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AFL…be serious & consistent…

A very telling article has come out from Hamish Brayshaw, and it should and must be both applauded and actioned. It is brutal. It is to the point, and it is absolutely spot on.

The whole issue regarding high-head contact is being fiercely debated in the media, and some say that each high-head contact should be rated according to the action. Some in the media have stated that Toby Greene’s suspension should not have happened. Jesse Hogan’s suspension was overturned because he threw a fist against another player’s head, and it was deemed to be negligible.

We have seen the AFL come out quite categorically stating that high-head contact in any form must be seen in the long term and what damage it can and does do to a person, and therefore, the offending player must be suspended. But then again, a character reference can get certain players off but not all. The sheer hypocrisy surrounding this is mind-blowingly unfathomable.

I agree with Hamish Brayshaw, who states that the game right now on this issue stands on a precipice of confusion, and the direction the AFL now takes must be one of consistency, no matter who it is. If the AFL does not adhere to its rulings, such as high-head contact and a player has a suspension but gets overturned because of intent, or even if the player is not concussed, or even due to good character, then more and more people will back away from not only playing the game but supporting it. The damage in the long-term from high-head contact in sports is profound and startling. How many more players will in the long-term suffer the effects of concussion, and the offender gets a slap on the wrist?

To subscribe to what the game was and how this issue was handled back in the 1980s, even the 1990s, is ignorant and misguided. Back then, there was no fundamental understanding of the long-term effects of continual high-head contact on a person and what it does to their brain. Should we just accept that players will get concussions or be hit in the head and allow these players to then suffer the consequences of brain damage in their later years? Absolutely not, and neither should anyone.

In Hamish Brayshaw’s open letter, he brilliantly stated the double standard that the AFL is facing in this issue. Past players are suffering. Greg Williams has said that he cannot remember much of his life: his wedding, the birth of his kids, or even winning the 1995 Grand Final. Danny Frawley committed suicide, and it was found that he, too, suffered the effects of concussion and CTE when an autopsy was performed. Shane Tuck also took his life and it was also found that he too suffered from the effects of continual concussions.

How many other players must be feeling the effects of brain damage that will not show up until they are dead? For those in the media who say that some high-head contacts are negligible, they should and must, in all honesty, shut up. They are not the ones suffering; maybe they will only really understand when they eventually suffer the effects or know someone close to them suffering.

The AFL MUST stop this nonsense of unsureness about what constitutes a high-head contact. If any person hits the head, no matter how or why, that offending player must be suspended, irrespective of their character. If a concussed player is out, the offending player must be out for that same period. If a player is not concussed but plays on, the offending player must be suspended for at least one week, no matter their character or not.

If the AFL is serious about this, they must read and take action on all the points that Hamish Brayshaw has raised.

#GO BLUES!

https://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/former-player-hamish-brayshaw-tears-broken-afl-to-shreds/news-story/1e7172c9d0930db3b3e2c1d082d6db35

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Disappointing – yes…but…

To say that the match on Saturday was disappointing is while true, I do agree with Vossy’s sentiments. However, despite the terrible umpiring (and it was awful) and despite the inaccuracy not only in the goals department but also in our turnovers, it is Round 7.

Yes, we should have won that game, but despite the terrible decisions made by both umpires and some of the Carlton players, the team should and will take some clarity and understanding from this game.

Media have actually come out and stated that Carlton was playing against two teams yesterday: one from Geelong and one from the umpires. While this is true, a team must and should not rely on this when it comes to endeavouring to win a match. A team must put that aside and play according to their game to win anyway. The lack of clarity and consistency by the umpires did not help, but our lack of consistency and clarity by the players who panicked when they shouldn’t have and turned the ball over or fluffed the goals is, I feel, the reason that we lost. But then again, it is Round 7.

Sure, right now, Geelong is on the top of the ladder, unbeaten, but I do think that given the age of the playing group’s major players, the toll on their bodies will come into it long-term in this season. Players who are younger struggle during this season, so older players, such as those in Geelong, will suffer more. A body cannot sustain the type of pressure teams place on them continuously, and there will be other teams who do that, and for Geelong, there will be repercussions. And it all comes down to what will happen after the major Bye. If Geelong loses some of their major senior players, it will come down to their younger, less experienced players, and we know that without the guidance of the older players, a team will not be the same. Remember, it is only Round 7.

I would much rather Carlton lose a few before the Bye and learn and grow from the losses, than games after the Bye round. After the Bye, games become more vital in the bid to not only be in the top 8 but also to vie for a top 4 position. To be in a position where Carlton sit right now, is going to be beneficial. Let a team grow and get better with every game before the Bye and then hone what was learned and developed afterwards to make a strong pursuit to the top 8 and, hopefully, the top 4.

The next few weeks and the game against Geelong was and is always going to be fraught with challenges. How the team addresses those will be paramount to how they will finish the season, but it is not a definite outcome in Round 7.

There was much to like in the game against Geelong, but there was also much to dislike. With two losses under our belt and given the game we played against GWS, we have the capacity and ability to be better than we were against Geelong, and I feel we will come out a better side for it.

Round 7 has taught the team that they should not be rattled by the under-performance of very questionable umpiring decisions. They must and should learn that to be better, they must rise to the challenge ahead and win despite poor umpiring. We have the team to do it. They have to believe they can. I certainly think they do and will.

Losing such as this is not a “graceful” loss, as has been stated in past seasons by coaches; it was disappointing and a loss of the team’s own making. But with this loss, given the players we have, it will make them a better team and a much more hungrier and, dare I say it, angrier.

#GO BLUES!

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15 Minutes!

On Saturday morning, I was walking along the Yarra in Kew. Two men were coming in the opposite direction, one wearing a “sports” cap. As they walked nearer, I could see that the taller one had on a Carlton cap.

I was wearing one, too. As they passed, the one wearing the cap smiled and said, ‘Go Blues.’ I replied the same thing. It was then that I realized I had said, ‘Go Blues’ to none other than…Stephen Kernahan! It was then that I felt, that today would be a good day.

From the first bounce of the ball yesterday at Marvel Stadium, I knew we would be fighting hard to beat a very in-form GWS. After last week, as I had written, this match would determine where the season’s path would lead us. For the first quarter, it was back and forth. In the second quarter, it was more back. We were down nine points. At one stage, we were down 21 points. But in the third quarter, all it took was 15 minutes of sheer fight, grit, determination and a pressure that has now become synonymous with the Carlton in season 2023 and now 2024. Because that is all it took – 15 minutes!

