Great Clubs Make Great Players!

Let me be clear here. Great players do not make great clubs. Great clubs make great players. This has been proven in all manner of team sports.

In the world of AFL, my point right now is one that encompasses Hawthorn and Geelong and also GWS. 


Sam Mitchell, as coach of Hawthorn, understands this more so as someone who is part of a great club. When they won their multiple Premierships, not one player in that club started as being labelled – great.  They became great because of four factors that Carlton simply has not had since the first sacking of a coach midway through a season – Brett Ratten.


Hawthorn acquired players with potential, who were young, and the club saw the possibilities that these players could offer within the club.  The players went to a club where the entire organisation, from coaches to the Board, knew what it would take to make Hawthorn a great club.  They had stability within the club. They had consistency within the club, and they had a Board that understood long-term requirements to achieve long-term success. There were no egos, no self-entitlements, no arrogance. This only reared up after Hawthorn became the club that went on to win multiple Premierships.


Geelong has had a consistent and stable culture that, whether we like it or not, has given it a reputation that most clubs dream of. They are consistently vying for a Premiership by being in the top eight for quite some time.  There is always a notion that due to the age of their players, they will fall, but to their credit, they have not. 


So, I will say this point-blank: we have not had that since Brett Ratten’s sacking, where the continual knee-jerk reactions have resulted in great players not fulfilling their goal of being a part of a Premiership-contending club.  We have had instability and an arrogant stance that has proven does not work. We have had spurts of success, but when things don’t go to plan, arrogance takes over, and once again, a coach is sacked and a new one brought in, hoping that short-term logistics will enable long-term success. How has this worked out so far?


So let’s go through what has happened in the past week, in my view.

 
TDK. I have stated before that being who he portrayed himself to be would mean that he would stay.  However, over the past year, I have seen a complete change in him, and he has now signed with a club for an amount that, for a ruckman, is over the top. There is not one ruckman in the history of the AFL who has been paid the amount he is now getting. Not even Max Gawn, who I believe is a far better ruckman than TDK.  TDK is going only for the money, nothing more. St Kilda have paid an enormous amount of money to two players in their club and believes that these two will bring them the ultimate success that has eluded them longer than Carlton’s quest for glory.  It won’t happen. There is an underlying culture in that club that has far too many egos.


Jack Silvagni.  Now this will polarise some. Reading what fans and commentators have said about his desire to explore free agency has nothing to do with his abilities as a player, nor with this feeling that he is “not loved by the club”. But has the undertones of believing himself to be a better player than he really is.  He is a good player, not a great one, and because of his surname, some believe that this should be the most critical factor in wanting to keep him or not. The club has stated that they want to keep him, but he wants to leave. So what does that tell you then?


Look at it this way. If a company CEO hires a relative with the same surname who is only there because of who they are, but they are ok as an employee, not great.  What does that say about the company? Jack Silvagni is not a great player, but a good one. If we want to keep him because of his surname, then Carlton will never become successful. 


Charlie Curnow. There is talk that is rampant that Charlie Curnow is out of the club and will be in Sydney colours next year.  Let’s be realistic here. He is contracted until 2029. If a club wants to acquire him from Carlton, the reimbursement from, say, Sydney would be so substantial that it would require one or even two major players from that club, plus major draft picks. Suggesting that a club like Sydney would be willing to do this would only highlight the fault in this scenario from Sydney’s perspective in their club’s rebuild.  I don’t think Sydney would be inclined to do this. If they do, as some have alluded to and are convinced is the case, then it will send Sydney, not Carlton, down a rabbit hole that will take years to climb out of. Buddy Franklin moved to Sydney because they hoped that by getting a great player, that it would ensure that Sydney would win a Premiership. How did that work out? Sure he is a great player, one the best, but he didn’t start off great, the Hawthorn FC made him a great player.


If Charlie Curnow does go to Sydney, then I will hold the door open for him. If his arrogance and self-importance is to show that he is bigger than the club, then he does not understand at all that to be successful, to be continually seen as a threat in the world of AFL, it takes a team to be at the top, not a few individuals who see nothing more than the dollar signs and how a club will lay out the red carpet for them.

Then there is GWS. They have had many great players who were full of amazing potential and abilities, but have they won a Premiership? Are they closer to winning one? Maybe, but not yet because there are far too many ego’s in that club that will overshadow any example of being a club that is team based not individual based.


