Carlton Supporters Club

Quote from: ElwoodBlues1 on September 15, 2014, 10:41:19 pm

I'm not a fan of the Northern Blues setup and also want a standalone team but to me the greatest problem is Luke Webster who I dont think is up to developing AFL players....

You won't get any argument from me!

Blokes go back to the 2s, then go backwards even further there, I think Webster has turned into a disaster as far as development goes! The only guys we have that go back to the 2s and do OK are McLean and Graham and they look self motivated.

I suspect our club was thinking when LFA and UFA come in we were going to do the old Carlton and just open the doors letting the AFLs best walk in, because they wanted to play at Carlton, but it won't and didn't happen. In the process we neglected player development or at least failed to take it seriously. Our clubs only solution to problems is money, effort isn't seriously considered!

Box Hill Hawks are just Hawthorn with two extra words in their name......

You only have to compare facilities at Box Hill vs Cramer St to realise there is no comparison between Box Hill Hawks and Northern Blues. 

When Carlton players go back to the NBs, it is like being sent to Siberia, and they play like it.....

Box Hill Hawks are just Hawthorn with two extra words in their name......

You only have to compare facilities at Box Hill vs Cramer St to realise there is no comparison between Box Hill Hawks and Northern Blues. 

When Carlton players go back to the NBs, it is like being sent to Siberia, and they play like it.....

Quote from: tonyo on September 16, 2014, 12:07:19 pm

Box Hill Hawks are just Hawthorn with two extra words in their name......

You only have to compare facilities at Box Hill vs Cramer St to realise there is no comparison between Box Hill Hawks and Northern Blues. 

When Carlton players go back to the NBs, it is like being sent to Siberia, and they play like it.....

I wish I could say that you are wrong, but you are not even close to being wrong.

We have 2 choices, neither of which is cheap, but both of which are doable.
[1] Stand Alone Carlton VFL.
[2] A highly integrated VFL affiliate like Box Hill is to Hawthorn or Sandringham was to Melbourne a few years back.
We have to choose one, as our present model is not working optimally.

Alternative #1: Stand Alone Carlton VFL
In many ways it is desirable. There would be a minimum of administrative issues as we would be all one club. We could select our VFL squad carefully and get a number of possible future Blues and some experienced played with (preferably) a Carlton background. It would be a good retirement gig for some good players with the right attitude and a reward, in some ways, for guys who might be good leaders or clubmen but who can't quite make it or are having their bodies being unreliable.
We have a positive relationship with the coaching staff and the other staff, as we are all the same club.
It will cost significantly more money. It would also probably kill Preston, as I doubt they could survive on their own at the moment. It would also ruin the raisson d'etre of the 'Northern Blues', as we would not be the only serious presence in the Northern suburbs any longer.

Alternative #2: Close Alignment with Preston
Preston have shown they cannot provide the players, as they still do not have the resources to attract top quality recruits. They have an excellent relationship with the Northern Knights, one that is worth keeping. However, the pathway needs to be clearer: players who play for NB could be future Carlton players. This simply is not the case yet. It must be for the alignment to work optimally.
We need the coaching panel to reflect our interests. Basically, we need to take over Preston like Hawthorn have done with Box Hill.

Alternative #1 is probably the best, but it takes a commitment we haven't been able to do so far.