In 15 minutes, Carlton produced some of the most scintillating footy that they have been lacking for quite some time. It was as if, for 15 minutes, the pennies started to drop. In those 15 minutes, Carlton FC showed what a team of players who were so determined to honour the guernsey they were wearing, and they were not the team from last week. And all of this on the back of having some of our major backline out from injury. Because it shows what I have stated for a long time – DEPTH!

Having depth in a playing group is paramount to being successful. It makes no difference who the team stars are and who were on Saturday because no star player can do it alone. It takes a team and it takes depth in the playing group to allow just 15 minutes of carnage! That was what happened on Saturday. Sure, there were players on the ground who really stood up, but they could not have done it alone. There were stellar performances by key players, but key players need those in the background in order for them to show what they are capable of. Crippa and Walsh both stated after the game in an interview, that sure they played well, but it takes a team to win and that was what happened on Saturday, and it took just 15 minutes.

Last week’s setback was one that I think the team needed (as I have said before); how they responded to this weekend’s match will set them up for the rest of the season. This win has been not one step but quite a few steps forward. It showed what they can be capable of even if some major players are out, and all it took was 15 minutes.

Having this depth in the playing group, allowing major players to show what they are capable of, and the team’s “not giving up” attitude will ensure their achievable success in season 2024. It took depth and 15 minutes. Great win, Carlton. Great win! Knew it was going to be a good day!

#GOBLUES!

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Own the loss…grow from it!

Five minutes into the match, I realized that we would struggle to win. It was not that we weren’t capable; it was just that, for some inexplicable reason, I felt we would not win this time. Yes, it was disappointing. Yes, it was gut-wrenching. But no, I am in no way worried or concerned. I have said before that five years ago, I wrote down where I thought the club would be in the next six years. So far, I have not been wrong.

I understand where the club sits right now and what it must do to be the success it wants to be. But let’s be realistic here. We lost in Round 5. Not Round 15. Not Round 20, but Round 5. Yes, we lost to a team that had yet to win a match. But again, it is Round 5.

In the modern game, it is never about what happens before the major Bye Round but what happens after that. Carlton showed it in 2023, and they will show it again in 2024. But what is more important is what happens next.
For the next round, we will be playing against a team that is not just pushing but bombarding the competition in a way that has yet to really make them successful since they were formed.

For the first time in their history, I really believe GWS could go to the very end. They now have a culture and a team that could do just that. They are also a few years ahead of Carlton in terms of this.

The game on Saturday was like a slap in the face. A kick in the guts. It sent the team back just one step, and for me, it was a step that needed to be taken. I am a firm believer in owning up to your mistakes because only in this can you ever grow and become a better person and player. A few seasons ago, the team would have retreated into their shells and fallen into a spiral hole. Now, the team will do the opposite, and I really think that GWS should be worried.

Adelaide came out firing. They had more to prove not only to themselves but to their supporters. Carlton was on the back foot for the entire game.
But it is now time to regroup, reconcile with what happened, and take a step forward, which I do think they will. It is now the time for the club to understand that they are not the team from a few seasons ago; they are better. They will need to learn and understand the mistakes made on Saturday, own them, and work on them. I do think that this is what will happen.

I care not what commentators or others in the media and social media say; I only care how Carlton responds to the game on Saturday. Given the way Vossy and his team have handled the team so far, this loss will only make them a better side.

I am under no illusion as to where the club sits right now or where it will finish. I do believe that the seeds were sown in 2023, and in 2024, we will see the fruits of that labour. It is only Round 5, and what the team will learn and gain from this loss will only make them a better side. I do think GWS will be worried because they know what the club is capable of and what will fuel them in the game next Saturday.

ALWAYS WILL BE – #GO BLUES!

P.S Welcome back Mr Sam Walsh…first game, massive stats!

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Own the loss…grow from it!

ALWAYS WILL BE – #GO BLUES!

P.S Welcome back Mr Sam Walsh…first game, massive stats!

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Stay Calm!

There is a saying: Stay Calm & Keep Going. With the controversy over the weekend in the match between Fremantle and Carlton, it seems that this is precisely what happened when the eventual outcome came to fruition…and it was not the team that was ahead for most of the game.

The last few minutes of the game were, to put it mildly, really pressurised from all spectrums of the game.

Starting with Charlie Curnow’s ‘one-handed’ mark that kept us in the game to the very controversial decision by the umpire regarding Matt Cotterell’s mark, which led to Carlton being in front at the 29-minute mark of the fourth quarter. The game was, at this point, on a knife’s edge. All Fremantle had to do was regroup, go back to the centre and do what they had been doing for most of the game…dominate. But a rather petulant Jordan Clark, who apparently was swearing at himself (at least that is what he says), but an umpire did not see it that way, and a free-kick was awarded to Matt Kennedy under the dissent rule. He kicked the goal, and Carlton came out the winner.

The debate has been going on about whether the ball kicked, which resulted in Cotterell’s mark and goal, was touched as the Fremantle players indicated. The umpire made a decision, rightly or not, and awarded a mark to Cotterell. Some have said, given the close nature of the game, that the decision should have been made through a video review. By doing so, you are actually taking away the nature of a game that is being governed not by robots but by people, and being human, mistakes can and do get made.

Let’s look at it from this match perspective. At one point in the first quarter, a Fremantle player kicked the ball while it was in the air near the boundary, and everyone could see that it was out on the full. Crippa even stated this, but the umpires tossed it in. Crippa stayed calm and kept going.

Then another Fremantle player got the ball from a handball, turned, and ducked, and a high-head tackle free kick was awarded against the Carlton player to the Fremantle one. Carlton did what Fremantle did not—they stayed calm and kept going.

The point is that throughout the game, all games in fact, the umpire will make a determination based on what they see and believe. No umpire will change that decision during a match. It just doesn’t and should not happen. Yes, we have the technology to determine issues at the goal/point posts, but that is where it has to remain. We cannot allow the game to go further than that in terms of what technology is available. It takes away an aspect of the game where it is more mechanical than anything else. What will determine the eventual outcome of a game that has contentious issues is how a team stays calm and keeps going.