To be a successful club that is indicative of what it means to be at the top requires a team mentality and a complete lack of self-arrogance, as well as weeding out egotistical players, administrators, and Board members. It takes knowledge that great clubs make great players, not the other way around.


The players have come out and stated categorically that they are behind Michael Voss as a coach. The Board, thankfully, has come out and said they are categorically behind Michael Voss.  The talk that some are spouting, that he should not be the coach, or that we must get rid of yet another coach to be successful, will make Carlton a laughing stock in the AFL world, continually. It will show them that we just don’t understand that, for long-term success, we need exactly what Sam Mitchell has said and done. We need to get players who want to play for the privilege of wearing the Navy Blue, whose egos are checked once they don that top. Who are willing to put in the work necessary to be a part of a great club. This means that consistency, stability, and a culture of not accepting knee-jerk reactions and being egotistical will not be tolerated at the club.


Carlton right now is, thank goodness, heading in the direction of solidifying long-term goals for long-term success. If players want out, then I will open the door for them, regardless of their surname or who they believe they are.

#GOBLUES!

This May Not Be Popular!

What I am about to write may not be very popular. It is something that I have thought about, rationalised and researched.  If some have previously agreed with me, and do not this time, so be it.  It is a view that may not sit well with the broader Carlton community.


Regarding the future of Michael Voss, and the news that the Carlton FC Board held a massive and prolonged meeting this week, as reported by the media, here is my take on this. Although I wrote something before the club released a statement, this is no longer relevant. I applaud the Board for its stance and what it has come out and said. Some supporters have gone out of their way to be angered and downright nasty regarding that decision. I have even gone so far as to delete a comment on a page I administer and have banned that person.  You don’t need to agree with any decision the club makes, but you don’t need to be nasty, derogatory, or rude.  It serves no purpose, as you are not part of the inner workings of the club and therefore do not have all the information, and we have to trust in that decision-making process.


If the Board had decided to get rid of Michael Voss, no prospective player already in the AFL system would think about coming to a club that really has no faith in its coaching team, together with the Board’s ability to understand that stability in a club off-field is a significant factor in stability on the field. This notion that is steeped in the arrogance of the past, has no bearing on what needs to happen now to ensure future success.  Toxicity in a club, both on and off the field, and among supporters, will only serve to ensure that no success will ever be within reach. 


Tom DeKoning has been in the news, as he has not yet re-signed with Carlton.  There is speculation that he could go to St Kilda, who apparently have offered him a considerable amount of money to move.  Firstly, is he worth the coinage that has been offered – in my view, no.  Do I think he will move to St Kilda?  I have spoken to him in the past, and if he is the person I think he is, then no, he won’t go. However, he could have changed in that period. If he does move to St Kilda, then I will hold the door open for him, as it would show that he is not the person I thought he was.

To clarify, if he does go, then he is only going for the money, nothing else. St Kilda is in no way any closer to any attempt at playing in the Finals.  There is a more significant cultural issue at the club than anything else. If TDK does go, then he will not achieve a goal that every player in the world of footy wants to achieve: a Premiership.  I can guarantee that every player, no matter who they are, would gladly accept a lower salary if it meant they could attain their dream of a Premiership at their club.


Now, this next part will actually anger some Carlton supporters. Jack Silvagni has reportedly had meetings at Collingwood and the Western Bulldogs.  If all this is true and he is contemplating leaving Carlton, then, again, I will hold open the door for him.  It makes no difference what his family history at the club is or was if he does not want to be there, and the club is not willing to pay the price he probably wants.  The horror that some are alluding to, that a Silvagni could be playing at another club, is actually narrow-minded.  You need to ask yourselves, what do you want from the club you support? The continuation of a family name at the club or a Premiership? Do you want a player, who I think is not quite so dynamic as his father or grandfather, and who does not want to be at the club? I don’t.  I want a Premiership, and if that means that a player with the Silvagni name goes to another club, then so be it. If Jack Silvagni does not want to continue at Carlton, then he should go to another club. If supporters are angered by his move to another club, it is only because of who he is, and not for any other reason. Let me be clear on this, I would love Jack Silvagni to stay, but he has to do what he feels right for him and his family. This has nothing to do with a failure on the club’s part, but rather his own choice.


