Rd 23: Post Game Party: Carlton vs Sydney

[Baggers]

It's an interesting argument and depends on your definition of 'deserve' - I think it's more a question of need.

We all know that the playing field is not even, and the idea that priority picks 'reward mediocrity' is furpphy to me. We have been consistently ordinary for 4 years straight, and at a minimum we are 2-3 years away from having a consistently competitive side assuming the majority of our draftees develop into good players, and we find a way to kick 3-5 more goals per week. An extra pick would provide a small benefit to help close the gap for those 3 teams who have consistently under performed.

The issue with our scoring has been something I have banged on about 2 years, and the simple fact is we haven't really improved. Our conversion improved slightly [so we scored slightly more] but our scoring shots went down. I predicted at the start of the year we would finish bottom 4 because I couldn't see how we would score enough to win more than 25% of our games. It is statistically shown that you will win about 1 in 4 games if you only have 20 scoring shots - and this is exactly what happened this year for us.

Have a look at the Bombers rise this year - there defence is marginally better than ours but they will end up scoring 600 points more than last year through the development of their drafted forwards and recruiting [Greene and Stewart] to spread the load. I will confidently predict again that we will not move up the ladder in 2018 until we find a way to have 5-6 more scoring shots each week and convert those into 3-4 more goals.

I would have loved to have button holed Bolton but the whole coaching group didn't look like they were keen to engage with anybody - especially an opinionated punter like me!! I've actually never seen a more depressing footy dressing room in my life!

Thank you for your insights SBF, getting your comments re mood in the rooms, on the spot witnessing of our capitulation... much appreciated. Much can be read when you're right there. Hope your little one wasn't too disheartened by what he/she witnessed. My kids grew up on games at PP, MCG and Waverley in the 80s... yep, spoilt!

Concerns me that the mood was depressed... should have been anger.

Perhaps it will ultimately be a good thing that our weak underbelly was exposed for all to see. Yes, we were missing 7 or 8 first picked blokes... but it was much the same last week and the week before. So that aint an excuse/reason. This was about mental toughness. You only need one bloke to be soft and it can and does undermine spirit... take a bow, Meat.

The CFC supporters have shown herculean tolerance and patience over a long period and particularly the last two years. If we turn at 3 and 8 (or thereabouts) midway through next year then I suspect membership will fall and patience will have run out and a steely gaze will be upon the place from CEO down.

I believe we need to be more aggressive than ever at this year's draft and bring known midfield talent / depth into the place, and get rid of the last of the non hackers (Meat included). We need more mentally strong blokes in the place.