Fremantle had an opportunity to change the outcome if only they had stayed calm and kept going. It was within their reach to do that, but they didn’t. It doesn’t matter what happens at the start of a game, but in close games such as this one, it matters who can stay calm and keep going. Carlton has proven that this is what they are now capable of.

Other teams have to realise that Carlton in 2024 will not go down in a blaze of panic and disarray that was prevalent in their past. They have developed into a team that stays calm and keeps going when needed. The fight doesn’t stop because they are not in front. It stops when the final siren goes. The team’s ability to do that is a revelation in the club’s growth, and the rewards are showing exponentially!

Some are likening Carlton to Collingwood from last year. I wouldn’t say that, as we have a bit more growth to go. We have to know how to combat a strong backline that Fremantle put up, which thwarted Carlton for most of the game. It is here that Carlton needs to learn from this match and become better for it. Understand that other clubs will look at the Fremantle game and see what damage they can do in stopping our forward line. Despite that, it is Carlton’s ability to stay calm and keep going that will determine season 2024. Because it is that aspect of the game that has become synonymous with the club’s success.

Travis Bradberry (an author on emotional intelligence), quotes that, ‘mistakes and pressure are inevitable; the secret to getting past them is to stay calm.’ Never underestimate Carlton’s ability to do just that. So far, in season 2024, this is exactly what they are doing and achieving.

#GO BLUES!

All photos courtesy of AFL.

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Pass the Defib!

There is a saying: Be still my beating heart! On Thursday night, it felt that not only my heart but also my blood pressure needed to calm down! As the siren sounded, I wasn’t sure whether to celebrate or call for a defibrillator! I am pretty sure we all felt this way.

As I walked to the car, the swell of the crowd cheering and singing, and some guy (in a Carlton jumper) yelled to the crowd if anyone could find Dusty as he seemed to be missing. Now I am pretty sure that said Dusty Martin played a decent game, kicking two goals but only 16 disposals. His abilities helped Richmond achieve something that they starkly missed last week. By the time I crawled into bed, I was physically and emotionally exhausted. With no voice, I woke this morning to the thrill of the fact that in two weeks, in two games, with pressure mounting against us, both from the opposition and of our own doing, we did not crumble but fought damned hard and achieved a result with a victorious yell!

This game was so frustrating to watch. It was also one of the most disappointing games to be umpired on both sides. The frustrating aspect was that, for the most part, the lack of scoring accuracy was our own doing. The turnovers, the panic at kicking near the goals, and the sheer lack of pressure towards some of the opposition were frustrating and made the blood pressure crawl up steadily throughout the game. Yet, on reflection, the team should be and must be praised for fighting every step of the way to become winners. Here’s why.

It has to be said that we have a somewhat depleted backline. Given that we have significant players out, it means that players, like pieces on a chess board, have to be shuffled around to fill the gaps that major players usually have no trouble filling. This means the club must look for depth in its playing group. While I am a strong, firm proponent of a team having depth in their playing group, it should never be underestimated that the job involving the “backup” players, will always pose issues for the playing group.

However, it is a significant feat for the club that despite the pressure of the game by Richmond and ourselves, we did not give up nor give in. I think it is pure genius in Thursday’s game and the one last week that in the dying seconds of the game, Charlie Curnow went down back and together with a stellar game by Mr Patrick Cripps, the team held on.

This type of game play and determination to win is needed for a team to succeed in a season. We are two games in, and thankfully, we have a bye to recuperate and hopefully see some players come back into the team. No matter what transpires, the team is in a great position to achieve success. We saw it last week and saw it again this week. But, please, Carlton, can we have at least one game without calls for defibrillators?

GO BLUES!

All photos, courtesy of AFL.

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Revelation!

The excitement for the start of the AFL 2024 season was palpable for Carlton supporters. We had traversed the path of Finals in 2023, and it gave us a hunger for more and the knowledge that we are on the right path to ultimate success.

With the bounce of the ball, it began, and it seemed for a while that this path that we were going on was not living up to our expectations. I am not interested in what others have specified, that is, what the outside noise makers have stated, only what we, as a club, are endeavouring to achieve. Then something happened. A switch. A light bulb moment. Or just a revelation.

In a few moments, we went from being five goals down in the first quarter to still being five goals down in the second. Then, after the half-time break, the team proved they were no one-season-hit wonders. Brisbane scored one goal, Carlton seven!

We had the Brisbane team spooked. In the end, it was a much-maligned Harry McKay (who I have to say I have always believed in) who took an incredible mark near the end of the last quarter, and every supporter with their hands on their heads in anxious anticipation, waited. But the doubters were sent back to their dens, and Hazza did what I have always believed he could do…slot it through! His goal put us in front in the dying minutes of the game!

But then our anxiety went from relief to panic again. We were down in our backline with Docherty subbed out injured. But the team did not allow panic or disarray to infect the game. They came, they swarmed, and with every ball in play, players made sure that not one Brisbane player could get within a metre of the goals or even a point.

The smothers. The tackles. The kicks away from the Brisbane goal area proved far too much for the Lions, and the moment the final siren went, despite and against all odds…Carlton came away with a win that still brings a tear to my eyes!

It was a revelation for supporters, but much more than that, it was a revelation for the team. They achieved what in the past would have sent them down a losing path. Despite losing major players before the season and during the game, the team, using their depth in the group, proved that they are a team to fear. They came together, banded together, and worked together.

Yes, it is only the first game, and the season is a long one, but we cannot and must not underestimate that the significance of winning against the Lions, in their den, is nothing short of a revelation! This win sets up the team to know that ultimate glory can be achieved in circumstances that may not be perfect. That with a unity of purpose, they can allow that quiet niggle of success that lies in the pit of their souls, soar to the top. For the players, the win was a revelation that they can achieve whatever they want to accomplish – together!

How good is it to be a Carlton supporter?

Bring on 2024! GO BLUES!

All photos, courtesy of the AFL

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A Practice Match…is not the benchmark of a season!

Reading the articles and comments after watching the match against Melbourne on Wednesday night is full of hilarity. Both the media and some “supporters” have doubled down, stating how bad Carlton was and how this will be a signature for the upcoming season.