Every player, no matter how incredible they are, would gladly take a salary cut if it means that they get to wear a Premiership medal. There have been players in the AFL who should have won that medal but did not. This includes Nick Riewoldt, Eddie Betts, Matthew Kreuzer, Marc Murphy, Bryce Gibbs, Andrew Walker, and others. It is possible that some of our current star players may not get the chance to secure a win in a Premiership game.  The point is that at the end of the day, all supporters, players, coaches, and administrators of a club want to win the Premiership. It may be that a team will lose beloved players, but that is the nature of the game.


The club has issued a statement confirming that Michael Voss has the full backing of the Board, the players, and the club.  As supporters, we need to do the same. If TDK and Jack Silvagni want to go, I will hold the door open for them. If they want to stay, then I will cheer them on because I want to be part of a club that aims for that ultimate success.


The game on Saturday night began with the possibility of a “thrashing” from Gold Coast, who are in Finals contention, but we are not. But in the fourth quarter, the team showed signs of what the younger, inexperienced players would be capable of in the future. Right now is the best time to give them a run in the senior side as for Carlton, there is nothing to lose, only to gain.  Those supporters who are furious that we did not win don’t really understand where we are situated right now. To bag, insult, and get nasty towards players and coaches right now because we lost is a prime example of the insidious nastiness that seems to be infiltrating the game.  We might lose a game, but we gave inexperienced young players a chance to gain skills and experience when a season is not on the line. 


As we head into the end of the season, knowing that we will not be making a bid for the Premiership this year, we need to regroup and come back in 2026 as a stronger, more cohesive, and stable club on and off the field.  We saw signs of this on Saturday night. If some players who have been popular and well-loved since their arrival want out, then we need to accept this and let them go. Regardless, I support the game and the club, and I want to see us at least have a chance to be part of a Finals campaign for the long haul.

#AlwayGoBlues!

We Are Not A Broken Club!

First and foremost, despite what some may allude to, we are not a broken club!

What we are and what I have written about before is a club that has been making decisions based on its past glories and the timelines driven by those whose only interest is immediate and definite success. They simply do not care or understand what the club has gone through in the past thirty years. There is no long-term plan, only short-term decisions that will not and never have resulted in any form of success. These people are quick to plaster themselves in the news and on the radio. They are quick to respond and show their self-motivated views, but they do not understand what will make the club successful again.

It will take someone at the club who has the tenacity to stand up and say with clarity that the club needs a five-year plan to turn things around. Based on this, the club has to get and develop its playing group. To succeed, you need to mould and develop young players who need time and space to become better players and to be a club that is feared in the world of AFL. The club has not had that. We have had a culture of knee-jerk reactions based on the impatience of those who are too steeped in the arrogance of the past and do not want to contemplate the modern game unless their agenda determines it.

I am angry and pissed off that there is yet again the call to sack another coach by those very people who have their self interest at heart. I am angry and pissed off that some go to the media and call and say that they speak on behalf of Carlton supporters, they do not and never will. I am angry and pissed off that yet again we have no definitive long term plan to turn this club around.

I will always be a Carlton supporter, but unless the club and supporters get out of this mindset that it has been thirty years since our last success, without understanding how chequered those years have been, we will never see any resemblance of success. Right now, we need to make a plan that is not one determined by definite success in the next few years, but one that will slowly develop into making the club great again.

The club needs to get the decision makers to be on board with a long-term plan to achieve long-term success. It will come with some disappointing performances, but it will also enable growth and maturity in the players who will see success.

I am a passionate and fiercely proud member of the Carlton FC and always will be. Now it is time for the leaders of the club both on and off field to draw a line in the sand and make a plan that will give us the success’s we want.

#GoBlues

Dear Carlton FC…All of it!

Last night, I attended a gathering where a club in the top eight, together with their coach, CEO, and head of football, outlined their season so far and what it would take to get them to their ultimate goal. It started in 2022 and is still being implemented today. They outlined where their younger players were and where they are now. They knew that to get them to be better players, and a part of that ultimate success, they needed to give them time and space to grow and get in more game time.

They made difficult decisions because they had a long-term plan that was going to be a minimum of five years. They knew that to become successful, they needed to ensure that the majority of their players would have at a bare minimum 100 games under their belt. They said that they knew that supporters would not like this plan from the start, but that this is what it would take to be successful. It is working and something that Carlton has not done for a long, long time.

A power-broker of the club, Carlton, has come out firing, and to be perfectly honest, he is part of the problem and not part of the solution. Together with those in the past, the plan is that there is no plan, just easy, short-term paths that are just based on the arrogance of some who simply believe that the Carlton FC is not like other clubs and the time of old, apply now. It does not and won’t in the modern game.

