Rd 3: Carlton vs Gold Coast: Post Game Pain

[Lods]

So then, is it possible to quantify the "results" that you insist on seeing before you "believe" ? What are the signs that we're looking for and what is the time limit in which we need to see these "signs" ? Do we assume that this season is a wipe out in terms of W/L ? Are we looking for a minimum number of wins ? Honorable losses ? 4 q efforts ? Development of the young players etc. ?

What will be give us the comfort of knowing we're in the right  hands, on the right path ?

Short answer....we'll have a fair idea by the end of the year.
If we're playing good competitive football
If we're winning a few games.
If we can say a number of players had much better years than last year and the team is coming together nicely as a unit then we're probably on the right track.

You have to look at the season as a whole to make a fair judgement...that doesn't mean you cant be on the lookout for the odd "fungus" amongst the positive green shoots
What you would hope to see is a gradual improvement as the season progresses.
That may still happen....but there are a couple of warning signs.

The lack of improvement, in fact a regression, from established Carlton players.
Is everyone buying what Bolton is selling?
The lack of scoring power.

Here's where you get your standard....if these things can be turned around then the results in terms of scores/wins should come.
.
The attitude that "Everything will be alright because things are different this time" is nothing more than a guess.
If you go back through threads over the years you see it time and again.
It's great to have faith and hopefully we'll look back at this period in the latter part of the season and wonder why we were worried.

But there's nothing worse than false hope...the "green shoots" that turn brown after a hard season.
There's nothing more soul destroying than things going "pear-shaped" when we've been told we're going about it the right way this time.

I'm still very positive about Bolton but I'm now of the opinion that his job will be a lot harder if we retain players who have been part of such a damaged culture...good players though they may be.