I’m not sure what part of “practice match” means that all is doom and gloom for the 2024 season? I wrote a note to myself five years ago, where I thought Carlton would be by the end of each season for the next six years, and so far, what I have written (which I will not share) has come to fruition.

To be honest, this notion that a “practice match” will define a club’s season is ridiculous and very naive. What will define any team’s season is not reflected by what occurs at the start of a season, including practice matches, but what that team does throughout a season, especially after the mid-season bye.

To suggest that a practice match has significance to a season is hilarious! To take note of what the media states is hilarious. The whole purpose of the media is to get themselves at the forefront of media in all its forms. They want the “click-bait effect”. That is it. They want you, the supporter, to validate their postering. Because, at the end of the day, the media espouse statements that they know can sometimes be ridiculous, but they get a reaction, which is what they are after.

Anyone with any semblance of what it will take to get a team to be successful knows that the steady growth of the group will enable a team to be successful. It is their depth in the playing group. It is allowing the pre-season to be one of experimentation and giving young players a chance to play in their new teams. It is giving players an opportunity to begin their season from those that are returning after injury, to new experienced players in new teams, to those already at the clubs. That is it. It has no determination at all on what the season will shape up to be.

So before the season really starts, and before you get your “knickers in a twist”, the season starts and finishes, and in between then, there are many games, many scenarios, and there will be disappointments and euphoria. Ultimately, it is never how you start but how you finish. And Carlton proved this last year. Let us be a bit more patient in this very impatient world that we now live in. We are, as a club, in a great position.

Looking forward to Season 2024 and GO BLUES!

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Pre-season 2024!

The pre-season training has begun for all clubs, and there is speculation about which team will be where by the end of the season. These are the same speculations from others, where, every year, they get it wrong in some way. Last year, it was Geelong’s flag to lose. Others could not see anyone contending for the coveted Premiership cup other than Geelong. When it came to Carlton, it was basically unanimous that they would languish once more in the bottom eight.

I have been asked many times at this time of the year who will win the Premiership. I said this last year, the year before, and will repeat it: no one can predict who will win until after the Bye round.

Teams that boom ahead at the beginning of the season are no guarantee that they will be in Premiership Cup final contention at the end when it matters. Injuries and other matters come into contention with this regard, and it is those teams that are fit, healthy and have the stamina to finish the season at the top, that will be in contention. It comes down to not only physical wellbeing but mental as well. The body may be in peak condition, but the mind may not.

I watched a documentary about the Australian Open and how Rafa Nadal was two sets down in the final in 2023, and where everyone was contemplating when to leave when, despite a nagging injury, fought back and won against all the odds. I watched the documentary about Adam Goodes and how a star player was beaten down by the mental toll directed towards him when he was playing. While both instances are direct opposites, they clearly show the heavy toll mental capacity can take to determine success.

In the news, Melbourne’s Clayton Oliver is battling a personal battle and may be unlikely to start playing in Round One or beyond. We have seen in the past that other players either leave the game entirely or take time off because of mental health. We have seen coaches take a step backwards because of the toll on their mental health. But the issue is not how they deal with this but how we, as a supporter of the game and our club, deal with it.

I have seen in the past supporters “go to town” on our own players and coaches because of a performance that was not up to their standards. I have seen on social media how the barrage of abuse and vilification is directed towards coaches and players by so-called supporters. These supporters then praise and glorify these same people when everything goes the team’s way. Should it not be that we support, no matter what? We cannot say with our hands on our hearts that we are passionate supporters of a club if, given a chance, we deride and hurl abuse at a player, a coach or even an administrator.

No matter what club or team you support, these are, in the end, people. Sure, they are professional sportspeople who get paid a bit to play, but they are still, in the end, just people, and the way we treat them on and off the field reflects on us as a person.

Mental health, especially in men, is one where it should be a safe place to exist, knowing that supporters and the clubs will put their virtual arms around a person and say, “We support you.” It must be a place where people like Clayton Oliver can take a step back from a game he loves and focus on getting his mental health under control. Whether we like him or not, he is a person, a young person who is battling right now, and we must support him.
The game is nothing without the players, the coaches, the administrators and the supporters. It is a collective that makes this game so dynamic and such a wonderful place to be in. We cannot step down into the gutter of abuse just because they play for another side or are battling mentally. It makes no difference if it is in the AFL or the AFLW.

A question posed on GOLDFM’s Facebook page asked if you could change one thing about 2023: what would it be? I replied, Collingwood, winning the Premiership! Sure, I hate Collingwood and Essendon, but I will not vilify nor hurl abuse at a player just because they play for them. I have seen over the years the effect this can have on a person and will not stoop down to that level.

I would love it if, at the start of the new season, we stopped with the barrage of hate directed towards a player, coach or administrator just because they either play for another club or for Carlton and just didn’t perform how we felt they should. Or if they are of a different culture, in all forms. Or who they identify as, in terms of their gender.

I doubt it will happen, but hey, I can dream and hope. I hope Clayton Oliver and others who are battling mental health come out of their dark tunnel with a better, more hopeful view of their world. The game should be a safe place no matter what and we, as supporters can be a part of it.

GO BLUES!

P.S. How cool is this image of Jack Silvagni!

All photos courtesy of AFL.

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I’m BACK!

If you are reading this, your first thought would probably be…huh? After a hiatus and after much consideration, this blog will be back for the 2024 season and hopefully beyond. Sportz will be up and running.

Some may say “yay”, and others say “meh”. It makes no difference what your view is about this because this blog is based on looking at Carlton’s game and AFL as a whole by not targeting players, coaches, administrators, etc., but by looking at the game from a different angle. Its main objective is to step outside of individualism and see the club and the game in its entirety from all aspects.

As in previous writings, there may be an occasion to single out a player, coach or even an administrator, but only if the base of the article warrants it. I will never demonise, lay blame or even “bag” players, coaches, or administrators because of performance on any given day, as this is not the realm of this blog. If this does not suit you, then that is your prerogative, but the blog will not allow rude comments or disrespect on any level towards anyone, including those at the club.

The blog’s aim is, and always was, to support the Carlton FC in its endeavour to get another notch on the belt regarding a Premiership. Sure, I may sometimes be critical, but it will not be done with any disrespect as others have done so in the past. It serves and achieves nothing but a way for the author to vent. Again, if this is something that you, as a reader, do not feel aligns with you personally, then you are free to not read anything I write. If you disagree with anything, I have no issue with that, but you should note that I will only look at reasonable and rational responses, not insulting diatribes towards anyone, including myself.

