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Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 1 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Richmond
Last post by BlackRooster -Enough from me.
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Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 1 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Richmond
Last post by Lods -
Im the opposite - i have no fear no expectation anymore.
I know where we sit and any win this season will be hard earnt and apart from the bottom 3 sides of WC, North and Rich we wont be troubling any of the teams above and will be some big hidings as well in this season.
This is basically what ive been saying all b offseason.
People need to lower their expectations this year. Do that and your mental health will thank you.
Some players will improve.
Some players will get worse.
Some players will get injured.
Some players will retire.
Overall, our list is weaker, and all other things being equal, our results will be worse.
Sure a great run with injuries may help, but looking at our current injury list, that looks unlikely.
So expect poor results and youll sleep at night.
Now, doesnt mean we need to blow up the place. With some young additions and extra draft picks banked....i expect to improve in a year or 2.....just not now.
.....that is of course if we can hold our crap together and not blow up the place in the meantime......which im not confident on, but if everyone lowered expectations itd be more likely.
You know that won't happen.
The season will go one of two ways.
We'll improve or by mid season the coach will be informed he won't be requires for 2027.
You see even if we enter the season optimistic we don't necessarily 'lose sleep' or worry excessively over results. It's a whole of season approach. The knowledge that if it goes pear shaped things won't be the same next year with a new coach and a new approach, and we start again...not from scratch, because we have some good youth.
Alternatively things start to gel and after a shaky start we come home like a house on fire.
Lapses become a thing of the past and Voss gets an extension.
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Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 1 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Richmond
Last post by Baggers -Perspective. We went into that game with everything to lose, and the Tiggers went into the game with nothing to lose.I was expecting a big rebound,we had the advantage of already playing one game unlike the Tigers who were having their first hit out. A media pile on should have generated a real response but that lasted a quarter and our second half was putrid.
We were also copping a pile-on from critics, media and disgruntled, loud fans.
We're also changing game style. And positional changes for some.
We're also blooding many newbies.
We also had a few critical passengers, Chesser, Fogarty and Ollie in particular, last night.
When serious pressure comes, individuals and groups, 'resort to type.' For years this has been on display... third qtr debacles the resultant symptom. That's going to take time, plenty of time, to eradicate. Moving from sh*tting yourself under pressure to inviting and being hungry for pressure is a great task and shift. Between the lugholes. I saw a small step forward in that final qtr. The goal would be to thrive on pressure.
I really don't feel as negative as many. We're a work in progress to change many bad habits and create many great habits. This is a new Carlton and a big paradigm shift. Starting again, in some respects. We'll know so much more in a month or two, so, personally my expectations are shelved ...so as to see, objectively, how we're progressing well down the track.
Our boys needed that win, and got it. Yes, a 'great escape' but a win nonetheless. Any side with their collective tails up is hard to beat.
Celebrating that win vs a bunch of kids and and carrying on like we were premiers was something a bottom team would do.
Robert Walls would have had the boxing gloves out this week...it's just hard watching a Carlton team struggling to play a decent brand and now acting like a bottom club as well.
Going back to enable moving forward sure is tough to endure as a supporter, especially after years of finals expectations. Seems quite apparent that, at this stage, we do not have finals aspirations.
It seems to me the club has a strategy to move the on-field game into the modern era, after years of falling short for all manner of reasons. The focus is on the 'new' and probably having a good look at the list capable of delivering on this 'new.'
I get that players celebrating enthusiastically an unimpressive win is galling. But understandable to give the group something to feel good about. They need to feel good about themselves, for something, for anything! I'm sure all the players and coaches are not content with the manner of our win for one moment.
After 2 games, we're not contenders. But a lot can change in a long season.
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Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 3 2026 Pre Game Prognostications Carlton vs Melbourne
Last post by Lods -No doubting Moir's ability, but I wonder if he was dropped for his defensive efforts.
I think Flynn Young will surprise a few.
Saw one passage of play yesterday when Young went through about 4 Richmond VFL players like a hot knife through butter.
He needs to be given a shot.
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Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 1 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Richmond
Last post by rocky -Usual suspects were good, Walsh, Cripps, George and Jagga. The fact that Jagga is a usual suspect after just 2 games says a lot about the kid. Question. Does anyone know why our reigning B&F only had 67% game time??
Thought the ins were fair to good. Cow and HOK being at the fair end and Carroll being at the good end .
Both of the Hollands have had a 2nd week of poor form. Maybe a change but after a "win" not much changes does it.
One definite out has to be Fogarty.
McGovern did enough to get another game unfortunately, but I won't have Young in the side. Sorry, the fact that he took a mark at the death doesn't hide the fact that he is slow with ball movement, does stupid stuff continually and is not the future.
A couple of critics of Florent, but I thought he was good. Ainsworth is not doing enough. Chesser did more and he's on the cusp of being dropped as well.
Kemp battles hard but is as unreliable a kick at goal as Cripps. Not the answer up forward, but who is? Hayward continues to impress me, which is a great surprise. Didn't rate him,
Weitering, solid but why they hide him playing on no-names when the threat of Lynch blowing the game apart looms, defies any logical reason.
Pittonet continues to thrive without the presence of TDK. No marks this week
Anyway we've got 2 weeks of relaxation, zero stress and a reduced hammering by the media so lets enjoy it
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Robert Heatley Stand / Re: VFL Practice Match Carlton vs Richmond
Last post by PaulP -A full run down in this game would be appreciated it someone is in a position to do so
From the Richmond and Carlton FC websites :
https://www.carltonfc.com.au/news/1969154/vfl-practice-match-blues-finish-strong-in-practice-match-win
https://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/1969094/vfl-tigers-fall-short-against-blues
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Robert Heatley Stand / Re: VFL Practice Match Carlton vs Richmond
Last post by Professer E -29
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 3 2026 Pre Game Prognostications Carlton vs Melbourne
Last post by Professer E -30
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 3 2026 Pre Game Prognostications Carlton vs Melbourne
Last post by JonDorotich -how bad has nick Austin been in his job , firstly Reid gets dropped and now people saying chesser out and E holllands wow already
Agree with this mostly, but suspect our coaching panel also had their say
Imagine fighting so hard to retain a bloke with behavioural issues who is an absolute turnover merchant?
I’d be dropping him and his brother quick smart along with Lewis.