seanpb wrote:
A couple weeks ago, mere moments into the second quarter of our clash with Fremantle at Subiaco, my Dad chucked it in. A couple of non-footy related issues contributed to this (we all sometimes simply have a bad day), but in that moment when Des Headland outmarked Bret Thornton in the goal square and kicked truly the last 6 or so years of following Carlton, and the crushing defeats, ineptitude and agony that went hand in hand with that, came crashing down on him. He left the room, disgusted, appalled and utterly over what he'd seen.
"We're an absolute joke"
"This is a disgrace"
"!@#$%& this, I've supported them for 40 years, and this is what we get? I'm not buying a membership anymore, not for this"
And many, many more quotes in sync with those sentiments were uttered as sheer frustration overcame him. He distanced himself from the TV for the rest of that afternoon, refusing to view what was happening. Although he was relieved and pleased by the win in the end, I could understand his point of view.
Dad and I have gone to every Carlton game in Melbourne for the last 15 years together. And he's bee going long before that. We've had some terrific highs, but, lately as we all know, some shattering lows. The best part of a decade enduring defeat.
For Dad, if only for an afternoon, the straw that finally broke the camel's back was what we dished up in the first quarter and a half against Fremantle. Yes, he has since come around and is his usual self, but, for that 2 hours a couple Sunday's back that best part of a decade swelled just a little bit too much within him and the bow broke.
I've long tried to look upon my team, our team, with positivity, with an eye always to what is coming and how we're going about getting there. Even when we were traveling horribly, winning no more than a couple of games a year, I still tried to balance the face value, that being the bad, of our performances with something positive.
Bret Thornton and Kade Simpson immediately spring to mind. Two guys thrown in at the deep end in a sink or swim scenario that has seen them, to my mind, survive the horror period and become accomplished footballers. Perhaps, then, that's why they, when the going gets tough, play as tall as they do for our club. They've seen where we've come from, they understand and have lived through the period with us.
Another is Brendan Fevola. If we didn't have him going to the footy during those years would have been more hellish than it was, and that's a scary thought. What he gave us during those darkest days of our great club shouldn't be overlooked in terms of how important it was. His legacy, in my mind, will always be defined by the joy and excitement he generated almost single handedly when we were scraping the very bottom. And he stayed. Always remember he stayed.
Tonight came my 'Fremantle Moment'. It came along a lot sooner than I expected it would. Probably 30 years sooner than expected, if I was to put a date on it.
Watching us run around without instruction or structure just slowly wore me down. All the hope and positivity I'd stockpiled since 2002 just deserted me and I simply gave up. I reconciled I had nothing to cling to in what was simply the most abject, abhorrent and simply inept performance I've seen us dish up.
We are not a 10 goal worse side than Collingwood. Not on paper, not in the flesh. To play so badly that their own poor performance was masked by a barely adequate final term tipped me over the edge.
Our coaching panel's inability to match up or conceal/exploit weaknesses as the game progresses is galling. Nick Maxwell is an average footballer. To let him ride rough shot over a player the ilk of Brendan Fevola is unacceptable, it's unforgivable.
To try nothing to exploit their flimsy defence, whilst our own battled manfully all night (without Thornton and Bower we'd have lost by 15 goals tonight, and kicked fewer than 4) with little to now support from up the field was unbelievable. To not think of giving Fev any assistance, in the way of a foil or a system he could exploit was astounding.
Watching Adam Hartlett I feel sorry for the guy. Here is a guy who came to our club 5 seasons ago and is continually hung out to dry. People can say whatever they want about him, but as a club it is our responsibility to ensure all draftees make the grade, it's beneficial for us and them. Now, this doesn't always happen, we're not alone in exhibiting worrying draft success rates, but to have a guy like Hartlett, a CHF when drafted, plying his trade down back is astonishing. Tonight was the perfect opportunity for him to show his wares. Put him on Maxwell, take him to the square. That way we make Maxwell accountable, it gives Fevola a better run at the ball, and gives Hartlett a more positive task. Yes he was played forward, but how, and in what way?
To see a player fail in Navy Blue is always saddening, but in the case of Hartlett I think the club have to take more than their fair share of the blame.
There is a lot to be said for mimicking other sports and tactics used successfully in them. We need to borrow a few, and quickly. Whether it be the much vaunted rolling zone (which we can't enact or play through... lethal combination we have right there) or our refusal to attack the corridor and hard. Good teams all do this, they all run through the middle. I'd spend from now until we get it right attacking the corridor, running hard through the middle.
It's like Soccer, teams with good wingers use the width of the field to attack with pace and penetration. Teams with strong forwards use them as a target man to hold up and distribute the ball. My team Manchester United did this, they started doing this 18 years ago and we all know of their successes since. They play to their strengths, rain, hail or shine they play to their strengths.
In gridiron they play with such a structure that there, for good teams, is always a plan b. In fact, they're so well drilled there's countless back-ups. But, usually, good teams don't need them. They train and train and train so that they can execute the winning plays in their sleep. They simply know they're going to get it right, and so does the opposition. They know that they could repel them 8 times out 10, but those 2 that get through are going to be made to count.
We simply do not have this.
Tonights game got to the stage where it couldn't get more embarrassing. Even Collingwood fans didn't care cos the match had all the finality and inevitability of a Harlem Globetrotters match. As soon as they got about 4 goals up we didn't give a yelp.
I've not subscribed to this growing theory, but tonight I'm well and truly a convert. Ratten has to go, sooner rather than later. That's all I'll say on the matter because there is enough in that discussion to go around the merry-go-round forever.
I'll never abandon the Blues. But tonight is as close as I think I will ever come. Tonight was my 'Fremantle Moment'.
Great post sean, it was a real journey!!
I tell you what I'm hearing you - but I'm wondering if it's expectations which are clouding our judgement at the moment. Only two games from memory I have ever left early (I mean literally left early); one was against the scum 4 weeks ago and the other was tonight.
I've seen some bad losses and these two have been far from the worst, but it just hurts so much more when you expect a better effort. I am certain that Ratts is not the best coach to be at the helm, but I am not sure that another coach is the answer either.
I think the end of the year is the time for answers - although some like to ask too many questions....
Awesome post mate, certainly got me thinking that's for sure!! I think I may have shared a "Fremantle moment" with your old man a couple of weeks back
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