So, as 2024 begins, you will see, as we move closer to the resumption of the AFL season, articles, viewpoints, and even some interviews. So, as in the past…I will sign off for now…and GO BLUES!

All images courtesy of Carlton FC.

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Heart & Soul & Passion!

Saturday 12th August 2023 will be a simple case of where were you? From 5 pm onwards, everyone around the country will know where they were when the air vibrated from the sheer euphoric joy from one code in sport, and then later that night, a smaller yet similar vibe emanated from another code. But for both games, Tony Gustavsson summed up what most in the football world (soccer) and the footy world took their pride in their team and made the most spine-tingling yell at the final siren.

Gustavsson, emotional after the incredible performance of the Matildas, encapsulated what the whole country felt – heart and soul and passion. That it was just about winning the game, but it was more. It was what each team member could bring to the team individually and as a whole. It was their heart in playing for the team. Their soul was left on the field, and their passion to win and succeed made the difference between devastating defeat and euphoric victory.

That was exactly how Carlton supporters felt at the siren on Saturday night. It was how I felt on Saturday night.

It made no difference if you were at the game or not. It made no difference if you watched on a screen or were at the ground; for both codes, it made a difference that you supported.

Gustavsson, emotional and charged, thanked those at the Matildas game and around the world. That we, the supporters, can take pride in being a part of this win and bringing their heart, soul and passion in the support of the Matildas.

Carlton, on Saturday night, delivered their heart, soul and passion. From the very first bounce to the very last kick, the team put their heart into the team and the club. Their soul on the field and their passion to play a game they always felt capable of. It was inspiring. It was exhilarating. It was emotional, and it was, for me, one where I felt like calling every commentator, media person, and supporter who turned on the club and said in their faces – I told you so!

If you are a follower of the code, any code, you don’t just look at what you expect throughout a season or even a tournament; you look at what growth the team has in its bid for ultimate success. By looking, really looking at how Carlton started the season and then wound up before the Bye, you could see that they had the capacity to attain success, yet the heart, the soul and the passion were just not there. But I knew that, given time, given a bit of a shove, each component would seep into their mindset and this heart, soul and passion would emanate at game time. After the Bye, this is precisely what transpired.

It was not that one player who stood up and carried the team but every player. This is what makes a team successful. Knowing that you may not be considered the best, you can be the best because you have the three things that teams strive for – heart, soul and passion. Complacently, being thrown into a sense of expectation gives you nothing but failure. You don’t grow. You don’t push yourself to be better; you rest on your laurels, expecting that the success of the past will ensure success in the future. It doesn’t. It never will.

I am a proud and emotional Carlton supporter. I am a determined and, right now (and this goes against my being), an arrogant supporter of the club for the simple reason that – I always knew what the team was capable of and what they could achieve. They just lacked their heart, soul and passion, but I knew that in time, this too would come.

I never gave up, and on Saturday night, neither did the team. The pride and emotion shown on Michael Voss’s face and the other coaches’ prove that they all knew what the team was capable of and what the result could be. It is there on the faces and reactions of the players and there on the faces and reactions of those supporters who stood by the club in a very dark time before the Bye.

Writing this, I am filled with emotion and pride in both codes. I am so proud of the Matildas for what they have accomplished so far. I am so proud of the Carlton team and what they have achieved so far. My heart, soul and passion for the club have never waivered and never will. But I always knew, and I always believed.

GO BLUES!

All images courtesy of the AFL.

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How Was That!

Wow! What a weekend of footy that was!

At that game on Sunday afternoon, where I sit, there is one particular man who I shall term as being a GOSM – a grumpy old supporter man. I have seen him around other games throughout the years, and it seems that when Carlton is not fairing too well, he yells, screams, and gets animated to the point that I swear he is just one heart attack away from departing this world. But when the team is doing great and going well, nothing happens. He sits there and glares while others are up on their feet, cheering and screaming their lungs out. (As a side note, he left the game at half-time).

What makes a person act that way is beyond my comprehension, and given what Carlton has traversed over the years, it made me ask: What defines a person as a supporter? Does support mean that it is based on the team’s successes? Is it defined by where a team sits on the ladder? Is it based on continually being at the top of their game for every round? Or is it one that comes from a deep love and passion for the game and the club, that support will always be there no matter what?

For me, support is one where, no matter what, I will always attend the game, cheer on the team and the club and know that with each and every game played, the club will eventually get the success they so richly deserve.

On Sunday, I am sure most fans watched the game with trepidation. The team has been on a dynamic, electrifying winning streak that surely has its end, and maybe playing against St Kilda, we will see that end. For the first half, it seemed that this was the likely outcome. How shocked and wonderfully elated were we when that did not happen?

In the first half, Carlton played a game different from their gameplay. It was slow, methodical and showed none of the fire and spirit we have seen since the Bye Rounds. I felt saddened that the team did not show the same spirit they had previously shown, but my support did not waiver. From the ball’s first bounce in the second half, the doom and gloom that permeated around Marvel Stadium was swiftly turned on its head.

Compared to their three, we went from only kicking two goals in the first quarter. From one goal in the second quarter to their four. Then we kicked three goals in the third, to their one. Finally, we kicked a massive four goals in the fourth, to their – none and all this without some of our regular team stalwarts. It showed that the club has a group of players that may not be viewed as “superstars” of the game but had something more important than that – heart. It showed that this deep-seated need to win in all contests was at the forefront of the Carlton players on the ground.

It mattered not that Charlie Curnow did not kick many goals; it mattered that the team as a collective whole wanted, more than anything, to win this game. It mattered that once-maligned players wanted to show themselves and those around them what they would bring to the team. They played a quick, fast-paced, continual moving of the ball that we have seen since the Bye Rounds, which has resulted in the wins.

It was a pivotal moment for the team, who would have previously given up. It shows that as a group, this team has the capacity and ability to do what many did not think possible, including GOSM. The team banded together, supported each other, and as a team – came out as winners. As a supporter, it was a club and season-defining moment.

