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Carlton 2026 Finals Campaign

So we have both Seniors and Reserves playing finals this year, albeit a wildcard final but nonetheless a final. According to google, the last time this happened was 1996.
When the 1s and 2s are both humming, Ive always said that IMO, this is a key recipe item for success.
2022- Real Deal or more of the same? 0.6%
2023- "Raise the Standard" - M. Voss Another year wasted Bar Set
2024-Back to the drawing boardNo excuses, its time
2025-Carlton can win the 2025 AFL Premiership
2026-Slow start, we can kick after all, why not?

Re: Carlton 2026 Finals Campaign

Reply #1 –
I think over time that "Wildcard" terminology will disappear.
It's now a final 10.
After next weekend 10 teams will go on...8 teams won't.
We're playing finals.

It just happens now that teams finishing 5th and 6th get a weeks rest before their finals campaigns start.
For 7-10 it starts the week after next.

I notice on Sportsbet we've slipped ahead of both the Bulldogs and Collingwood in betting for the flag.

Carlton $51
Collingwood $67
Bulldogs $81
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KX5jNnDMfxA

Re: Carlton 2026 Finals Campaign

Reply #2 –
There didn't seem to be a lot of support on this forum for the wild card round when it was announced  Has this changed now that we're part of it?

I don't like it, but will still watch!

Re: Carlton 2026 Finals Campaign

Reply #3 –
Quote from: dodge – on
There didn't seem to be a lot of support on this forum for the wild card round when it was announced  Has this changed now that we're part of it?

I don't like it, but will still watch!
Yes lol!

It has made it more interesting tbh.
 

Re: Carlton 2026 Finals Campaign

Reply #4 –
Quote from: dodge – on
There didn't seem to be a lot of support on this forum for the wild card round when it was announced  Has this changed now that we're part of it?

I don't like it, but will still watch!
I thought it was/is stupid but I'll take it now.
2022- Real Deal or more of the same? 0.6%
2023- "Raise the Standard" - M. Voss Another year wasted Bar Set
2024-Back to the drawing boardNo excuses, its time
2025-Carlton can win the 2025 AFL Premiership
2026-Slow start, we can kick after all, why not?

Re: Carlton 2026 Finals Campaign

Reply #5 –
Yep
Happy to be here.
But I still think it's too many sides rewarded.
Hopefully we can win a couple of finals...while we're in it then it isn't over.
But does anyone seriously see a team wnning the flag from 10th.

The funny thing is that there are probably many years where 11 wins and a draw would have been good enough to make the 8.

Re: Carlton 2026 Finals Campaign

Reply #6 –
Quote from: dodge – on
There didn't seem to be a lot of support on this forum for the wild card round when it was announced  Has this changed now that we're part of it?

I don't like it, but will still watch!

I liked it and obviously more so now.
Everyone was caught up in rewarding 9 and 10 but ignored that it was made more difficult for 7 and 8.

2012 HAPPENED!!!!!!!

Re: Carlton 2026 Finals Campaign

Reply #7 –
I’m happy that we live to fight another day, but it’s happiness for the wrong reasons. Not really a fan of rewarding mid table teams with a mid table form line.

Re: Carlton 2026 Finals Campaign

Reply #8 –
Quote from: dodge – on
There didn't seem to be a lot of support on this forum for the wild card round when it was announced  Has this changed now that we're part of it?

I don't like it, but will still watch!
Anyone finishing 5th or 6th likes it, anyone finishing 7th or 8th hates it, and anyone finishing 9th or 10th, loves it.

Anyone in the bottom 8 will say that they only fell short by a little bit, and can reach for reasons to justify a poor season.

Personally, finals are the rewards you get for performing throughout the year.

There is one game left, and despite what the ladder says, the body of work across the season is one of the best that I have experienced in the last 24 years, including the year we made the prelim. 

We fell short because we didnt manage the moments so well, in similar fashion to yesterdays match vs the Bulldogs.
"everything you know is wrong"

Paul Hewson

Re: Carlton 2026 Finals Campaign

Reply #9 –
Quote from: Lods – on
I think over time that "Wildcard" terminology will disappear.
It's now a final 10.
After next weekend 10 teams will go on...8 teams won't.
We're playing finals.

