The question is do we want to make the finals? I would say no......... I don't want to be numbers I want to be a threat. In the season 08 finals campaign, I believe that we would just be numbers. I know that anything can happen, i get that, but this game can break your heart and I am not prepared to accept any more heartache. I want to look forward to 09 and the re-emergance of our great club. I will aim for a top 4 finish in 09 and a finals campaign where anything is possible, because we are that good and up to beating anyone, on there day on the greatest stage. I do not want to believe that we are still a chance, 4 weeks out and come 3,2,1 weeks to go that famous line of being "mathematically possible". We are Carlton and we are better than that! As much as the young boys would get much out of a campaign in 08 I believe it would be a futile excercise. Lets bring on 09/10/11/12 when we are genuine PREMIERSHIP contenders. The one that counts is not too far off. I see the signs week in and week out and I can 'suck it up' for another 4 weeks, the ever long break between seasons and the gruelling pre-season. It is what that my club is about to embark on that makes me lick my lips. The signs are there, lets go through the motions and finish of 08 with our heads held high and look forward to 09.
Blues to beat Port by 39 on Saturday, Fev to kick 6.2 (Buddy to kick 1.18), the Coleman could be ours, Juddy, Simmo, Murphy, Waite, Tex & Stevo to dominate, Fisher to actually hold a mark and kick with confidence.
A winning week for the blues!
BM

They day "not playing finals" is good for the development of a group of footballers is the day I give it away.

We should be doing everything possible in the next 4 weeks to give the guys a taste of finals football and what they should be aiming for from here on in.

Agree. I cannot comprehend any side deliberately not wanting to play finals...

Well, I would rather Carlton finish 8th and "make up the numbers" than any other team also vying for that 8th spot.

Next year is a whole new ball game with lucky wins, unlucky losses and injuries (hopefully not). Who knows what next year will bring. We have made huge improvements this year and there is no reason why we can not continue next year. Whether the rate of improvement is at the same level next year or we consolidate or plateau a bit - who knows.

All I do know for certain is that making the eight is not easy, it requires a lot of things to go right. If we have a chance to make the eight this year -let's go for it. It's been too long!!!

+ 1

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Hooked on The Blues

Getting a taste of finals is paramount for our young team.... we wont make it though
If we beat Port ( which we SHOULD )
North, Brisbane and Hawks we wont beat

So no hope... bring on next season

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Matty Kruzer you star!

Why not?

North is up and down. You never know which side will turn up. Brisbane's not in good form. I don't see why we can't beat those two sides.

Hawks are harder. But most thought we wouldn't beat Bulldogs either. So I can see us toppling the Hawks, albeit a tough ask.

I like Judd's comment:

I we are good enough to play finals we will make it, if we aren't we won't.

No point worry about it yet.

If we were good enough to beat the second best side in the comp at the time when we played the Bulldogs a couple of weeks ago, why would it not be good for us to make the finals.

Maybe Geelong are capable of belting us, but we have shown that we can be competetive and even beat most other sides.

I will not be overly concerned if we do not make the eight as long as we continue to show that we are developing as a team. The signs are pretty good even though we have had a few glitches. We have also had some very untimely injuries that have cost us.

A good finish to the season regardless of whether we make the eight is my wish.

go blues.

PS. I have this premonition that we might flog the Hawks..... will I get voted Australia's top clairvoyant if we do? My slogan will be "NTBlue is the one."

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“Before you criticise someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticise them, you're a mile a way and you have their shoes."

If we made the finals, we wouldn't be sacrificial lambs to the slaughter.

Just a few weeks ago we knocked off a team that was amoung those touted as potential grand finalists.

Another team that will probably be playing in the finals - Collingwood - we've knocked off twice.

Sydney, a current top four side, we took to within one straight kick a few weeks ago as well.




At the start of the year, things were different - but make the finals or not we are hitting our straps at the moment, if we made it anything is possible.




It's been nearly 6 years. Even one games, for the fans - and more importantly to give the boys some finals experience - would be worth it.

I would rather be making up the numbers in the eight, than making up the numbers out of the eight.

If we are good enough to get into the finals, we are good enough to win some finals too!

Footy is a strange game, I believe the injury to Porps against the Crows spurred them on and their burst in the 2nd/3rd quarter was attributable to the passion/emotion of that incident. we too have won games that perhaps we shouldnt this year and previous years.

So in short if we get to the finals, who knows what could happen, but dont worry BM Im not too confident we will get there this year anyway, we really needed to win against the Bombers, Saints or Swannies.

Anybody who doesnt want us to make the 8 needs to go and see a doctor

I am happy to make the finals but its not a big priority for me.

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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!

Agree with DB, I reckon the fact we've given the youngens the "potential" to make finals this late in the season is good enough. I want to beat Port without a doubt, if we happen to play well after that and make the finals then HOORAH! but! there is nothing worse than finishing 9th.
Our priority lies in getting a top 6 pick (ensuring we at least have a shot at one of Hurley, Harts or Ziebell (I hope its Ziebell)). By that logic we should essentially stay right where we are on the ladder. Win 1/2, Lose 2/3, which is the most probable scenario anyways.

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Blues Forever!

Is Valentino in town???

IF we make the 8, I'm reckon we will win our first game.

then who knows but i'm absolutely convinced that a final at the MCG first up will result in a win.

i guess we could play in brisbane, sydney or adelaide though, so not so sure now.


god id love to see us stitch up the pies or saints at the G in the first week in September.

that would be ever so satisfying.

JUDD and FEVOLA are top 5 players in the league and at the G' in September, any bloody thing could happen.

i'm still hanging on to a dream, but it's just so damn nice that i'm even allowed to dream of September this late in a season.

i feel ashamed that I've never seen us play live in a final.

i feel it's almost time to start truly feeling down to my core that we really do belong again.

this season has been such a tease - i forgot what being in a dog fight for the 8 meant, and it's hitting me hard latley.

i want to yell, i want to scream.

COME ON BLUES BACK TO WHERE WE BELONG.

i believe in you Carlton.

making the 8 would...

- give our youngens a taste of finals footy in preperation for when we're ready to have a real crack at a flag. If they get a taste this year, we'll be able to go alot further next year in the finals.

- making the finals would also be good for Monsiure C Judd as he'll be used to finals action and not playing in September could be a bit of a down-er for him! Given his very professional footy ethic, it wouldn't make a huuge difference but maybe just a little, and it could be a very vital little!

- yeh, back to the youngens. They totally deserve to have at least one final for a reward for all their courageous effort.

- we'd get 40000 members again next year (a real 40k!)!

- How good will it feel??!!!??!!!!

Rich