Carlton Supporters Club

You literally only took out of my post what resonated and didn’t understand what I am trying to say. 

LP and JonHenry are correct. I’m not saying we should be the aggressors, but if you touch any of our boys, by all that’s holy, you’ll never forget what happened afterwards. Ever.

Thats what Culture is. “It’s how we do thing around here.” If you do not understand or accept that, fair enough. We’re all entitled to our own opinions and you only want the best for this Club.

But this is a full contact sport with young men in their pride and that reputations on the field do count and that needing to stand up for your team, club and Members sometimes involves a tussle or two. I’d rather a brawl and a couple of our boys getting suspended, but this rough play with our boys stops, than watching us stand back and be bullied during a 22 week season. There’ll be moments in the game on Sunday when our boys will be tested. Let’s see what impact this player only meeting has had on our players. Not just Cripps. Everyone. What Pact was formed.

Look, sometimes you need to stand up and face the bully eye to eye and smack the guy into the next week. There and then. This is not the School Yard, where you take it up to the Teacher afterwards. The AFL doesn’t give a damn about our Club. You think their Teacher, Bolton, will clap them on the back for standing back and not flying the flag for Murphy, when it counted?  Not a bloody Chance. You’d be commended in house if you went after Mumford. Especially if you were, say a Sammo or Fisher. Suspension included. Guaranteed.

...presently, we are a long way from that, no-one fears us in any way shape or form - not very impressive after an approaching 4 year rebuild. With that kind of culture it's automatic to fly the flag should any thug try their luck harming one of our blokes. And when that kind of culture flies the flag it can be definitive and quite intimidating.

I think the problem with Waite was two fold:

1 - He would get suspended without hurting the opposition

2 - He missed a lot of games through injury, so adding more missed games through suspension hurt

Of course we want Wayne Johnston, or Leigh Matthews, but let's not confuse brutality at the contest with off the ball hits or dead-set thuggery, aka., The Battle of Britain,  they are not the same thing! Both Johnston and Matthews by the way deeply regret certain acts of retaliation, Clarkson has never stated his regret or apologised!

Further, hoping every player will be like that only see up lifelong disappointment as a supporter! If bastardry and brutality was a requirement of recruitment think of the past players you would have ruled out? Bradley, Sheldon, Doull, Southby, Sexton, Keogh, Ratten, Christou, Pearce, Camporeale, Silvagni, Gleeson, Allan, Ashman, Marcou, Carrazzo, Glascott, Gibbs, Betts, etc., etc., etc.. All walk up starts!

I'm leaving the injury part out of it. If we want aggressive players, then we cant pick and choose who we get. It's natural for some guys, and not others.
My point is, that when we are crying out for aggression, crying out for guys to retaliate to opposition thugs and "draw a line in the sand", then sometimes the retaliator is going to get sanctioned. We need to accept that fact if we want someone standing up for the kids so to speak.

Once you start to go down that path, you're on a very slippery slope. The things that Johnston did would not be tolerated in today's game. If you want a synopsis of some of his hits, listen to him on Driving With Sam Pang. Even Hodge doesn't carry on like that.

It's a small step from that to a turd like Steven Baker, who used to sharpen his studs to try and bust players ankles as he jogged past. Folks think they know where to draw the line, but history shows that's not the case.

Welcome to the legacy of Marc Murphy and Bryce Gibbs.

imho, Carlton made a massive mistake getting rid of all the Mitch Robinson and Jed Lamb types, they just needed to use them better!

Totally thought this at the time, Mitch was f'd over by MM and Jed, not sure how we couldn't find a spot for him to stay.

Er, that's my position, just a more expanded version.

If I mistook your previous post then apologies mate. 

I'm sure if you sat in our team meetings you'd hear common phrases like;

 - Excuse me, please use your inside voice......
 - My name is............ please use it
 - Please everybody quiet, ........ is speaking!
 - Now now, all opinions are equal ..........
 - Raise your hand to speak........
 - Please pass the speakers baton.......
 - You have to put on your coloured hat...........
 - Time out.............
 - I think we've all deserved a little break.........
 - Some good ideas everybody, let's ponder those and comeback in an hour............
 - Being heard starts with listening and consideration for others.............
 - Positive statements only please........
 - Chamomile tea anyone ..........maybe a Kombucha pick me up?