Carlton Supporters Club

I think the competition has taken us a bit more seriously and that has been a contributing factor.

Yes, this may well be part of it.

Having some opposition coaches announce us last season as a young team on the rise probably ensured the rest are motivated to put the boots in!

Certainly someone like CheatsFC would be heavily Sheedy motivated to rip our sails, which is ironic given we defeated them, but we get to remind them of that until next season! If only they miss the finals by percentage!

I believe that at times in 2018 there are going to be a lot of frustrated Carlton supporters and I fear that one or more of the idiotic factions of the club will pull the trigger and thwart the rebuild before it is finished. 

The bottom line is that losing Gibbs and Docherty is going to cost us big time.  Those two were huge contributors in wins last year (e.g. Gibbs vs Suns) last year and  in Tennis parlance, we have to defend those points for starters just to square the ledger.  Some of our wins in 2017 were against very highly rated sides and repeating that would be a great effort.

The list is a step closer to where the club wants it to be but aside from Kennedy and Garlett I can't see any of the draftees contributing in  a meaningful way for at least a couple of seasons.  The future-thinking drafting is a clear sign of staying the stated course, but does not address immediate needs.  For example, we have a Grand Canyon-sized chasm forward of centre to fill.  I am concerned that other clubs have been viewed as "destination" clubs and have advanced on us simply by the calibre of players they could attract.

As for game style and general play I expect greatly improved ball movement or questions should be asked.  The JLT series is going to give a better guide in this area.  I assume that Bolton will have learnt from some of the mistakes of this year e.g playing excessively young sides or inappropriate selections.

The silver lining is next year's draft.  Kids like Jack Lukosious and Ivan Rankine are rated as once in a generation type players.

"Prophetic" words if I ever saw them....

"Prophetic" words if I ever saw them....