Understanding the game of footy, and the fact that it has 23 games that each team plays, it matters not how you start but how you finish. It is a long and arduous time for the players physically and mentally. Those continually at the top of their game have nowhere else to go but down. They cannot sustain the mentality and physicality of winning all the time. It doesn’t give them something to attain. It may work for a few, but not as a collective whole. It is those who rise then stumble to understand that the only way for them now has to be on the up. If they want to attain any semblance of success, their approach has to reflect this deep, resonated need to win and get better, no matter what. It is those teams, those players that know that what counts is where you are as a club at the end of the season, not where you are at the start.

The drive that makes the team successful is not just about the game’s stars but about those who group together and say – we, as a collective, can do this. We believe in ourselves and our coaches. WE CAN DO THIS! Boy, did they ever!

As a supporter, I do not and never will subscribe to this need to be continually at the top of the team’s game. It does not allow for growth, nor does it allow the team to strive for ultimate success. Knowing and understanding what it will take for each player to become successful means knowing and understanding that the game is a team game and only the team will ever be successful as long as everyone buys into it.

Undoubtedly, the Sunday game was a catalyst for the club and the footy world in general. It shows that Carlton will not be bullied into failure. That we have the spirit and the drive to want to succeed, and we will do it as a collective.

That we do not rely on just our stars, but on everyone who puts on the guernsey, laces up their boots and runs onto the ground. As a supporter, I will be there no matter what. I will console in the losses and relish in the wins. I will send GOSM back to his pessimistic outlook and out of the stadium, and know that when the ultimate success comes into our being, I will have gone on this journey in all its twists and turns because the game on Sunday showed that I always knew and always believed, and so did the players!

GO BLUES!

#alwaysknew #alwaysbelieved

All images courtesy of AFL.

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Always knew…always believed!

At the start of the year, I was asked my view on who would be the Premiership winner and where Carlton would be at the end of the season. I replied that no-one can predict who would be the Premiership winner and where Carlton would finish in a competition that spans over 24 weeks. That would require a crystal ball or one of the seeing stones from Lord of the Rings. It is a myth and a fantasy.

I did say where I thought Carlton would finish, but let’s put that aside. I reiterated when pushed for an opinion that those teams that run away with the competition from Round One to the rounds before each team’s Bye will not determine any club’s end of season game. Only after the Bye rounds will show which teams are in contention for the Finals.

Teams that blast their way to the top eight is no guarantee to finishing there. Teams that storm their way to the top eight before their Bye round is no guarantee that they will be and are a Premiership winner. Sure, by cementing your place in the top four you are cementing your place in the finals, but at what toll to the team? The sheer brutality on a body for 24 weeks of high intensity gameplay will take its toll eventually. The mental capacity to continue to perform at the top of your game will ultimately take its toll. How a team starts is never going to determine how they will finish. I’m not talking about those teams we can see are clearly rebuilding, I’m talking about those teams who are in contention to be a part of the Finals.

Before the bye-round for Carlton, the club was languishing in the fifteenth spot. The talk around the footy world was brutal, nasty and sometimes narrow-minded. For some who wanted to cancel their membership or storm the club and demand that the current administration be sacked, it was arrogant and an assumption that comes with wearing blinkers.

For some who posted on social media claiming that they speak on behalf of all supporters that Michael Voss was not the coach for Carlton, was one tainted with a self-centred and conceited diatribe that has no place for those that in the next week, claim he is the coach to get the club to be successful.
For a start, no-one speaks on my behalf or for others who like me, never stopped believing and always knew what this team is capable of. The gall and audacity of these so-called supporters who stated their view on behalf of everyone on social media, is shameful and tantamount to bullying. Especially if it is directed at a specific person/s. To assume that you are the voice of reason and rationality and speak on behalf of every Carlton supporter shows how disrespectful you are to those who never gave up as you did.

For the first time in ten years, the club has stopped the need for knee-jerk reactions and comments from outside of the walls at Ikon Park and drawn a line in the sand, saying categorically this has not worked in the past it will not work now. We have the talent and the ability to play against the best and win. It would not happen from the onset, but it will happen. As stated above, it is not what transpires before the Bye rounds but after. Carlton was all but written off not only by so-called commentators who believed they knew the workings of the club, but those who decided to throw Voss under the bus and demand that the club once more go down the road of knee-jerk reactions in the hope that this will make the club successful.

After the Bye round we saw a new and vibrant club emerge from the darkness of loss. We saw that no matter who is injured or unable to play, we have the depth and talent to counter-act the lack of those deemed to be game superstars. Our match against Port Adelaide and then Collingwood, shows this.

This game is not a solo game. It does not and should never rely on a handful of players to win, it takes a team and the game against Collingwood showed a team spirit that proved what I have felt for a while and what others have also felt – we have the capacity to be successful no matter who or what makes up the team on game-day.

The tugging of their jumpers from Jesse Motlop and Matty Owies to the chest pumping of Charlie Curnow and the quiet fortitude from Jacob Weitering, Adam Saad, Sam Docherty, Mitch McGovern, to the incredible talents of Alex Cincotta and Ollie Hollands. The team spirit was at the forefront after the Bye. This supporter was very emotional to see Caleb Marchbank back into the side against Collingwood and finally see David Cunningham slowly getting his mojo back. Put in to this mix Lachie Fogarty, Blake Acres, Matthew Cottrell, George Hewett, Brodie Kemp, Nic Newman, Paddy Dow who came in for an injured Adam Cerra (who was incredible), and at every turn, they came into the games after the Bye, with a determination that was missing beforehand. Seeing Jack Martin be the player we know he can be, Patrick Cripps shrugging off opponents as if they were mere feathers falling from a bird of prey. Seeing Tom De Koning and Marc Pittonet forge a strength that worked in unison, not seen before the Bye was a fist-pumping moment for those who never gave up and always believed.

I do not respect those who deem it their job to speak on my behalf. But have total respect for those supporters who never stopped believing in what this team could be capable of and who stepped away from the toxicity of social media and said that we still believed and always knew. Sure we can be disappointed, but not vicious, nasty and disrespectful.

I am a Carlton supporter and, no matter what will support the club from the depths of despair to the dizzy heights of success. I will never state that my view speaks on behalf of others. I will never bully, harass, or decry the coaches, players and others to show how irrelevantly clever I think I might be, as others do. It serves no purpose and achieves nothing. The vindication that coursed through my veins on Friday night was shown on a silent, yet euphoric grin on my face that is still there.

