We haven't lost a game by more than 5 goals over the last 2 years.
This year, that's with walshy playing a lone hand in the middle with aggressive running (and Ed's grunt support), Harry playing lone ranger forward without Charlie (Gov or SOS), and the irrepressible Weitering stopping everything he can with doof heads giving easy goals away around him.
We have a huge injury list, and playing injured players, but have been in every game this year, with the exception of Port, but we really were spent after the Gold Coast game, and kept them to 28 points. Fact. We wre spent so much after the GCS game, Jack couldn't front the next week after playing 90% game time (I know he got injured)
Take out the old struggling men Betts 35, Murphy 34, and Casboult 31 and we have the youngest team in the AFL. Non of the oldies been helpful when it counted, nor have they set the world on fire this year, nor can anyone rightfully say they have carried this team.
Yet we've lost games this year against 2020 finalists and top 8 teams this year by 16, 18, 21, 25 and 28 points because of "Teague's Gift".
I blame the Head Coach and the MC who play injured players instead of players who are fitter and who we need to develop in the position we drafted them (not all at once), and the Conditioning Coach who gives injured players the all clear to play, then have to watch our team of 15 or 16 fit players take on 22 fit players for over 4 quarters. Any wonder why "Teague's Gift" happens?
No, it is not List Management. We are not that far off. We have another Trade/ Draft period to top up with a bonafide Midfielder and some support to ruck and KPD, and further develop the 9 first round draftees not playing senior footy.
My view on teague's Presser today explains the blame
http://www.talkingcarlton.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=36678&start=1800Everything is fixable and quickly too.
At the end of the year, we WILL replace Betts, Murphy and Casboult for starters.