how Bad is our recruiting first sos and now nick AustinIs it the recruiting? Is it the coach?, is it both? or is the off field not right so the onfield will never be right?
You never know with Carlton as its a game of snakes and ladders just up and down, no one can be definitive on what is the major problem. As Clarkson recently said its hard to drag a bottomed out club back up the ladder and we have tried or copied every method and now are in the Collingwood premiership year moneyball plan where we have made a number of list changes on the cheap to initiate change of game style in contrast to fellow perennial strugglers Stkilda who have sold the farm to change their fortunes. There doesnt seem to be a one size plan that fits all that guarantees success....
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.
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.
No doubting Moir's ability, but I wonder if he was dropped for his defensive efforts.
I think Flynn Young will surprise a few.