It just happens now that teams finishing 5th and 6th get a weeks rest before their finals campaigns start.
For 7-10 it starts the week after next.

I notice on Sportsbet we've slipped ahead of both the Bulldogs and Collingwood in betting for the flag.

Carlton $51
Collingwood $67
Bulldogs $81
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KX5jNnDMfxA

I hope it doesn't disappear. In my mind, like overseas, it's a chance for 4 sides to play off for the final 2 spots in the 8 rather than just letting the season run out then starts the finals. Puts alot more interest into the season. That's how it's supposed to be.

A long way from there to win a flag, and much tougher than before when 7th or 8th. Win 2 weeks and by the 3rd week you're still just in a semi final. That's how it should be. Certainly makes sides fight even harder to be top 6, and of course, fight hard to be top 4 where 98% of flags are won.

Re: Carlton 2026 Finals Campaign

Reply #10 –
Quote from: PaulP – on
I’m happy that we live to fight another day, but it’s happiness for the wrong reasons. Not really a fan of rewarding mid table teams with a mid table form line.
Depends. If that don't call it a final then it's a great concept giving 4 sides a shot to play off for the last 2 finals spot rather than letting the season just play out. Call it a final 10 then I agree with you.

Re: Carlton 2026 Finals Campaign

Reply #11 –
Late season a couple of things, Kemp, Gov and Harry are slowly improving in terms of set shots, will it be sustained time will tell. But doing it in recent weeks is as good as any test, and surely that must leave us in better circumstances for the future.

I was a bit disappointed in young Byrne not having a crack from the 50m arc, maybe he had weary legs, but it's his go and he is as likely as any. Certainly, more likely than handing it off to Cripps! If you are a small forward with a leg, you need to be taking those shots and converting some of them. If you don't then opponents will just force you further out and you will lose all effectiveness.

I don't think we got the structure right this week, Derksen looked like a fish out of water in F50, we seemed to allow the Dogs to drag Pitto into D50, and that degrades his effectiveness. If we wanted someone dropping into the space then why not send Derksen up the field, what value is he standing alone at FF! Note to Pitto, never kick the footy to our shortest player when they are standing the opposition ruck!

What's our plan if Hayward is out, we lost a lot when he went off, he's becoming a pivotal part of our full field structure.
"Extremists on either side will always meet in the Middle!"

Re: Carlton 2026 Finals Campaign

Reply #12 –
Quote from: Thryleon – on
Quote from: dodge – on
There didn't seem to be a lot of support on this forum for the wild card round when it was announced  Has this changed now that we're part of it?

I don't like it, but will still watch!
Anyone finishing 5th or 6th likes it, anyone finishing 7th or 8th hates it, and anyone finishing 9th or 10th, loves it.

Anyone in the bottom 8 will say that they only fell short by a little bit, and can reach for reasons to justify a poor season.

Personally, finals are the rewards you get for performing throughout the year.

There is one game left, and despite what the ladder says, the body of work across the season is one of the best that I have experienced in the last 24 years, including the year we made the prelim. 

We fell short because we didnt manage the moments so well, in similar fashion to yesterdays match vs the Bulldogs.

In hindsight, good thing we struggled with the moment at the stage, bar the last 5 minutes. Something now we can take on board and learn from, especially for our younger blokes. After 2022, we learned to handle things in the 2023 finals, especially the semi-final, where we held our nerve and won. We out like shots in the PF, like an athlete who goes out too hard in a race. Took Brisbane 20 min to settle down but once they did that were always good to be too good. We were pretty cooked, by finals in 2023 and did well to win two of them. We won 10 in a row to get there, won those close games near the end to stitch up our spot, cruised through the dead rubber last match, as we will likely do next week, but we were close to cooked by the finals with the effort. This time we kept winning, not like in 2023, had a two games slump then started to hit a peak the last 2 rounds. with a wildcard on the line, our composure went out the window but found it again when it mattered the last 5 min. Just like after 2022, hopefully we take the learning on board.

Re: Carlton 2026 Finals Campaign

Reply #13 –
Like it or not, it's here to stay.
With Tasmania coming in, and probably a twentieth team not far behind...it's probably fair enough that half the competition gets a crack at the end.