Our list - what we have and what we need

[cookie2]

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/blue...4z7vk.html

[PaulP]

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/blue...4z7vk.html

A this point in time, he's right. Transitioning game plan, lots of kids that haven't played much senior footy, and haven't played together as a team, injuries, maybe the coach is also still learning the ropes. Impotent forward line, skills that come and go.

And also generally agree with Shakin, but a top line KPF is a priority.

[sandsmere]

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/blue...4z7vk.html

Very good article by Carey.

We still have a long way to go. Hopefully looking at finals in 2020- 2021.

PaulPs right too. We desperately need a good KPF. . . . GWS again ???????

[Lods]

The worry for me is that there are no guarantees that the majority of the younger group (from the Weitering draft on)....will develop as we hope.
It's all about faith at the moment.
Players like Charlie C you can be pretty confident about.
SPS is probably another.
I'm struggling to find anyone else.
They all have their strengths but they also have a few question marks.
Even assuming a 50/50 success rate....this will take some time.
The other problem is who sets the example.
We have one absolute gun in Cripps. We have another in Docherty (who won't be playing this year), Kreuzer at his best is one who sets the standard, but Kreuzer also struggles to make it long term without an injury setback and at nearly 29 may not have a much longer career.

"Old Carlton" or not we need to find one (even better a couple), of mid-age A graders.
A key Forward and a big midfielder preferably.
It may be we lose a few of the young guys in a trade but long term it may result in a quicker and also a more sustained period of success.

Slow and Steady doesn't always win the race...if you keep having to go back to the start.

(Edit:I didn't read the Carey article before I posted this...have to say it's pretty much as I'm thinking.Not sure whether that reflects poorly on me or Carey ;D)

[Professer E]

Any side that can't do the basics is always going to struggle.

[LP]

Any side that can't do the basics is always going to struggle.

Carlton isn't alone in this regard in 2018, in general the quality of the football has been shocking, despite the closeness of some of the results. What is probably different for us is that we've been like this for almost a decade.

Regarding 2018 in general, a mate put forward a theory it is because of the reduces number of interclub practice games, he thinks most clubs haven't got the bugs out yet because Intraclub games are just not the same as Interclub games.

I also question whether the shorter pre-season is having an effect, slowly year by year the AFLPA is eating away at the length of the pre-season with players having more and more time off each year.

[Shakin77]

Gee it's that clear even Carey can see it.  I wonder who wrote the article for him.

[ElwoodBlues1]

List is in a massive rebuild stage it's a bottom 2 list with a lot of question marks.

It's has a lot of unproven young talent bar a couple.  The middle bracket (22-27 ish) is very thin for talent and we have a couple of ageing good players.

We need midfield talent and a lot of it.  We bat about 2-3 deep at the moment and only really have quality in Cripps.  Curnow is a warrior, Murphy is 30+ and that's about where it ends.  SPS and Fisher are the only two kids we can hang our hat on at this stage.  Dow also on talent.

We need 2-3 of O'Brien, Polson, Cunningham, Lang and Kennedy to become very good players to add to that depth.  Plus hit the draft.

You would love Cripps to push forward a bit more, but he really can't at the moment.

We have been hitting the draft, I appreciate what you are saying and there is evidence to support that but what you are suggesting in reality is another rebuild and this one looks like it may have failed.
I dont see how you can sell a bottom two finish to members/supporters after three seasons of drafting and cellar dwelling and expect continued support for the coach and footy dept...
This would also mean more major culling of the list and I think SOS will find it difficult to cull players he drafted and have to admit defeat with those selections..

[madbluboy]

I agree with Shakin but I'm not sure the relying on the draft will fix it, the draft wipe outs are what put us in this predicament.

Hawthorn, Geelong and Sydney have relied more on trades and free agency for the last decade and they have consistently been up there. Port have gone down that path too and it might pay off for them.

[Shakin77]

We have been hitting the draft, I appreciate what you are saying and there is evidence to support that but what you are suggesting in reality is another rebuild and this one looks like it may have failed.
I dont see how you can sell a bottom two finish to members/supporters after three seasons of drafting and cellar dwelling and expect continued support for the coach and footy dept...
This would also mean more major culling of the list and I think SOS will find it difficult to cull players he drafted and have to admit defeat with those selections..

Another rebuild?  It's only been since 2015.  Before that we were topping up with Boekhorst and the like.  That's 2 years (and a bit)

I am not selling a bottom 2 finish.  You don't need to sell anything when you have an honest look at our list.  It sells itself.

We won't have any issues finding players to delist and that doesn't include SOS's draft picks.