Those who continue to follow short-term plans instead of long-term ones are quick to adhere to knee-jerk reactions. They are shortsighted and downright blinded by their self-importance.

The Carlton FC has no long-term plan and doesn’t even stick to the short-term one. For some to say that we have no talent in our under-25s is downright ridiculous, for they do not know or care about what it will take to improve these players. At the other team’s function, they understand that it will take time to get younger players playing and performing at an elite level, and they are giving these players time to develop, as they know it will take a long-term plan to be successful.

Those who don’t see it have no fundamental understanding of the modern game. They are symptomatic of the need for quick and easy pathways. They want a straight line trajectory, which anyone in business or who has any semblance of success knows that this trajectory just does not happen overnight. It takes time and a long-term plan, and can be a messy, squiggly line to reach success. Far too many want quick, instant results, which, if they don’t transpire, then delete them and move on to the next road.

If we, as a club, cannot have a determined and long-term plan that may result in some difficult decisions regarding players, then we will never be successful, no matter who the coach is. We must have a culture of encompassing all that a successful club needs and wants…a group decision and a coming together of knowing and understanding that a long-term plan is the only way to become successful. We haven’t had that before, and it is now time to look down that road. It might mean having a little bit more patience, but if you don’t have that, Carlton will never achieve any resemblance to any success.

I will always support the club, but right now, I want to know that the club will support a better understanding of a long-term plan and not yet another knee-jerk reaction.

#GOBLUES!

Connection!

I haven’t written anything about the game over the weekend, or Carlton for the past few games, even before the Bye round, simply because I ask myself, ‘What is the point?’ No matter what I write about, no matter what is said, it makes no difference because it seems that some supporters, and it looks as if there are a greater number of them, don’t really want to see another point of view, only ones that fit their skewered outlook of the game and the club. That is their right. However, when they turn towards me and what I write about, the accusation is that I seem to have no real clue about what I am talking about. Some say it is because I am a female and some say I am “woke” and delusional.

The point of my writing is to see the game from a different perspective. Not from one that is rife across the many media shows, podcasts, rants on the radio and social media. They all basically state the same thing. I have no issue whatsoever if someone disagrees with me, has a viewpoint from another perspective, and can and does try to change my mind. I am the first to say, you know what? You could be right.

So, what is the point of this piece? Simply this. When we support a sporting club or even an individual in sport, we want that connection to that club or person. We want to be a part of their journey towards ultimate success. We want to be a part of the rise of that club or person. Yet it becomes rather difficult to stand with a club or person when, year after year, that success is one that just suggests that is is out of reach for the club or person. 

It seems that when things don’t go to plan in a way that we expect as supporters, we step back and literally become angry, critical, and often downright nasty.  It is as if this connection to the club or person is one where all rationale and support get flung out the window into a pile of debris that we cannot be bothered to sort out.  We don’t want to know the reasons why success is evading us; we just want success to happen no matter how it occurs. We want that connection back to the club or person with success under their belt so we can puff out our chests and know that we have been a part of this success. This need for a successful connection to Carlton can cloud our view about the murkiness of what has gone on in the past.  It is as if some don’t want to know or understand how this past does and will affect the present and possibly the future if we keep going down the dark road we have previously taken. 

So many aspects of the game, in all scenarios, have changed since Carlton last won a Premiership. For some, they can’t get past how disruptive the club has been since then. As supporters, it is as if there are those who have lost a connection to the club because what has gone on since 1995 has severed this connection because they can’t move forward when they keep alluding to the past.

Some have tried repeatedly to regain that connection with the coaches that the club has deemed suitable to get, but this has also been broken in a never ending cycle that does more damage than good.  We see the players and support them for what they can bring to the game and the club that we love, but when they fail or do not perform in a way that some demand, the only way that some see a solution is to once again, go down that stormy road of sacking yet another coach.  We don’t choose to look at the logic and reasonableness of why something has not worked out during the game; we only shift our focus to one person – the coach. The blame is squared directly at the coach and no one else.  The connection is lost because of the coach. To me, this looks pretty disruptive and quite narrow-minded.

