AFL Rd 3: Pre Game Prognostications: Carlton vs Geelong in Geelong

[Thryleon]

We tried winning games in the here and the now under Pagan - get any recycled, desperado, washed up has been, as long they have experience and just cobble together a team to get a season like 2004, which falls apart very soon thereafter.

The big rebuild idea (in place before Bolton got there, for those who have no interest in historical fact), was based on the rather appealing notion of building a culture of sustained success. Whether or not it was successful, whether or not it was a good idea, is besides the point. It was a long term strategy, and much like the guy at uni who puts up with crap cars and takeaway food whilst they study, in order to get a better job and better life later, in our case you have to take a few hits along the way. This is very different to embracing failure or being disinterested in winning.

The reason we have been down for so long is because the ENTIRE CLUB, from TOP TO BOTTOM, is NOT GOOD ENOUGH. It has nothing to do with accepting failure, embracing mediocrity, forgetfulness or any other dubious idea that fans latch onto. The  entire club knows and has always known exactly why the players take the field - nobody has forgotten anything. The club in toto is simply not good enough to win.

Setting standards isnt solely about winning.

2004 is not a sound analogy.

Pagan didnt have a raft of draft picks, he had a raft of draft penalties.

Our recruitment was average back then too.

One of the biggest failures of our club is the inability to stay the course.

That is a different argument to what the course looked like, and setting standards.

The real death knell came for Brendan when we got spanked by GWS, and the boys had to talk about standards.  4 years into a rebuild.... 

THAT is the problem with the rebuild.  There were a few ignored warning signs, that didnt make much sense, but were accepted as part of developing green shoots, but Im tired of prognosticating.

Its really all we have had to talk about as Carlton supporters which is part of the reason we are so focussed on it.