Making the finals and beating the Tigers masked a lot of our problems. The next week we were brought back down to earth with a resounding 'thud' by the Swans. The end margin flattered us...we were nowhere near it that night.
Without Essendon's plight this year then 2013 would read almost the same as 2012. Though even 2012 was more promising with exciting footy played in the opening three rounds. I'm not sure we've played that well at all since.
We have gone backwards very quickly, and anyone who thinks that we can turn it around with Judd, Scotland, Waite, Simpson, Carrazzo all ageing or nearing the end is dead-set deluded.
As it stands we have one of the oldest lists in the competition, and have achieved fark all. Very different from say, the Brisbane Lions of early last decade...the 2004 Grand Final side they fielded was the oldest in history, though they had won 3 flags as it was.
You have a very short memory if you don't remember when the likes of Silvagni, Bradley, Brown, Rice, Sexton, McKay, Hickmott, Ratten etc all gave it away within that two or three year block and the toll it took. Granted our list is in better shape than it was then, though that still does not fill me with a lot of confidence.
At present we have a few foot soldiers in our side who are honest footballers but would not get a look in at any side fair dinkum about winning the flag. And additionally, a lot of them would not be able to fill the void of any of our ageing stars. I made this comment through the year when Waite booted 7 goals against the Bombers - you know you're in big trouble list-wise if Waite is kicking bags of goals.
Hopefully our next rebuild has us doing things sensibly. Draft for the spine then build around it, not the other way around. This can only start off the field...get the right personnel in for starters and build from there.
It is such a travesty that our club celebrates its 150th birthday next season, yet will probably finish outside the eight and continue to struggle off the field. In a way it is hard to believe a club once as great as ours could find itself in such dire shape these days...though on the other hand it is not surprising at all.
What happened to playing most of our home games at the G? Wasn't it once 50,000 members was achieved then the club would work on it? I haven't heard about anything being done. That's not to say they're not working towards it, although if they were working towards it, I think the members, or 'investors' should be among the first to know.
So much needs to be fixed and day by day we are falling well behind. Happy 150th, Carlton.
Tired and ready to hit the farter, but I do hope no-one trivialises your post. You summarise where we are at ...at this minute, broadly and accurately.
The sad thing about Chopper is that he was born into this world with the rights that any human has. Sexual assault and a dysfunctional family model corrupted him to the extent that even when at deaths door he still has no apparent remorse or understanding of his own condition.
Wow. Mate. Seriously impressive post. Deep insight.
3 valuable contributions. Bravo, GozzMan, for a timely assessment of our club - steeped in reality.
And that reality now sees the Dawks, Bumbers, Tiggers, Pussy Cats and probably the Kangabies of the Melbourne based clubs... ahead of us. Then you throw in the Fluffy Ducks, Powerless, D1ckers of the interstate clubs and we really are falling off the pace.
With all due respect Baggers, seriously mate how the fark can you say Kanganothings, Tiggers and Dees are ahead of us. Last time I checked, we finished ahead of all of them on the ladder this year. We pantsed the all hype no substance Tiggers in a final (whether we deserved to be there or not we were). The Dees are crap trucks, Roos has a monumental task, we will see how good a coach he really is. Kangas are the October November Premiers every year, puuuuurlease!
Mate... reality is that without the Bumbers this year, we would no have participated in the finals. The Tiggers finished 5th. And we finished 9th. Dont know where you get the Dees stuff from?? We beat the Kangabies by a pt to make the finals.... reckon they'd have smacked the Tiggers big time.
We got a leg up this year (thank you, Bumbers). It won't happen next year.
Seems Mick did the right thing...who would've thought!
Carrots??? Carrrots where are youuuuuuuu
OMG you guys must be seriously dumb to even suggest those comments mean anything. LMAO he was asked the question, can you imagine if he'd come out and said "Yeah fk Mick he's an absolute tosswad knows nothing about player management". Towing the party line.
@Townsend
Great post and pretty close to the mark IMO.
So those of us who believe Yazz's comments were sincere are seriously dumb. Sorry, Turnips, wrong.
Why? Because his efforts after his 'slump' spoke volumes of a young man wanting to improve and learn. He threw the dummy away and adapted... time for you to do the same.
3 valuable contributions. Bravo, GozzMan, for a timely assessment of our club - steeped in reality.
And that reality now sees the Dawks, Bumbers, Tiggers, Pussy Cats and probably the Kangabies of the Melbourne based clubs... ahead of us. Then you throw in the Fluffy Ducks, Powerless, D1ckers of the interstate clubs and we really are falling off the pace.
Like the GozzMan and Fluffy Biscuit, I will get my Membership to CFC and NBs next year, but rather than parting with the hard-earned happily and optimistically, not this time. Reality is setting in. I have lost faith in the Board; have no faith in trade negotiators; recruiters; development, am losing faith in Swanny - though, thanks to him at least our off-field finances are apparently in good shape... which he has managed to create during his tenure.