This is why, for me, there has been no point in writing anything because I tend to be in the minority as a supporter. I do see the issues plaguing the team. I do see what needs to be done to make Carlton successful, yet I don’t lay the blame squarely on the shoulders of one person and one person only – the coach. I have thought about this for quite some time now, and to be perfectly honest, I love the Carlton FC and feel a connection to them no matter what a game’s outcome is. I may feel upset that we lost or didn’t play in a way that I expected, but my connection to the club, its players and coaches has never waivered, and it never will.  This is because, since 1995, I have understood where the club’s path went and how, since then, it has not changed until now. 

If we are truly connected as a supporter base to the Carlton FC, then we have to fight for that connection no matter the game’s outcome.  If we decide that the only connection we will have as a supporter is fuelled by the viewpoints of those in the media or others that want to spout derogatory remarks, then the connection is worthless. No connection to the Carlton FC should be determined by anyone other than us as a supporter, win, lose or draw. It may sometimes be difficult, and the game may end up not in the way we expect, but in the end, when that ultimate success comes, the connection we have forged and fought for will be so much more meaningful because we never wavered.

We got four points over the weekend. Simple!

#GOBLUES!

Image courtesy of AFL

It’s Enough!…And It’s Not About The Game!

In the past few weeks, every day, I contemplated, read, listened and watched the world of AFL and all that it entails, and I’ve come to a realisation and conclusion resulting in this being a post not about the game on Friday, but about the game and the environment it lives in. I contemplated stopping to write, as it was just not worth it. But I was reminded by someone close that it is something that I love to do, and it is a voice that is different, and if I do stop, then the bullies have won, and I refuse to let that happen.


In the past few weeks, I realised that social media, media commentators, and, more importantly, some supporters are fuelled by their own self-posturing. This serves nothing and does nothing other than make themselves seem more prolific, which results in more ‘clickbait’ for them and their ‘brand.’
In the game against St Kilda, a game that was heralded for being one highlighting the need for more understanding and compassion when it comes to mental health, especially in men.  Recently, we saw at Carlton the need for two players to step away from the game for a while to deal with that very factor. Yet at the game, whenever Harry McKay got the ball, the sounds of booing across the ground were mind-boggling.  Here, St Kilda are supposedly recognising the need for greater support in mental health that stemmed from the suicide of one of their own, but supporters booed a player who was dealing with mental health issues.


This week, we have heard about the loss of yet another ex-player who died months after the death of his twin brother.  The authorities were asked to do a welfare check on him, and he was found dead.  The outpouring of emotion from supporters and the media is, in my opinion, at times hypocritical.  Here they are sending their love and support behind a great AFL family and rightly so, but on the other hand, they have no issue laying into other current players and coaches who have been openly battling mental health issues with such vitriol that it is disgusting.


The disgusting vitriol shown by some supporters who refuse to understand the modern game and all that it entails could one day have repercussions that go far beyond the simple words on a page or via a phone call on the air. 
Tom Boyd, who spoke at the St Kilda game, was at the top of his playing career when he had to step away due to mental health issues and the way the media and some supporters bullied and harassed him. I don’t blame him! Coaches, players and everyone involved at a sporting club understand the damage these so-called ‘experts’ of the game can do to a person who is already dealing with mental health issues and clubs have come out and stated that some have crossed the line, yet no-one listens or is prepared to take action because it means less ‘click-bait’. It is low, disgusting and downright hypocritical. You can be upset and angry at losing a game, but it is just that – a game!


Then there are these so-called Carlton ‘supporters’ who are so steeped in the glory days of the 1980s and 1990s that they just don’t seem to want to understand that the modern game and the environment that it is in are entirely different. Or that no other club has gone through the constant sacking of coaches in the past that Carlton has.  Or that the salary cap issue that the club faced sent them back not a few years, but many, many, many years. The utterly ludicrous spoutings from these people are uttered by those who really believe they know and understand the game much better than anyone else could or does. They love the sound of their posturing and voices that their hypocrisy is ‘laid-out-bare’; that one week, the team is the best, the next, the worst. That one week they support a player and the next, they boo them. That one week they support the coach, the next week, sack him.


No, I am not saying in any way, shape or form that the loss against Sydney was not disappointing, but it was not one that signifies the end of the club’s season.  We are not even halfway through yet, and for all intents and purposes, for many ‘supporters, that’s it, the season is a disaster!   After Round 10 in 2024, Brisbane Lions lost five, won 4, and drew a game. Here we are, Carlton, after Round 10 with six losses and four wins.  If you look at it this way, we are only two points behind what Brisbane was last season.  Hey, but we are a terrible team after ten rounds, eh?


