Carlton Supporters Club

Congratulations to Gibbs on his 200th.
I hope he has a cracker like he did against the cats, and like Simmo/Jamo milestone game - we come away with the victory (nothing wrong with optimism - hey we've got nothing to lose). Would love to see Gibbs overwhelmed with Navy pride and joy like Simmo was.

Go Blues.

I don't want another "Jack Watts" incident against that mob...

If the club is going to treat Jack like any other player (which they should), then he comes in when he's ready.  I wouldn't save it up for a home game against the pies.  To me it reeks of special treatment (and maybe a little marketing exercise to maybe boost gate takings for our home game vs the pies). 

On the other hand, each player is different, so each should be treated as the individuals that they are.  Everybody knows a Silvagni's first game for the club is a big deal, and to avoid heaping too much pressure on the young fella, maybe it's better to get his first game out of the way up at GWS, in front of a smaller crowd.  Let him get his nerves out of the way there a little bit, and then rip the pies a new one at the G the week after (pretty optimistic i must admit).

He must have talent, you don't consistently kick good bags of goals in the VFL if you can't play, so he's got that covered.  The coaches will know where his match fitness is at, and his ability to also do the team defensive stuff.  To me, they should determine when he's ready for seniors based on that, just as much as on his ability to kick goals.  You notice the good teams over the years bring in new players who slot straight in, and you wonder where the hell they keep getting talented youngsters from.  I think it helps that they bring them into good systems, but only when they are ready to play their part.

Fingers crossed he's ready!  When I was a young fella my Carlton jumper had number 1 on the back.  I'll be stoked, just like everybody else on here, if Jack has half the talent of his old man.

The other point being ignored, is that sometimes blokes get a chance before they are ready through lack of other viable alternatives for that role.

Silvagni might get his chance simply because he is doing more than everyone else to earn it, even if he isnt yet ready to own it full time, and will be nursed through it accordingly so that his exposure to negative time at AFL level is minimised.

i.e. we have a lot of players on the list, who can forgo their rotation to give Silvagni a couple extra to get him through the game once he is there.

He will get there off his own work before making that choice, and it seems as though he isnt far off.  Time will tell, but I am confident that even if he does get an early one it wont be to his detriment.

From what I saw at Box Hill Thry, SOJ managed about 60-70% game time.  I think we'd struggle to cover that, particularly at AFL intensity.

@ Thry

Letting others carry some of his load Thry? Now you wouldn't want him to be a passenger would you?

Not at all, its literally the boys embracing a culture of TEAM.

If you go to war with a soldier that isnt as capable as everyone else, you help them until they rise to your standard by making certain sacrifices.

@DJC I think the boys will be okay as shown against Geelong when we were down to effectively zero bench and fought it out.

Not at all, its literally the boys embracing a culture of TEAM.

If you go to war with a soldier that isnt as capable as everyone else, you help them until they rise to your standard by making certain sacrifices.

@DJC I think the boys will be okay as shown against Geelong when we were down to effectively zero bench and fought it out.

I doubt whether we'd go into a game with a player who can't run it out.
As others have said, SOJ will play when the MC decides he's ready.  I don't think he is but I'm not on the MC 

Hard to convince people DJC that it's a marathon not a sprint and if kids aren't ready (physically, mentally, tank wise etc etc) then don't push them.

I hope SOJ plays in the NB so that people can get a realistic look at how he performs.  Even then you don't see the condition he comes off the ground after some rather short stints.

Sure but if you've got fully trained and fit front line soldiers available you wouldn't be sending in the cadets surely?