My new mantra, no matter where we finish this season, is: #alwaysknew #alwaysbelieved.

GO BLUES!

All images courtesy of AFL.

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Time to sign off!

After much thought and deliberation, this will be the last posting in Sportz. The reasons are many. The realization that social media, in all its forms, has become not a voice for much that is positive but one filled with negativity and bullying.

My blog was designed to be a different voice from those rife on social media. There was never any intention to be based on how many likes, clicks or shares. It mattered not whether some agreed, as everyone has different views and opinions. However, in this regard, how people voiced their different views and opinions ranged from logical and backed by valid arguments to total and utter flamboyant rubbish that was neither logical nor backed by reasonable arguments.

The number of times I was told to “get back to the kitchen” or “I’m a female and have no clue about the game” was prolific. But that never bothered me in the slightest. What has bothered me more is those who turn on the toss of a coin when making comments about players, coaches, administrators, and so forth.

Some spout the importance of understanding the mental health of others yet are quite happy to post derogatory comments on social media directed at specific players and coaches. To go from one week to supporting them to another degrading them is a bit hypocritical.

Given the game over the weekend, you would think that we are no better than we were in the past years when we were languishing near the bottom of the bottom eight.

I was privileged enough to attend a function where Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell and the club’s Director of Coaching spoke. It was insightful, logical and something that all supporters of every club would benefit from what they said. They put up a slide that said that in the years before the club won their first in a series of Premierships, the average age of the players was 23.7 years. When they won their first, it was 26 years. The average number of games played in that Premiership group was between 60 – 70, compared to 35-45 games.

Sam Mitchell said that to become a Premiership side, you have to have growth in your playing group to such an extent that the game becomes second nature no matter what is facing that player. This takes time and experience to teach most, not all, where he alluded to those players who are naturally born with a footy sense.

It takes time to have that mix of players that can read the game so that they become a dynamic force during the game. He should know this, being part of a four-time Premiership team. The same situation is with Voss. He knows what it will take to continually get this team to a position of dominance. Yet some want this to happen in six months, not a few years, given the instability we have gone through. These same people barrage and comment derogatory comments towards players and the club and don’t see the damage it can do to the player. To be perfectly honest, I have no respect nor care for these “commentators” who are only interested in clickbait. So it is time to walk away.

Thanks to all who followed me on this journey, but it is time to go on other journeys. I will still be a passionate Carlton member and supporter and go to most games here and interstate, win, lose or draw. But the toxic nature of social media is something I have no interest in being a part of, so it is time to sign off. At the end of July, Sportz will be no more.

So for the last time, GO BLUES!

_{(Photo courtesy of AFL)}

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Depth, depth and depth!

It has been a while since I have posted or written anything about the footy for some time because I was away travelling, spending time with one of my sons who lives in England. No amount of footy could ever equal the feeling I got after not seeing him since the pandemic, and it was so well worth it.
My first match back was the one against Fremantle, as jet lag took a big hold at the Richmond game. For the match against Freo, I was fortunate enough to watch the game at the President’s Lunch at Marvel and given the location of the seats, I could see the entire field as I usually sit on the lower level.

Before I go on about the game, I want to say that I have in the past, that I have spouted the need for a team, any team, no matter what type of sport it is, must have depth in their playing group. It must understand that the “stars” of a team should not and must not carry the said team. That if one or more go down, there will be others who may not be as outstanding as the “stars” are, but their heart and their ability and trust from the playing group and coaches will enable them to plug that hole that others have left because they are out injured. If you do not have that, you will never be a success. It may work for a while, but long term, it will only show the gaps in your squad and the reliance on a few to carry the many. The game on Saturday afternoon proved the point that I have made, even if they all gave us a scare in the first quarter.

I don’t like to name players specifically because this is a team sport, and it must be the team that garnishes the results. Sure, some stood out, and we all know who they are, but for me, those who have put their all into the game without the fanfare showing why they are an essential part of the depth this club now has.

Gerard Wheatley said on SEN about the game, “WOW. WOW. WOW.” That he wanted to be wherever Carlton was playing. The sheer domination from the team from midway through the second quarter never let up, and it wasn’t just the “stars” that ensured this pressure; every player never gave up any time from then on. The sheer speed in which the ball went from the superb midfielders and backline stopping a sure Freo goal to our forward line was electric to witness. The speed in which players from all positions came and assisted when required showed a level of not only skill but footy knowledge that we have not seen for a long time. The game showed a level of maturity of the game itself that, while was missing when we played Richmond, was demonstrated in spades in this game.

For me, it means we are sitting with ten wins and four losses so far, but with every failure we have had, it has become a learning experience for a group of players who show not only heart but a culture that it is not them that will make the difference, but the team. This mentality was forefront on Saturday, and after the final siren, I sang my heart out because exceptional game playing got us to the thirty-one-point win.

We played against a team where a very one-sided, biased and blinded man (Ross Lyon) stated how Fremantle would destroy Carlton and its depleted back line. It is where we played against a team that, for many commentators, were prime Premiership contenders, and while they may still be, no one countered on a club that, for the most part, no one gave any hope of beating this top-four team, shows that they know little about the game itself or about the damned tenacity of a team that is getting better and better with each game, win or lose.

There are not many games left in the season, and I have always believed that it is those teams that, with every game before the bye, gain experience, learn from mistakes and come out with a renewed sense of urgency and willingness to play as a team, will ultimately succeed, after the bye. It is that team that understands that the homestretch is not far and the possibilities are there for the taking; we just have to do that.

Gerard Wheatley said on SEN that if asked whether Carlton could win the Premiership, his reply was “Hell Yeah!” Given the way the team played on Saturday shows that we are slowly but surely making our way to that ultimate pinnacle. That with every game from now on, we have to play as we did from mid-way through the second quarter. We do that, and the rewards are endless. We have mountains to climb before we get there, but with any climb, it will be the team that will encourage, urge and support each other, and it will be the team, the depth of the team, that will allow us to get there.

#GOBLUES!

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Where’s the defib? Go Blues!