The loss on Friday was tainted with very poor decision-making from players and the umpires.  However, I firmly believe that no matter what is thrown at you, you must overcome that and win despite the poor decisions.  To do that takes a step that some are just not ready to do yet because they are not experienced enough, yet.


We are surrounded every day by those who want to hate, belittle, bully, harass and treat others with such disrespect that translates with the nasty vitriol from the media and those on social media.  The world is a smaller and more intolerant place than it has ever been. Yet some want nothing more than to promote this using social media as an outlet, or the radio, TV or newspapers.


What will it take for the media, especially, to realise that their words can and will do damage to a person that could lead to another player walking away from the game permanently? What will it take for them to realise that no ex-players want to coach because of how they are spoken about by the media and supporters? This is not a ‘harden up’ situation; it is so real that it has resulted in some players stepping away from the game for a while. Some may choose, in the future, to not come back. How sad would that be for the game?


Never underestimate the impact words can have on a person who puts themselves out there, whether as a player, a coach, or even an umpire (even if they have been terrible this year). They may deserve our disappointment, but they don’t deserve the nasty, bullying vitriol some believe they have the right to spout. 


Always will…#GOBLUES!

An Apt Finish!

When you look in the mirror, what do you see? How do you define who you are and what you are? Do you see yourself as a decent person who respects others and their points of view, or someone who likes to ‘stir the pot’ and believe in the value of your words and viewpoints, irrespective of whether they are valid or not, and who they may hurt? Or do you see yourself as someone who may disagree with others but understands and respects other points of view? Or do you just think of your own self-absorbed notions of what should or should not happen, not only in your life but in society itself?  I ask these questions for several reasons.


I did not post anything about the game we lost to Adelaide the weekend before. There was no need, as I did not think my viewpoint would enlighten the situation, when I believed this was just a stumbling block in a long and arduous season. The game this past weekend was different, and the outcome meant more than the loss in the game before.


I have always stated, and always will, that the season is not a sprint but a marathon, and it changes with every game and every week that passes. I will reiterate that those who publicly called for the coach to be sacked or to trade players because they were just no good have no real clue about what it will take to get to the end and compete for that penultimate prize.


The win over the weekend was one that in the past could have seen the collapse of any team.  Carlton could have capitulated with only one rotation on the bench at one stage, but they did not.  They played in a way that will only sustain them moving forward in the season.  It will let them know that they are good enough and can leap towards cementing their place in the top eight.  Yes, it will come with some setbacks, that is the nature of the game, and these setbacks will only fuel the determination and need to overcome barriers.  We saw this when one player kicked a goal, ensuring an injury-depleted team’s win. It was so apt that that very player was in a game highlighting the need for conversation and action regarding mental health.
The battles that some have with their mental health should never, ever be understated or deemed to be one where that person should ‘harden up’. To lose people because they struggled with mental health is devastating not only to the family but to the wider community.  So, it was so fitting that the sealer of the game was someone who put their hand up, stepped away from the game and focused on making themselves healthier mentally. Of course, I’m talking about Harry McKay.


That celebration after kicking the goal was something that was more than just the fact that he had kicked a goal, but how, with the backing of the club and those in the Carlton supporter community who never gave up on him and what he can achieve.  It was sensational, inspirational and downright magnificent.  We saw Elijah Hollands who had also been struggling with mental health, has been slowly gaining more confidence and is showing that he too, with support, can be the player and person most knew he was capable of becoming. It was as if, for the players, the club and those that supported both on the field and off, smirked at those who just criticised, were negative and at times, nasty, in a ‘shove that’ moment.  I, for one, loved it.


The game against St Kilda was not pretty, but it showed that a wobbly start will not be the definition of a season. That with every game played, the steps moving forward must be taken one at a time. That there may be barriers or blockades that make a team go one step backwards, but if they concentrate on moving forwards with each and every opportunity, no matter who is sitting on the interchange bench, it will only serve the team to know that they are heading in the right direction and that being ‘stronger together’ will out-win those who just want to shatter and distrupt.


Congratulations, Carlton. It was an epic win, and one that, moving forward, can be a stepping stone for more successes. So look in the mirror, Carlton, and know that you are heading in the right direction with the support of those who, like you, believed and never gave up!

#GOBLUES!

Photos courtesy of AFL.

Nailed It!

Before I write about the game on Sunday afternoon, I want to share with you all that after the game last week against North Melbourne, I wrote a piece but did not publish it.  I wanted to wait and see what transpired this past weekend and the match against Geelong.


