at kinder this morning.

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This might sound extreme in the context of alleged sexual assault, drunken violence and a drug trafficking charge...

Soft.

Just gagging. All the best for his recovery and lets hope he makes the next one

good to see Bozo doing what he does best - entertaining the kids


thats what clowns do

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If you allow the Government to change the Laws in an emergency
They will create an Emergency to change the Laws

Nice to add another positive to all the other postives that have happened at the club over the past 12 months or so.
Well done to all involved.

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There's so much I could say...

Great reports! Fev is awesome. Great to hear Cam Cloke's involvement too.

You'd prefer he didn't participate in these events Syd?

You'd prefer Carlton players to turn the other way to the next generation of supporters? Is that what you prefer? Do you want him to brush kids off and tell everyone he's a star and shouldn't have to do this stuff?

If you reckon this stuff isn't important, you probably don't understand much else about football clubs either. Fev might be a clown but he is worth millions to the club over his career - slightly more than your cheap and rather pathetic throwaway lines.

I seriously am wondering why I bothered responding .

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This might sound extreme in the context of alleged sexual assault, drunken violence and a drug trafficking charge...

Posted in the training thread also that's it's difficult reconciling Fev at the family days with the grainy Fev in security videos.
Hope he keeps off the sauce.

Eddie Betts was also a highlight with the speccie bag.

The organisation this year was brilliant. Not "allowing" parents on the field was a great idea as it allowed everything to move through smoothly. (Of course the parents were there for the littlies)

The weather was good believe it or not and a heap of merchandise sold. Just need more coffee machines and maybe food stalls as it was a bit slow going through the social club and sometimes difficult with littlies to get that far away.

Also thanks to Mr Judd who was cllared in the car park by my 6 year old and had his No5 signed by the Juddernaut.

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“Every single element of the Club has to be the best in the league, meticulously and methodically, and only by doing this will we be elite and challenge for number 17.”
Greg Lee

The easiest thing for fev to do would have been to hide away esp with the front page of the Sun yesterday. He could have been excused for wanting to lay low. You cant underestimate the effect Fev has on the kids. He's like the Pied Piper. He'll build a brand loyalty that will benefit the club in 20years time.

Great report, will have to take my kids next year I reckon.

Great to hear about Fev too.

His positives for the club far outweigh his negatives.

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|♥♥♥♥♥♥| http://www.blueseum.org |♥♥♥♥♥♥|

I know, stood at the end of the bed after the surgery and gave him a real spray. Glad he's out now because I wouldnt wish me on any of the other patients were I to have to sit in there watching us vs scum this Saturday. As it was I had to leave the ward during the Socceroos China game after that penalty was given, poor 11 yo son and other patients just trying to recuperate, feral dad going off at some useless oxygen thief of a ref!!!

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"Who discovered we could get milk from cows, and what did he think he was doing at the time?" Billy Connolly

His negative impact on the team can only be measured after he's gone. that'll be 2009.

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end of message

I would prefer it if Fev was doing these things down at Punt road or moorabin

Next time you take your kids along maybe you could get The Fev to show you how to skull a beer and chase it down with a shot of bourban

or when to hold and fold and sit and bluff at the poker table

or even better get them to spell their names while pissing on the shop front wall

or chuck a tantrum and drop your head when the umpy doesn't give you a free


But he is getting better he is off the booze now I here

He is just the bloke I want my kids to go and see he sets a wonderful example of what a human should aspire to be

Hey but each to his own hey

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If you allow the Government to change the Laws in an emergency
They will create an Emergency to change the Laws

Wrong side of the bed?

well if you let your kids into the bar or at the poker table then you are the irresponsible one here not Fev...

while we're talking about the wonderful examples of what human beings aspire to be, i wonder if your children will inherit your charitable ways

stop carrying on (and this goes for everybody on the get rid of fev bandwagon) like hes the only person in the AFL with a mark next to his name. the same people lauding and celebrating the bogan ways of players in the 80s are now the first to hang shit on a player. do you think any of the kids care if Fev was out on the piss? or if he was at the Cas? no. they wouldnt give a shit. and neither should you. but, of course, that doesnt stop you passing judgement from atop your high horse

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"In fairness it did seem in the early days of the draft teams would just pick a name totally at random out of a hat. I'm pretty sure we picked James Cook at #2 one year. The mediocre forward, not the explorer" - Me, 12/9/2011

Carlton 2012: Lets remind them why they once feared the Dark.

Take it easy people.

See what you did Buzz by posting something as simple as a kids clinic at PP?

I'm glad your son got his number 3 guernsey. Best number by a mile.

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“It is a state of mind, a system of belief, a way of seeing the world, a deep faith that, because you are Carlton, you belong to something great.” - Mike Fitzpatrick articulating what Out of the Blue means.