The game over the weekend had me going on a roller coaster ride that started off simple enough and then led to the most nerve-racking, heart-stopping, stressful ride I had been a part of for a very long time. My husband took a photo of me lying on the floor, I was exhausted mentally, and it seemed that the floor was the only place where I felt calm. After a while, I had calmed down enough to celebrate a win. Because, as said before, a win is a win, is a win.

However, this match proves what most have been saying for a while – we need to play four quarters, not blow out the first-half lead, then go missing for the rest of the game only to fight to the bitter end for a positive result. We cannot be in any finals contention if this is our mindset. Do I think that all is doom and gloom – no. In the past, we would have lost these games; instead, we fought hard to get it back to a win.

I spoke to a guy at a shop over the weekend who is a Carlton supporter, and he said that while he loved the win, he is still not 100% onboard the new Carlton. I told him that he would be correct if this was previous years, but we are not one and four, but four and one.

Yes, the wins have been hard-fought after taking the lead, but they are still wins. I do not subscribe to the notion that the state of the ladder now will be the determining factor after the bye rounds. Those clubs in the middle of the ladder are the ones who will learn more from their mistakes than those floundering at the bottom or taking a decidedly unbeatable lead.

From now and until the bye, sustaining a certain high level of playing ability takes a toll on the body of any player of any game. Those teams that fight harder to win no matter what the scores are during the match become the team that will grow in stature during a game because they will be guided and grow under the tutelage of the coaches. This will sustain them for the rest of the season. It will allow a team to spread their depth in their game over four quarters and not try and blitz an opponent all at the beginning, then fade out towards the end.

Some may not agree, but this is my view, and history has shown that a team in the position that Melbourne is in right now does not win a Premiership. It is those teams who fight during the season to get to the point where this fight for a win becomes second nature and one that sustains them in every match.

So yes, we won – just. Yes, we gave up a substantial lead. Yes, we managed to hang on. Yes, we need to play all quarters and not just a few. But yes, this will click in because if we had been one and four, the despair would creep into the players being, and they might not believe they could achieve any semblance of success. But at four and one, they do believe and will learn from this with each game played.

This weekend will be a massive test for the players, given they are playing interstate and against a team that is also in the same position we are in. The team that plays all four quarters with the same intensity throughout will win the game. I know Carlton can do it, but I will be happy with a win, no matter the margin. But I would rather not have to worry about where the nearest defib is near me while watching the game!

“We put ourselves in such a strong position. Our top level is extremely impressive. We drop our guard a bit and lose some concentration and lacked consistency. If anything, it becomes more a confirmation of what we need to keep working on. Despite putting ourselves in that position, you can’t fault the fortitude of the group. The last six minutes were extremely intense.” Michael Voss. Photo courtesy of AFL.

#GOBLUES

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Three Points!

Point One: AFL

At the ten minute mark of the first quarter of the game on Sunday, I knew we wouldn’t win. The feeling emanating from that game was one of lackluster. When Crippa went out of the game, it was simply a matter of playing in a way that would stem the flow of goals from the Gold Coast and trying to ensure that we were “not blown” out of the water in that respect.

What was evident was the importance of Pitto in the center and how his absence made the midfield just a little bit shakier, and that was proven on Sunday. With Silvagni in the center and not down forward, we missed a significant body in our forward line. But given all that, I was not terribly upset about the outcome. I did not want to “burn my membership” that some have posted on social media. Given the past three games, we were expected to win that match, but I actually did not expect it. I will tell you why.

We have a new coach with new expectations and a new game plan. We have new players and have re-structured the entire football department. In the first three games, we did not play a full four quarters, and it was expected that if we did not do this in this game, we would eventually lose a game. No team in the past has won all their games from Round One and won a Premiership in that same year. Especially in the modern game.

The pressure physically and mentally takes a toll on a player and a team and cannot be sustained unbroken, unless something illegal is going on. But irrespective of that, remember this. In the past, and given what others have commentated on before this last round, we could have been sitting on one and three and not the other way round.

I want to see the team have these “shake-ups” in a game to gain the hunger for not letting it happen again. I want to see the team grow and develop so that if we do lose players such as Crippa and Pitto, we have the experience and depth to counter that. Only then can we even contemplate being a top-four team.

But the real test will come this week against Port Adelaide, who wants to prove to the AFL world that they aren’t that terrible. They have more to gain and lose than we do, and I want to see the team ensure that what we saw last game does not factor in this game.

Point Two: AFLW

We are all exceedingly disappointed that Maddy Prespakis and Georgia Gee are leaving Carlton for Essendon. Given that they have been a part of Carlton since they were both respectively drafted. But the nature of the game, especially in the AFLW is that players in order to be in the peak of their game, have to look at the financial aspects of playing at this level. They are not financially as secure as the men are and so need to look at that with regards to their future contracts.

It is sad, disappointing, but what the club needs is to ensure that future players want to don the navy blue and play for that honor. Inevitably future stars could also leave but unless the AFL administration ensure that all players in the AFLW are compensated enough to enable them to continue their journey at their club and in their growth in the game, this will happen again.

https://www.womens.afl/news/78186/expansion-list-rules-how-the-four-new-clubs-can-sign-players

https://www.carltonfc.com.au/news/1102548/harford-to-lead-game-changers-for-two-more-years

Point Three: Resignation of Gil

With the resignation at the end of this year of the AFL’s CEO, the AFL Board has the prime and required opportunity to ensure that this competition both men and women’s doesn’t fall by the wayside of irrelevancy.

The AFL does not really take notice of the supporters who pay hard earned money to be a part of their team and the code itself. Yet they are still given not much of a voice. They are basically told to pay up, accept the ticketing issues, the rising cost of food and transport and sit in the stadiums to cheer your team. What the AFL administration is missing here is the point that for many, it is cheaper and better to watch the game at home where it won’t cost you over $50 just for a few bucket of chips and a drink and that is not including any alcohol or the cost of getting to the game.

The AFL Board right now has the chance to select the person who will lead the code into a new era of post-Covid and ensure that supporters and members are considered to be the equal priority alongside the players and umpires. That the code has three components that will make it a success. The players, the umpires and the supporters. Pushing the needs of one below the others will only lead to disenchantment and eventual uncaring attitude to going to the game rather than watch on TV.

There is a real opportunity here that if not dealt with accordingly will see the code become something that for a lot of supporters, not worth the financial aspect and would rather watch it on the TV.

#GO BLUES!