I wrote that after watching Geelong play against Hawthorn in the previous round, I saw holes in their game and that Hawthorn were not beaten by a better team, but Hawthorn lost the game with their terrible shots at goals and some silly mistakes.  Hawthorn also played a game that sometimes played to their strengths and sometimes to Geelong’s.  There were gaping holes in Geelong’s back line. I have always said that to beat Geelong, you must not play their style of footy, which is slow and laborious, and counting on their “star” players to step up.  Geelong finds it challenging to counter-act a team that plays a fast-paced, intensive and ferocious style of footy.  They just cannot counter-act that pace in footy that is not aligned with what they want to do and play. I said that if Carlton plays with the same intensity and ferociousness when they played against North Melbourne, even if they are a bottom-side, we can and will beat Geelong.


Sunday’s game showed that this is exactly how Carlton played. Everyone knew that Geelong would not go down lightly, and in the last quarter, they scored the first three goals. In the past, Carlton would have been frustrated and played that way, and ultimately – lose.  But they did not.  They played in a way that was relentless, ruthless and intense.  It was as if they learned from the first four games of the season what they needed to do and achieve in a match to win these pressurised games. Those who stepped up and played with momentum from the game against North Melbourne took steps to ensure that Carlton would not go down without a fight, and that is exactly what they did.


How many times did Carlton pressure Geelong, who kicked the ball out on the full? How many times was Carlton doggedly chasing a Geelong player and tackling them?  How many times did Geelong try to thwart Carlton players and only be handed a hiding when our players got the ball away from Geelong’s forward line?  The pressure that Carlton placed on Geelong showed something I have alluded to since round one – do not count the first games as an indication of a team’s season!


Sure, we won three games on the trot, and the first two were against the lower sides; however, the test was the game against Geelong.  Never underestimate what momentum and learning what went wrong and how to correct it can do to a team as the season progresses.  Those who wanted and proudly splashed over anywhere they could that Carlton has to sack Michael Voss have gone quiet.  I am not saying at all that this changes everything in season 2025; I’m saying that the steps that the club has taken and the growth that it is developing in the team should not be discounted or taken for granted.  What this shows is that with every match played, the team will learn and get better and better.


The team knows what it will take to get that ultimate success. We are not there yet, but we have made strides in a way that some people were too blinded by the start to see what can be achieved in the long race, which is a season.


I have never once doubted this and still won’t, even if we lose some games.  I believe that with every match, the team gets better and will look at their opponent, see the gaps in the opposition’s game and ensure that Carlton fills those gaps.  The team is growing in a way that culminated in a stunning win against a formidable opponent and nailed it! It was moving to see, just as it was moving to hear the silence around the MCG when the Last Post was played before the game.

#GOBLUES!

A Valid View Mr Scott!

Before I go into the basis of this post, it was good to see the club secure their first win. Although not very pretty, given the number of times the score was more points directed than goals. This win, however, will boost the team and the club up a bit, leading into the sixth round and for the rest of the season. Knowing they are capable and can do the job, with some tweaking and more practice in front of the goals while under pressure, will fuel them moving forward. 


It was also sad to see Harry McKay go down earlier on in the match due to no fault of his own.  Some supporters have said that he is “accident prone” and that we must trade him. Alluding that the head clash was his fault and this alone is not only ridiculous and idiotic but downright disrespectful. It was a nasty head clash and an accident that left one player unable to continue and be subbed out of a game; he probably was ready to make a mark.  Also, having Brodie Kemp out with what looks like an Achilles tendon injury is disheartening, but it also has its rewards as others now have a chance to step in and step up.


In this week’s game, we get back Marc Pittonet, who can significantly influence how TDK plays and is positioned. Right now, the club and Michael Voss have stated that though the team won, it was not an elegant nor dynamic win and that the mistakes made, especially in front of goal, can be worked on for the rest of the season.


The basis of this post is not about the players or the game, but something that was said by a current coach that should and must be actioned on.  Firstly, I am not a fan of any of the Scott brothers, but Brad Scott said, “In my time in footy, I’ve never seen a coaching group more frustrated with a whole range of things […]. It’s more the way coaches are regarded within the AFL. I’ve never seen a coaching group more disenfranchised with the way they’re treated as a whole.” Then went on to say, “While the game is blossoming and the game is in great shape, the AFL have clearly said what their priorities are – and coaching and football departments are low on that priority list.” More prolific was that he said, “Talk to the Players’ Association about pathways for players into coaching, and their feedback is solid that players don’t want to do it. They see the benefits in terms of the career in coaching versus the challenges it throws up and they’ve voting with their feet and choosing not to pursue it.”
With what went on with supporters insisting the sacking of Michael Voss over the past weeks, Brad Scott’s comments are so valid. 

