Dark days

[blue]

This might be a rage post but that's what  a forum is for. Kernahan retired as one of the blues greatest players but at the moment he will be remembered for me as the bloke who fired another of our greatest players in Brett ratten and hired another Denis pagan in mick malthouse, who has somehow taken our club from a team on the way up to a team that will be lucky to beat Melbourne next week. Who has gotten daisy Thomas to our club on massive money for what return. Shaun hampson out Cameron wood in. Cameron wood, I feel like Jason dunstall on the bounce talking about dribble goals. Richard Pratt would be turning over in his grave, after taking our club from its lowest point in history and getting us back on the right track, to see what's a shambles on field we have turned intro now. That's my rant. Have been a made supported all my life and a member for the last 10 years and I have no faith in my football club.

[Mailman the 2nd]

Yeah Brett Ratten had Carlton on track to be in a Grand Final by this year or so, one slip up (albeit a pretty big loss of form) and the football club has been sent careening down to a side that might barely scrape 8th or 9th.

It wasn't one of the "writings on the wall" situations either, I think it was brought about by some pretty poor board decisions

[blue]

Can I just say that personally I don't think that stix's wanted to get rid of ratten and his hand was forced by the board, but the perception from the outside and history will say that Stix's got rid ratten

[Mr.Craig]

The drafting hasn't helped much. They could have had Jackson Merrett, Isaac Smith, Luke Parker and Luke Dunstan if they chose.

[blue]

I think the last time I got excited over a firtst year player was kreuzer 07 or maybe yarran 08. I do like Menzel but he only played a few games last year. Our drafting is poor at best.

[Boomz]

Meh it's Carlscum at it's finest and I'm loving it. Please continue.

[Nige]

Meh it's Carlscum at it's finest and I'm loving it. Please continue.

[Mat0369]

hired another Denis pagan in mick malthouse,

I made this exact comment when they made the move. Don't worry, you are not alone, I was pretty pissed when they sacked Ratts. People can say what they want about his inadequacies as a coach, but I felt he really grew towards the end of his tenure. They should have given him one more chance with a fit list last year at making a finals push, if it didn't work out they then had the chance at someone like Paul Roos. Instead they had external pressure from Malthouse in his comments "If I don't coach next season I won't coach again" and the board to sack him so they could make the move.

I had been a member every year since 2002. Not only a member, but a social club member when we had no chance of finals and the club really needed the money. I stood with them every game when we were at our lowest. When we were getting smashed by record margins by almost every team in the comp, I was there, week in week out, never left a game early. Last year I didn't buy a membership out of protest. Mick coming in has been a domino effect. You have a game plan which is outdated and was exploited by the Cats in his last game as coach. By being 'predictable' to use his words, you are also predictable to the opposition. The only time the team has looked competent is when they have had to go to plan B and played with more freedom offensively. Then you have had players unhappy with him, players been played out of position, players clearly in the best not getting games because he had some issue with them, losing quality depth to opposition clubs for practically nothing. Are you telling me Hammer and Laidler are worse players then Warnock/Wood/White/Bootsma? You then have them make his pet one of the highest paid players at the club. What does that say to the guys inside the club who believe they are better players then Dale Thomas? This move could result in Carlton losing Gibbs because he looks at Thomas and sees him getting paid 700k and thinks he is worth around that figure.

Yeah Brett Ratten had Carlton on track to be in a Grand Final by this year or so, one slip up (albeit a pretty big loss of form) and the football club has been sent careening down to a side that might barely scrape 8th or 9th.

It wasn't one of the "writings on the wall" situations either, I think it was brought about by some pretty poor board decisions

If this is referring to Ratten's last season as coach, injuries played a huge part in that loss in form. That is why the 'expectations' were to make finals last year. The injuries got so bad at one point they had to play Levi Casboult in the ruck, in his first AFL game 2 weeks after he came back from a long-term knee injury. He was the clubs only ruck option at the time since all the others were injured. He actually grew as a coach in that tough run with injury and I think the best example of that was the Collingwood game where undermanned and underdone, they smashed the Pies.

The drafting hasn't helped much. They could have had Jackson Merrett, Isaac Smith, Luke Parker and Luke Dunstan if they chose.

The main one that stands out is Daniel Talia over Kane Lucas, but they have hit on a few late round picks in recent seasons along with rookie listed players.

[kilbluff1985]

Mat does Bell being sub make any sense to you?

[Mat0369]

None. That is one of the players Malthouse had issues with. Bell wanted a spot on the senior list last year, Malthouse said no, he threatened to walk before agreeing to a spot on the rookie list. Malthouse then played him in the reserves most of the early part of the year where he killed it week in week out. He then injured himself and came back and killed it at VFL level again, dominating games and it still took him a few weeks before getting a regular gig. You can say you have team balance issues, but if that is the case you don't play him. He is a huge guy with a massive tank, when you are that big and can run the way he does, you play him at the start of games, not at the end as a sub.

[kilbluff1985]

so you reckon he will leave at the end of the year? sounds like it

it doesn't make any sense to me either why i brought it up

[Mat0369]

As in Bell or Malthouse? Bell signed a 2 year deal I think, so he is contracted for this season and the next, not sure if he will request a trade though. I sure as hell hope not.

[kilbluff1985]

As in Bell or Malthouse? Bell signed a 2 year deal I think, so he is contracted for this season and the next, not sure if he will request a trade though. I sure as hell hope not.

yeah meant Bell

[Mat0369]

Yeah Bell is now on the senior list and they gave him a 2 year deal in the off-season

[Spite]

I think with all the flack that Watts got, Krezuer has been very very lucky. Write down a list of ruck and you'll note that kreuzer is about 11-12th. And he was a number 1 pick. That's pathetic. Cotchin was the pick after him. They grab cotchin, Sam Jacobs doesn't leave, you get a better ruckmen and a competent midfield too. That pick has cost the club nearly more than any other ridiculously bad picks in recent times.