AMEN TO THAT. Setting the bar low seems to be the national past time at Carlton these days.

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If I want your opinion, I'll give it to you!

and they've played Geelong and we haven't...which would in effect still leave them a game clear

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"Truth, for the tyrants, is the most terrible and cruel of all bindings; it is like an incandescent iron falling across their chests. And it is even more agonizing than hot iron, for that only burns the flesh, while truth burns its way into the soul"     — Lauro Aguirre

We seem a little too concerned why Ratts isn't the right person to coach this footy club, why not list reason why he should! And why are so many people keen to have anybody else but Ratts??

What makes Voss a better choice? He has waked into a club already established, has arguable two of the best forwards in the comp, seasoned midfielders, high draft picks obtained by good list management headed by Leigh Matthews. All the hard work and decisions were made, What has he done?? Developed a game plan? changed the forward structure?

What makes Knights a better choice? What game structures has he implemented, other than incorporating an under 12 footy philosphy of attack at all costs! What changes has he made, he has seasoned players throughout his team in Lloyd, Lucas, McVeigh Fletcher Stanton Watson Hill McPhee amungst others, players like Dyson Winderlich Welsh have been around for some time, and are at best good players. If you take Sheedy's view on board, he should be congratulated for the new look dons, not Knights!

Under the Knights program, you don't need to think just run. You dont need to kick accurately just run! Will see how Knights pulls up, once his strategy runs out of gas.

Why would Hardwick be a better choice, or Longmier or any one else for that matter. We speculate and presume that one individual would be better than another.

Now why Ratts is a good choice. He has played in a successful club, he himself is a very decorated player. A player who had to learn the game and work extremely hard to gain the respect of his team mates and coaches. He is viewed as a very good thinker of the game by three coaches two of which have were multiply premiership coaches. He accepted the position risking his impressive reputation within the club, the club he loves. Failure is no option!!

We all know, he has made some mistakes, and importantly he has raised his hand and acceppted responsibility for them. He will grow into this position, with confidence at the same rate as the current group of players. What I do believe is that Ratten will teach this group all aspects of the game, not just your simple run at all costs (what do I next plan).

Go Blues !!!

If Knights' plan is so juvenile, how come Ratten can't pick it apart? In fact why did we just get our arses handed to us in very facet of the game?

Sounds good.

Ratts was a decorated player
Succesful club
Viewed as a good thinker
Failure is no option
accepted responsibility for his mistakes
Grow into his position
Teach this group all aspects of the game
Not just run at all costs (with a bagging of knights and all his structures gameplan and players)

There is a whole lot of thought put into that post........... and it has convinced me... Ratts is the man...

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Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil....... the Light at the End of the Tunnel has been turned off. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Good point aramari, and I must say I expected a reply of that nature. I don't suggest that Ratts is going very well at the moment, I too was very baffled by the negative roles set to so many players. What I'm saying is that he will learn from that. Each game he is involved in will further develop his awareness in the coaches box.

I think he would admit that his match day performance is not as good as it should be, but like his football carrer he will continue to press and teach himself how to become better.

As for Knights, he has employed the same tactics from his Bendigo Bombers days, his record will tell you that he was not successful. Agree keeping it simple, run at all costs, will delivery some results, the point to be made is at what cost. Are you actually developing players.

I have stated previously that the effort required to plan and for that matter coach, an offensive run at all cost footy team at this level is not a difficult process. Most players, entering the system are hunters of the ball, they are naturally offensive and through their development years are encouraged to run and carry. The key is to develop the same players into a smarter versatile player, it is a harder discipline to learn.

To use an example, St Kilda under Grant Thomas were similar to Knights Bombers. The difference being that the Saints picked up a number of handy players through the draft. Known as the flat track bullies, when their offensive game did't work, it was all other. Ross Lyon has installed the importance of the playing the game in both directions. He hasn't earned any major results, but they are in a far better position now then when they were guided by Thomas.

I'm prepared to let Ratts develop into a very good coach, but nothing is a certainty. The same can be said about many other coaches.

Go Blues!!

I see Ratts problem as he needs to get the boys playing a distinct style of footy and then tinker with the game plan and introduce tactics and strategies. To me it seems as if his message is confusing, especially when he hasn't got a settled side, a well balanced team and the boys knowing how they are to play.

For instance i've never seen Essendon* step away from how they are to play no matter the margin. You can see what they ar etrying to do and by sticking it at it they will only get better. The same applies with Melbourne, they will not go away from the style Dean Bailey wants them to play even if they are getting pumped by 12 goals before half time.

We have Brett Ratten tinkering with our game plan as if these boys have played 5 years together, as if the side is settled. He hasn't kept it simple to begin with, he hasn't got a settled team and most weeks gets the balance completely wrong.

This is why i say the boys don't have much confidence in Brett Ratten. He's done a poor job convincing the boys his plans are gonna pay off and now the confidence of the boys is low.

So tell me Melvey, when was the last team meeting you sat in on at Carlton to determine whether Ratten is consistant with his message.

And when was the last team meeting you sat in on with Knights to see that his is?

And who was the player who last informed you that Ratten has lost the confidence of the players?

And just as an aside when in the team meeting did you determine that his message is simple or not?

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Go BLues

Directives are translated out in the middle.

Were a dogs breakfast out there...

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Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil....... the Light at the End of the Tunnel has been turned off. We apologize for the inconvenience.

So when Geelong were smashing Essendon* by 13 goals at 3/4 time, you think it's good that they retained their playing style and didn't try something different?

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Looking forward to seeing our potential realised.

The discussion is about directives not translation. Translation is a shared responsiblity and not just the coaches. It happens when the players cross the line. You see I dont know what Rattens message is, but I do know that not many people would. My questions still stands. Which team meetings did you blokes attend?

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Go BLues

The discussion is directves translated.
If Ratts cant have his directives translated and theyre a dogs breakfast.... thats Ratts not doing his job .....

No??????

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Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil....... the Light at the End of the Tunnel has been turned off. We apologize for the inconvenience.

You must have missed the discussion between Melvey and myself. Its actually about directives

So tell me which team meeting did you blokes attend. And if you didn't attend any then why should anybody give any credence to what you say? I notice with interest you didnt reply to Spider when he asked you about your experience. Very telling I thought

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Go BLues

Youre missing the point.


You dont have to go to team meetings to see that theyre playing a dogs breakfast gameplan each week.
If the directives were sound the chances are the execution is sound.
Either that or we have to sack a list of 46 players........

You can see if players have faith in a gameplan and in the directives given....
by how they go about playing the game of football...

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Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil....... the Light at the End of the Tunnel has been turned off. We apologize for the inconvenience.

No...I think your missing the point.

Articulate for me clearly what the gameplan is. You see herein lies the problem, It is very easy to throw barbs at Ratten for what your perception of what you think the gameplan is. I am simply asking you to tell me what the gameplan is. Either told to you by the coaches, players or officials of the club.

If you cant then how can you say that it is crap?

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Go BLues

Is this the JR thread renamed and rebirthed?.........it's mighty familiar....

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No ones listening till you make a mistake.

..personally, what i don't understand is with a coaching panel consisting of so many great midfielders like rats, braddles, deisel, harvs.. ..and with the good midfielders we have on our list.. ..why don't we dominate center clearances..?..

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..if you can't be good, be good at it..

At last. A good question posted. I don't really know personally but it is a great question

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Go BLues

As our ruck stocks develop our clearances will improve...

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There's so much I could say...

..sure, i'll agree with that to a certain extent, but this year some teams have been forced to play their lesser rucks and have still beaten us in the middle..

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..if you can't be good, be good at it..