Love the draw

[bratblue]

Well there you go. We all see things differently. I dont think I've been more optimistic about a season for a decade. No more of this rebuilding/ development- maybe in a year or two rubbish. Dont worry about Voss needing time to settle in. The time has come.

Settle down Lod's, this is Carlton you're talking about. After many let downs I refuse to read the propaganda that emerges from our marketing department during the off season now. Not that I'm saying you have but you sound like it.

[DJC]

A number of teams have been locked in annual fixtures for years and never punished for poor performance.

Yes, it's unusual for annual fixture teams to change regardless of ladder position and form.

Is the GF rematch opener a one-off for the eight day "Footy Festival"?  We may get the season opener back next year ... when it's a Richmond home game.

[kruddler]

A number of teams have been locked in annual fixtures for years and never punished for poor performance.

We still have R1 Thursday night at the G.
Who is getting punished?

[madbluboy]

We still have R1 Thursday night at the G.
Who is getting punished?

We're not opening the season like we have for a decade or so.

[kruddler]

We're not opening the season like we have for a decade or so.

There actually a sydney derby that was a week before us in a split round 1 a few years ago.

So as i said, we have the same spot we always have. Just another match pushed in front of us....and its not the first time.
I'd rather keep thursday night than get pushed to Tuesday night just to be the 'first'.

[Lods]

Settle down Lod's, this is Carlton you're talking about. After many let downs I refuse to read the propaganda that emerges from our marketing department during the off season now. Not that I'm saying you have but you sound like it.

Nope
I don't take a lot of notice of what the club says on most things.
It's all spin.
In fact I don't have a lot of time for the 'club' and it's shenanigans.
I follow the Carlton football 'team'.
The club is just an entity that makes the fielding of the team possible.
I pay a membership (or three) to help make that happen.

My optimism is based on the fact that we should have performed better last year and following from that ...
- the theory that we're 'due' for a much better run of injuries than we had last year.
-that the players will be a year older and some coming into their prime. We don't have a lot of older players on our list anymore.
-that some of the players introduced in the last few years will be more settled and have a better understanding with their team-mates.
- that divisions that had emerged under Teague will have changed. (Whether they've been resolved remains to be seen).
- that the injection of new players all look to have enhanced the list.

That's not to say there won't be a few issues.
How will the players respond to Voss's coaching?
Will the defence be disrupted with the loss of Jones or will that structure change and his loss have a minimal effect?

All in all the positives would seem to me to outweigh the possible negatives.

[LP]

My optimism is based on the fact that we should have performed better last year and following from that ...

Yes, it's interesting, for that logic to work you have to assume the former coach was the primary/bulk of the problem, I'm not confident at all that was the case.

One thing is clear about this coming season, and that is that some players have nowhere to hide, they have played their hand. Now it's walk the walk, or ....................................!

[Lods]

Yes, it's interesting, for that logic to work you have to assume the former coach was the primary/bulk of the problem, I'm not confident at all that was the case.

One thing is clear about this coming season, and that is that some players have nowhere to hide, they have played their hand. Now it's walk the walk, or ....................................!

I don't see that in what I suggested (the bit in bold)
I think the biggest obstacle was getting a settled side on the field playing regularly together

But while Teague may not have been the 'bulk' of the problem, issues in the player/coach and player/player dynamic certainly played a part, as identified in the review.

You're right though.... the time for excuses is over, and that alone should be a spur for all to lift their game, which again should result in improved efforts.

[tonyo]

My optimism comes as much from what is happening at other clubs.....

Melb - will be hard to beat, but had a charmed run with injuries and can be fragile
WB - strangely enough, I think we are always a good chance against them, and Bruce is a big loss
PA - as long as we don't play them in Adelaide...
Geelong - the sun is well and truly setting
Brisbane - could be a big year, but will really miss Hipwood
Sydney - see comment on Bulldogs, and we play them on our deck this year
Essendon - unlike most of the pundits, I can see a big flop from them this year - played out of their skin in 2021, won't do it again
WCE - following Geelong down the sunset path
St Kilda - who knows what they will produce - I'd like to think we have them covered
Freo - they are almost our bunny! 
Rich - another big unknown, but their star is definitely fading and have lost some important spare parts players
Haw - in a rebuild, may get some Mitchell-bounce (but we should get some Voss-bounce)
Ade - I think they will struggle this year
GCS - Who knows....?  Why do we always get them in Qld in the first 4 rounds when they are a sniff?
Coll - Rebuild - little threat
NM - Rebuild (although I thought that when we played them last year!)

[cookie2]

I have a sneaky feeling that NM may produce a surprise or two and we will need to be really on our game against them.