The way coaches are treated and regarded not only by disgruntled supporters who believe they know what is good for the team and the club but also by those in the media. This constant talk of sacking coaches only after a few rounds shows the sheer lack of respect. It shows a complete lack of understanding about, in Carlton’s case, what it will take to make the club successful. The constant need for knee-jerk reactions shows that Brad Scott is correct; no player would even look or contemplate becoming a senior coach or even an assistant one, given the sheer lack of respect directed to them and the disregard by the AFL to be more proactive rather than reactive.


I have seen and read supposedly Carlton supporters bag the coaches one week, then praise them the next. I have seen supporters become vitriolic and nasty because they sincerely believe they know how or who can make Carlton successful again.  Why would any player in their right mind want to aspire to be a coach? 


Sam Mitchell, over the weekend, at his press conference, made a statement that I am sure commentators will just ignore it. That is, the Hawthorn FC is not the ladder-leading team being touted right now.  That they are not as good as what the media says about them, and the game against Port Adelaide is proof of this. He reiterated that sure they have started off strong, but the game against Port Adelaide showed holes in their team that they have to work on, and with a relatively young side, it will take time.


His comments were a slight dig at the noise that the media make to get a “scoop” or to try and rationalize their own views and opinions, which can sometimes be to the detriment of not only the coach but also the players and the club.


Now, the “media” are stating that TDK has put on hold talks with Carlton as he is weighing up his future at Carlton. The media are reading into a statement that could be a way to get them off his back.  Who knows! Either way, no matter what happens, the narrative surrounding a club, its players and its coaches has become more of gutter journalism than anything else. Brad Scott’s comments about the lack of ex-players turning their hands at coaching is proof that while the job may be one that used to be an excellent pathway into continuing a footy career, the challenges facing players and coaches is the horrendous and disrespectful way that the media and some supporters react in a very public way and the lack of notifiable support from the AFL and the footy world in general.


Carlton will slowly progress over the season, and if it doesn’t and the team takes a step backwards, we must not go down that muddy, murky path of wanting to sack yet another coach. It will get to the point where no coaches want to come to Carlton or even contemplate the idea of coaching because of the nastiness and vitriol directed at them. Who would want to take that on?
Be upset and be angry, but there is no need to be nasty or to want to sack a coach. We’ve been there and done that, and it has not worked out well for the club and the players. It never will.

#GOBLUES!

A Response!

I wrote a piece in the form of a letter that has had people either agreeing or disagreeing. This has meant that conversations are being made about the state of the club and how it is faring. Yet some don’t seem to get what was written in the letter.


I never in one sentence stated that I accepted mediocrity, yet some are saying this is what the basis of the letter was about. They are incorrect. The letter was about the fact that when the Carlton FC has been faced in the past thirteen years with what is happening now, there is a tendency to go down the path of sacking yet another coach.  The letter was about the notion that we must stop this continual need to expect success after only a few years with a coach, then if that fails, sack them and try again. This is the essence of what I wrote.


I want to clarify that I don’t want mediocrity in the club, and I have never stated that. What I am saying is that successful clubs understand the need for time to make the club a success. It doesn’t happen and never will happen if any club keeps sacking coaches after only a few years, which is what Carlton has done. My aim is to see the club reach its full potential, not settle for mediocrity.


For every match, each player must come out and show why they are worthy of donning the Navy Blue. For the past four rounds, we have seen some do that and others fail. But to continually spout that because the players are not performing, we must sack yet another coach solves nothing. This is the essence of the letter, nothing more.


If some did not like it, that is fine; it is an opinion that might have said if you continually wish for a coach to be sacked, then support another team – stands. I want the club to be revered and admired because of their gameplay, their culture and the way that together, the Carlton FC is one that others fear.  This can and will only be achieved if we strive for consistency off and on the field and develop a culture that doesn’t just throw the coaches under the bus after only two and a half years. 


Hawthorn and Richmond allowed time to develop their culture on and off the field. We must do the same. That was the essence of the letter—nothing more.

#GO BLUES!