I also think that sometimes we forget that a lot of these guys are just kids.
You can't excuse attitude in 100 game players...they've been in the system long enough.
...and you get exceptions like Cripps who has a strength of purpose far in advance of his years (future leader).
But consider that for all of their football careers these kids have been the elite.
The best!
They've dominated their respective competitions.
In their first few years of senior competition, for the first time in their lives, it's the opposite.
They're not the best....they're the least.
Coupled with that is the speculation.
Will they make it?
Do they really belong at this level?
Now in a strong team like a Hawthorn or a Fremantle there are role models.
There are "protectors"
...and importantly players are allowed to develop at a lower level (VFL) and just given a taste of senior football as they're deemed ready.
When they do get to play in the top side it's usually with strong support all over the field.
Contrast that with a young player at Carlton at the moment.
If you're called up it's an "everyman for himself' situation.
Chances are you're thrust into a pressure situation and every mistake is highlighted.
There's no opportunity to develop any type of on-field connection or to understand your role in the team because the team changes on a weekly basis.
As far as support....forget it.
Other players have enough to do.
If you get a head pat you're going OK!
If you do get a game you're probably only going to be there for a week or two....they're doing a little 'list management' exercise at the moment.
Now some people have expressed the opinion that there has been a huge over-reaction to last Friday's loss
In light of the above you can understand that point of view.
It's a young inexperienced side who haven't played a lot together.
But here's the problem.....
We've been saying these exact same things for over a decade.
You can't excuse attitude in 100 game players...they've been in the system long enough.
...and you get exceptions like Cripps who has a strength of purpose far in advance of his years (future leader).
But consider that for all of their football careers these kids have been the elite.
The best!
They've dominated their respective competitions.
In their first few years of senior competition, for the first time in their lives, it's the opposite.
They're not the best....they're the least.
Coupled with that is the speculation.
Will they make it?
Do they really belong at this level?
Now in a strong team like a Hawthorn or a Fremantle there are role models.
There are "protectors"
...and importantly players are allowed to develop at a lower level (VFL) and just given a taste of senior football as they're deemed ready.
When they do get to play in the top side it's usually with strong support all over the field.
Contrast that with a young player at Carlton at the moment.
If you're called up it's an "everyman for himself' situation.
Chances are you're thrust into a pressure situation and every mistake is highlighted.
There's no opportunity to develop any type of on-field connection or to understand your role in the team because the team changes on a weekly basis.
As far as support....forget it.
Other players have enough to do.
If you get a head pat you're going OK!
If you do get a game you're probably only going to be there for a week or two....they're doing a little 'list management' exercise at the moment.
Now some people have expressed the opinion that there has been a huge over-reaction to last Friday's loss
In light of the above you can understand that point of view.
It's a young inexperienced side who haven't played a lot together.
But here's the problem.....
We've been saying these exact same things for over a decade.