Carlton Supporters Club

After so many years of rebuilding, we should expect to have a team that plays at a level similar to Port Adelaide.

That's what we have been led to expect from the Carlton hierarchy.

And yet we are still talking in terms of if  we improve our kicking skills  or put in harder then we will win.  The fact is we have recruited players with mediocre kicking skills at best and they are not going to improve.

Teague deserves criticism but how can you put a plan in place with players incapable of carrying it out.

Our forward line entry, and the forward line itself, were a shambles.  We had players getting in the way of one another, and this is happening every week.

As has been said, too many players of VFL standard and incapable of improvement.

Cripps is like Levi, will have the odd night out... Robbie Gray kicks straight every week like Jack Reiwoldt and it looks like the kid from Port is the same. Think Dunstall commented on his perfect kicking action.
Id back Gray and Georgiades every day of the week vs Levi and Cripps..

That wasn't the discussion EB. The who you'd back answer no one disputes.

I'm simply suggesting last night, Cripps' head, like most of his team mates, was not where it should be....why? No idea.

But it's like they'e checked out before the game even starts.

One of my non CFC supporting mates sitting with me suggested the lads had rolled a fwe reefers before the game....they were that 'off'.

Cripps is a so so kick - tell him to handball it off every bloody time. Simple.

I still think it's our system/structures or lack thereof that is beating us.

The players look like they are confused...

If they don't know or understand their role, something is very amiss.

They're not 1st or 2nd year players, we're talking 4th, 5th, even more years in the system types.

I thought everyone was raving about Teague's very simple, easy to follow game plan ? Especially after the supposed byzantine complexity of Bolton.

Funny how The TT's language has changed from winning and being known for pressure to growth and learning... again. And referring to last year's efforts to boost the side's credibility.

Same old, same old re crappis dackis when under pressure. What does crappis dackis look like? Kick and hope, poor skills under real or perceived pressure, individualism.

We just do not look like a 'team'. We look like a bunch of individuals, often times, doing their own thing.

Crippa seems to play with a Saviour Complex! Wants to continually do the amazing or heroic things. Stop it!! Where are the coaches telling him that his strengths are winning the aggot, not disposal - especially by foot. It'd be a good start for the skipper to be a team player, play to his strengths... get the aggot then quickly give it to someone in a better position - no more heroics.

There's plenty to be positive about re how we win the ball (endeavour/intent), but then the trouble starts (execution/system) - when we have to think what to do with it. Maybe we're thinking too much, maybe we're confused, any way you look at it we do not appear to have footy smarts. Plenty of footy dumbs. I reckon our fans groan more often than just about any other group of supporters whilst watching their chargers in action.

After most of our games you look at the stats and we compare very favourably with our opponents - so how do we blow so many opportunities so gloriously? Our ability to land a kick into the hands of an opponent is nearing legendary status.

And then there's playing blokes out of position and gifting non-performers games (though I think we're waking up to that one).

I thought everyone was raving about Teague's very simple, easy to follow game plan ? Especially after the supposed Byzantine complexity of Bolton.

Teague is struggling, needs the win against Brisbane next week or its going to get uncomfortable in the media for him..

Brisbane are one step down from Port IMO. That will be another honourable loss. They are too good for us at the moment.

The media make too much bad noise and are incredibly counterproductive. A coach in trouble or a sacked coach means the hacks have months of story telling without even having to work for it. The appeal is obvious. Endless discussions about the pressure the coach is under, the big preamble when they start using the S word, then endless headlines when the coach actually gets the ar$e, then the repercussions, then more discussions about who the replacement will be, then discussions about who actually gets appointed, then a dissection of the decision, and on it goes. Just a bunch of vultures picking over a carcass which they were instrumental in killing. Disgrace.

I said pre game unless Cripps plays a blinder we can’t is be coming less and less of an occurrence these days.
The thing is the midfield is still way to shallow to compete against the better teams without Cripps playing a major part. Hold him and we are done.

Cripps is a very one dimensional footballer. An A grade Inside footballer but his flaws hurt us as on the outside, defensively and forward he is liability if we are being honest. I can’t believe I’m saying this but maybe trading him for the players we need needs to be seriously considered. Same goes for SPS he will have currency - move him on if we can muster a good trade.

We have no outside breakaway run from the contest except from poor Walsh. Williams has been disappointing to this point and not worth the contract he is on. I still have hope for him but not the start I wanted from a guy on a massive contract.
There are many other issues I know with the rebuild but the selections SOS made for the midfield apart from walsh which was a no brainer are all flops.
Kennedy won’t make it neither will Williamson. Murphy surely has to retire. Doc was awful last night and did things you would be disappointed if it was from a first gamer.

Have to make some big changes in the off-season. Ditch the 2 captains rubbish and give it to Weitering with Walsh as the vice.

Fogerty, Walsh, Cottrell and Weitering can hold their head up - struggling to find any others who can but.

Still a bottom 4-6 team.

The harsh reality facing us is that our rebuild has been a failure.

If all of the players on our list were available and we dropped the players from tonight's side who are not up to final 8 standard, we would have trouble  fielding a side.

Port Adelaide have recruited skilled ball players, just like the Hawthorn power sides of recent years.  What were our selectors thinking? 

With this current list we are destined to  be amongst the "also rans" for the foreseeable future.