So other than MM breaking McHale's coaching record v The Filth, we don't feature in any other of the so called "Blockbusters". Cheats FC feature a number of times, Geel, Haw and Swans also do. But one of the oldest, most arrogant and most hated clubs like ours doesn't anymore? What an indictment on our once mighty great club.
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10152608360241417&fref=nf
Blockbusters are judged on crowds and interest at the time of the game. Let's just wait and see, my bet is we will be involved in more than one.
Very true GiC.
Despite the 'no quick fix' mantra, the club must be extremely concerned about our lack of competitiveness against quality opposition. We have to start beating Geelong, Hawthorn and the Swans (not to mention Melbourne and GWS) if we want to get back into the blockbuster realm. I suspect that another poor season won't be tolerated.
That's where we're at ATM. Do our blockbusters even draw blockbuster crowds anymore?
Highest Home & Away Crowds
91731 Collingwood v Essendon M.C.G. 2014
80222 Geelong v Hawthorn M.C.G. 2014
74664 Essendon v Richmond M.C.G. 2014
72768 Hawthorn v Sydney M.C.G. 2014
72216 Hawthorn v Geelong M.C.G. 2014
70516 Hawthorn v Collingwood M.C.G. 2014
68251 Carlton v Collingwood M.C.G. 2014
68130 Melbourne v Collingwood M.C.G. 2014
63152 Collingwood v Geelong M.C.G. 2014
62730 Essendon v Carlton M.C.G. 2014
62100 Richmond v Collingwood M.C.G. 2014
62037 Richmond v Carlton M.C.G. 2014
58996 Essendon v Collingwood M.C.G. 2014
58032 Richmond v Essendon M.C.G. 2014
57116 Collingwood v North Melbourne M.C.G. 2014
56910 Richmond v Melbourne M.C.G. 2014
56663 Carlton v Essendon M.C.G. 2014
53049 Collingwood v West Coast M.C.G. 2014
52990 Richmond v Hawthorn M.C.G. 2014
52505 Port Adelaide v Carlton Adelaide Oval 2014
A few of those games involved some terrible Sunday night scheduling. It'll be interesting to see what crowds we manage to draw back in the normal format.
Three of those were away games.
Our supporters won't turn up unless we've got a reasonable chance of winning.
Crowds were down for everyone, the AFL scheduled for TV and guess what? Fans stayed home and watched on TV.
Our games were certainly down but so were most. I think we had the most significant drop in crowds though.
2013 CROWDS
93373 Essendon v Collingwood M.C.G. 2013
85197 Geelong v Hawthorn M.C.G. 2013
84247 Collingwood v Carlton M.C.G. 2013
84234 Richmond v Essendon M.C.G. 2013
82639 Essendon v Carlton M.C.G. 2013
81950 Richmond v Collingwood M.C.G. 2013
80971 Carlton v Richmond M.C.G. 2013
78224 Carlton v Collingwood M.C.G. 2013
76300 Hawthorn v Geelong M.C.G. 2013
72254 Collingwood v Hawthorn M.C.G. 2013
71533 Hawthorn v Collingwood M.C.G. 2013
69821 Collingwood v Essendon M.C.G. 2013
66768 Collingwood v Geelong M.C.G. 2013
65306 Collingwood v Sydney M.C.G. 2013
64324 Hawthorn v Richmond M.C.G. 2013
60979 Essendon v Richmond M.C.G. 2013
60825 Richmond v Carlton M.C.G. 2013
56783 St Kilda v Richmond M.C.G. 2013
55625 Richmond v Geelong M.C.G. 2013
54790 Collingwood v Adelaide M.C.G. 2013
At least we had two in the top five in 2013, and a few decent home games.
Blockbusters are now a matter of scheduling or local derbies.
If you get to play on ANZAC day or Easter Thursday (or fixtures like that), you are in a blockbuster. Otherwise it comes down to who is in form. Even traditional rivalries are somewhat fluid these days.
Carlton have lost a generation of supporters since 1995.
The club has done nothing about it.
My brother was a long time Carlton AFL member and stopped buying a membership a few years ago and has never heard from the club.
The only way to get them back is to start winning games. Win the first 4 or 5 this season would be a nice start, membership and crowd numbers would climb.
Only winning, and not a 0-4 start, will bring back the crowds.
I can't remember when we last won the first 5 games to a season.
Or even form sustained over a long period of time (years). 10 years ago Hawthorn vs Geelong was not a blockbuster. Nor was Hawthorn vs Sydney. The clubs at the top of the ladder are getting stronger, the struggling ones are losing members.
The fact we have been down for so long, and have had little form to speak of for much of the past 15 years, its actually pretty good that we do continue to draw so well against some opposition....especially the tigers who have also struggled over the same (and longer) period of time.
It wasn't too long ago that there was a lot of talk about Richmond losing their 'blockbuster status' because they were continually bad and didn't deserve to play against the 'big 3' twice every year. Funnily enough, we never really had the same said about us.
There is one way to ensure rivalries continue long into the future but AFL fans are too 'traditional' to change it - Divisions. NFL uses theirs to great success. It creates extra meaning when you come up against one from your own division as you need to finish about them to make the playoffs/finals. Its the ultimate '8-point' game.
The AFL would have to do a big overhaul to push all that through though.
I reckon our support base has had a gut full over the past 15 years...and patience is wearing out.
During our time of under performance, new teams have arrived and a generation of new fans have chosen teams like St Kilda and Geelong - and Carlton are seen as the try hards...
Most people under 30 don't remember Carlton's powerhouse days. Those days are just something their Dads have banged on about over the years.
Glory days are over until this new breed of players start making names for themselves.
Waite, Robbo and Garlett etc weren't helping the cause...
Good luck Blues!!
1995
http://afltables.com/afl/teams/carlton/allgames.html
Last time we won 5 in a row was 2000. Disgraceful.
Let's hope we don't become another "sleeping giant"! Aaaaarrrrrrgh!
We definitely need a bl00dy good year in 2015.