Carlton don't deserve to be favourites coming into any match. They don't have the mental strength to take the label as a favourite yet.


I just want Carlton to have enough form that when they play Essendon* in a few weeks time they give Essendon* a good walloping. The finals - forget focusing on it. It goes to their heads and they lose focus. They should only be looking at 4-5 week blocks. Aim to win 3 or 4 out of each 5...with the primary aim of annihilating Essendon*.


Put in 100% effort in tackling, harassing, chasing...get rid of the show ponies and beat Essendon* and I will be happy.

And collingwood too, please.

That is looking too far ahead... these guys have an ego problem looking that far ahead. The aim is to regain form so that by the Essendon* game they are ready to kick heads...and then after that they can reassess their goals.

Carlton don't deserve to be favourites coming into any match. They don't have the mental strength to take the label as a favourite yet.


I just want Carlton to have enough form that when they play Essendon* in a few weeks time they give Essendon* a good walloping. The finals - forget focusing on it. It goes to their heads and they lose focus. They should only be looking at 4-5 week blocks. Aim to win 3 or 4 out of each 5...with the primary aim of annihilating Essendon*.


Put in 100% effort in tackling, harassing, chasing...get rid of the show ponies and beat Essendon* and I will be happy.

I'm confused.

The implication seems to be that once you lose a game of football you should retreat into a corner and self-flagellate in an effort to appease the supporters who clearly care more than you do.

We hear so much about professionalism these days. a professional footballer should be able to play a game, then win, lose or draw, set it aside and carry on with life, re-focussing on the next task at hand. Never wavering from the cause. After all, it's his job... But it's one we expect him to dedicate his every waking moment to.

And then we want them to be emotional too. We want them to have passion and desire and care as deeply as we do. All the while setting they eyes on the horizon and dedicating the best years of their life to Footy, to the Club and to us.

But it's not always going to be the case.

It can't be. They can't carry the joy of a win all week and into the next game. Just like they can't carry the sting of a loss. We expect them to roll up week-in, week-out as prepared as possible. Focussed. That emotional approach just wouldn't work. Yeah, we hear it all the time - 'they'll give them confidence' or 'they'll want to bounce back from that'... But really... it's no wonder they play up on occasion, they'd be emotional wrecks... each week manipulated by coaches and fans into a sort of fevered daze of competition and discipline.

Or perhaps they're not and they can go out after a big loss and hang out with their mates and not appear to be on the verge of tears - no matter how much you'd like them to be.

We will need a few big guys in backline this week to combat the tall eagles forward line. Bring Hartlett in, let him kick out - 75m down the guts.......

Anyone else remember our kickout tactic in every last quarter circa 1990.

Mil Hanna (?) kicks the ball as far as he can (a long way) straight down the centre corridor (not a term used at the time); Justin Madden punches/flicks the ball over the back of the pack; Craig Bradley starts running from the defensive 50 (which didn't exist) as FB makes contact.

As Bradley was the fittest player in the game, no-one could go with him.

Result: Bradley runs into forward line under no pressure and Sticks gets to mark one out.

Surely, once a week or so, this would be worth a try.

It's gotta be better than the crap method we are currently employing.

Am I stating the obvious or is bringing the ball in as quick as possible the best way to do it.

PS - James Hird loves the fab 4... We should get him down to be an assistant/mentor coach..

Anyone else remember our kickout tactic in every last quarter circa 1990.

Mil Hanna (?) kicks the ball as far as he can (a long way) straight down the centre corridor (not a term used at the time); Justin Madden punches/flicks the ball over the back of the pack; Craig Bradley starts running from the defensive 50 (which didn't exist) as FB makes contact.

As Bradley was the fittest player in the game, no-one could go with him.

Result: Bradley runs into forward line under no pressure and Sticks gets to mark one out.

Surely, once a week or so, this would be worth a try.

It's gotta be better than the crap method we are currently employing.