We've a very strong (and over influential) marketing / PR group who really are doing a terrific job at milking every last bit of credibility out of our brand.
I am hanging on to the belief that a 60 year old bloke who looks to have more passion for success than anyone around him AND with the willingness to ruthlessly carry out what must happen to be successful... is our last hope. Funny thing is that MM has only been at the place 5 minutes but seems to hurt more at our lack of success than many others.
To be honest next year looms as a make-or-break for many careers at Princes Park. Many careers.
Admits he cracked it at times and regrets doing so.
Quote
''I found myself frustrated coming back from injury. It was totally my fault that it happened. It's not something that I want to dwell on too much. Mick is a fantastic coach and has been fantastic for us,'' he said, pointing out he has enjoyed Malthouse' direct feedback.
Says that he finds it difficult to be as vocal as MM wants him to be, is sad to see Eddie go but says that this was the best thing all round as the 3 Amigos were squeezing into 2 spots as they didn't have the stamina for midfield and that's where games are now won.
Seems he's maturing (though we'll have to wait until next year to see if words translate into action), and it's good that he'll be back next year.
Good article. Impressed with Yazz's candid appraisal of his form and attitude during that 'slump'.
Australian crickets downhill slide started with the Steve Waugh captaincy. Waugh, as good a cricketer as he was, was an ordinary captain and was basically allowed to pick his own side in a era full of serious talent, without any regard whatsoever to the future.
We are stuck recycling the left overs with blokes like Johnston and Haddin, when they should have been sorted out long ago and in themselves we should see blokes helping build the next generation of players not blocking their progress.
Further players like Smith, Warner and Hughes were anointed before they could even hold a bat. Technically they are closer to hacks than batsmen, and it shows in their highly variable output which is the nicest way I can put it! No other argument is required and no valid defense can be made except it is the way it is.
Australian cricket will not start it rebuild until the ACB breaks the stranglehold NSW Cricket with it's MCC connections have over Australia's 1st class cricketers. That collaboration has become a boat anchor stalling our progress, and now the Indian BCC chips away at the foundations by turning every promising opposition test player into an ax wielding maniac, while they pay their own superstars to limit their exposure to the short forms of the game.
In the meantime more and more talented but disillusioned young cricketers leave the sport. After years of success and promise at junior levels they see no hope in penetrating the nepotistic system that controls Australian cricket and ruins careers.
I blame John Buchanan...he was endorsed by Waugh because he would do what he was told and be a yes man to everything Tugga wanted including picking his mates and continuing the NSW mafia led dominance of team selection. We ended up with this inner circle of players who controlled the game, sure we had success but it has cost us down the track with the boys club legacy living on.
It was interesting that before the run-chase Border and his buddies hinted that on their own dung heap and with nothing to lose these blokes were a real chance.
There is a certain softness with our blokes which is going to take Boof a while to turn around. Can't think of a better bloke to do it, though.
I was on my phone last night so couldnt do this bit properly and elected to wait till today, but these comments are brilliant.
This is what I hoped the Malthouse effect would have not only on the seniors but the entire setup. Fingers crossed this starts to spread. Its funny, culture takes buy in, and all it requires is for everyone to start thinking like this:
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After thanking Webster, Gianfagna launched into dialogue on what 2014 holds for the Northern Blues.
“I think we can look back on the season and say it was successful, but I still think there’s a lot we can improve on,” Gianfagna said.
“Overall, I don’t think we can walk away from this year happy. The Development boys possibly being an exception, because they showed the spirit throughout the year that the senior team…lacked.”
Gianfagna touched on comeback losses against Port Melbourne, Collingwood, Sandringham and Frankston as performances that “lacked spirit”.
“We showed it for quarters, we showed it for halves. But if we want to win a flag – and I’m pretty sure everyone in this room wants to win a flag – we don’t lose those games.
“That’s the step we have to take next year. We have to be ruthless, we have to be hard on our teammates, we have to work harder on the track and we have to demand more from ourselves.
“If we walk away from this year happy, then we’re not going to proceed next year.
Gianfagna said the demanding of more from teammates was one thing he wanted to get out of a club “that I’ve been at for seven years, and love more than anything in the world”.
“If you walk away from this year happy and if you think this club is not your home club; that it will be a club you’ll be at for just two or three years, then we’re not going to get far as a team.
“People like Paul Dirago, Eamon Jenkins, Myles Dorman, Nick Meese, Adam Marcon and Kane Lambert; they’ve been here for three years, they call this their home club.
“This is our home club. From day one next year, anyone who walks in for pre-season calls this their home club, and we’re going to win a premiership together.”
? We beat the Kangabies by a pt to make the finals.... reckon they'd have smacked the Tiggers big time.
