Incredibly disappointing!
1 week out from the finals and they cant apply themselves as required - simply mind-boggling!

_________________
C'mon Blueboys!

It hurts. I'd do this:

Cloke - Hammer/Jacobs
Betts - Yarran
Garlett - Ellard (seems handy around goals, in v good form for Ants) or Browne
Hads - Armfield

Either Carrots/Houla as negative forwards v McLeod could find us a few goals, too.

The members don't decide what happens, they just elect a board who appoint people who decide what happens.

You don't win flags when your team aren't committed. You can't have players skipping mandatory training sessions, so while it's disappointing this had to happen, the disappointment has to be with the players not Icke and Ratts.

Jacobs, Yarran and Armfield would have all been in contention for a spot anyway, so the onfield cost is relatively minor. Overlooking this kind of shit when we have other options would have been a massive mistake.

Get the culture right for next year.

They were late.

Give them a break. Why is it half the time someone stuffs up and is late, they spin that stupid wheel and have to shave their head or some other stupid dare.

There's obviously more to this if the penalty is so harsh.
But until we know its not fair to judge them so harshly i.e. "Cloke's career over" and Eddie being "on the turps".

Caulfieldrover, you are not the only TC member who knows directors.
If I call any of them it will be to congratulate the football dept on finally taking a tough and correct approach.
This is the sort of decision that can lead to flags. Not making it can cost us flags.
A bad attitude is what causes us to play worse when playing lower teams. Consistency and discipline will turn us from a team with potential to a great team for the ages.
If we lose against Adelaide as a result, so be it - everyone will know they cost us a home final. Let's then see the next person to do it. If we beat Adelaide, it will show these fellas they're not indispensible and had better pull their socks up. I'd rather be making this decision now than next year when we are genuinely pushing for a flag.

Collingwood suspended two of its best players for the entire finals last year and look at them now.
The year before, Geelong suspended one of its best for 6 matches - he won a norm smith to go with his premiership medalion at the end of the year.

Great decision.

(PS. I'm not saying we can't win a flag b/c I am a total optimist, just that to do so this year would require many things to fall our way...)

OMFG

In: Hammer, Yaz, Armfield, Ellard

What colour is the sky on the planet you're on?

_________________
And so while others miserably pledge themselves to the pursuit of ambition and brief power, I will be stretched out in the shade, singing.

Well said.

_________________
And so while others miserably pledge themselves to the pursuit of ambition and brief power, I will be stretched out in the shade, singing.

*snip*

_________________
TC suffers from the social media illness - the death of respect and constructive discourse by keyboard.

I note that in both the Collingwood case last year and Geelong's the year before the club's were at least honest about what had happened and why they were doing it. Contrast this to our febble atempt to provide an excuse.

If they were on the piss let everyone know about it - don't cover it up.

The Club will release a more detailed statement tomorrow.

_________________
TC suffers from the social media illness - the death of respect and constructive discourse by keyboard.

*snip*

This sets an example.

The club is doing their best by you, me and the playing group.

Think of Collingwood 12 months ago champ.

This would have been decided by the club and the leadership group. Sometimes to go forward, you have to make the tough decisions. I applaud the club.

I commend the club on the decision.

How can the boys do this on the cusp of finals?? Absolutely puzzling to say the least.

So much for a settled side going into finals...

_________________
We are on our way back...

My heart stopped when i first heard the news report "3 Carlton stars Suspended" but in hindsight its a good thing. Shows were serious about instilling some genuine professionalism into the club and i hope Judd played a big part in this because he is probably the only guy on our list that knows what it takes to win Finals.

Positives -

Yarran
Warnock
and Betts will be filthy and come back hungrier than ever.

_________________
WE ARE CARLTON @#$%&! THE REST

Very well said, 17th Premiership.

Any anger or dissapointment should be directed to the players involved - it's them who have let their teammates, the club, and its supporters down.

This sort of stance should've happened a long time ago, but better late than never. It'll make our side weaker this weekend, but the club stronger in the long run.

Betts is a significant loss however the shoes of Garlett and Cloke can be filled by Yarran and Hampson respectively.

The club has done the right thing IMO.

_________________
There is no footy god

Bullants should have a strong side playing lowly placed Frankston down the beach next Sunday

_________________
Cheats never prosper (except in the AFL)

Football is all about putting the talent on the park.

Life lessons can be taught in other ways

Why play follow the leader. Just because the pies and cats suspend players

why should we. If we had done this in years gone by we

would never have won a flag.

The world needs people like Dennis Rodman as much as it needs

people like Judd

There is a time and place and this is the wrong time for a suspension

Cloke was probably going to be replaced by Hammer or Sauce this week anyway and if he wasn't he probably should have been.

Garlett was excellent on the weekend but I strongly doubt he could play anywhere near that level for the second week in a row and gives Yarran a crack at a quality opposition rewarding his great form in the VFL over the past 2 weeks.

Eddie has been in terrible form imo over the last few weeks and could do with the rest hopefully coming back refreshed in time for the finals.

So theres no significant loss out of those 3 and it really sets the scene for the rest of the list and tells them that the club will not deal with bullshit from the players.