What are your expectations for 2017?

[LP]

Let's just say that we (CFC) are trying to make the best of what was a very bad deal for us. Hopefully we will be back in control of the situation after this season.

Nowhere near as bad as the Betts deal, yet posters keep banging on about Thomas.

[LoveNavy]

Maybe you are seeing what you want to see, like the stuff people saw watching McLean.

I expect this season the naysayers will keep bemoaning the selection of the likes of Thomas and White until the point their career ends. At which time I expect to hear the "I told you so" repeatedly after the fact.

Carlton needs to get as much as possible out of the older guys in 2017, while the young guys develop, let the oldies do some heavy lifting until the kids are ready and durable enough to step up.

Creative LP, very creative ^-^

[cookie2]

Nowhere near as bad as the Betts deal, yet posters keep banging on about Thomas.

Maybe it's time then for a bit of "banging on" about Eddie now? 

[Gointocarlton]

The only true measure of the Thomas trade (as with any trade) is whether we would do it again, knowing what we know now.

His on field leadership may be crap, or it may be better than anyone in the comp - no one knows for sure. Perhaps it's laudable to try and salvage something from what has been a bad trade.

And I would also add that judging by our performances since 2014, his on field directions are either not very good, or else they're going unheeded.

Even not knowing what we know now, the answer is simple, No. SOS and co. wouldn't do that deal even if they were high on crack.

[PaulP]

Even not knowing what we know now, the answer is simple, No. SOS and co. wouldn't do that deal even if they were high on crack.

Yes. It's the club we should be filthy with, not Daisy. Nobody likes the Daisy deal, but he hasn't done anything wrong. His manager did what any decent manager does, and searched for the best deal. And the mighty CFC, doing what it does best, was there, chequebook in hand, ready to do business.

[cookie2]

Yes. It's the club we should be filthy with, not Daisy. Nobody likes the Daisy deal, but he hasn't done anything wrong. His manager did what any decent manager does, and searched for the best deal. And the mighty CFC, doing what it does best, was there, chequebook in hand, ready to do business.

Yep, like it or not we have to make the most of it or pay him out - that's our choice.

[townsendcalling]

We'll know that we are again a force in the competition when discussions like the Thomas and Betty deals are simply part of Carlton folklore and not a major debating point.

[PaulP]

We'll know that we are again a force in the competition when discussions like the Thomas and Betty deals are simply part of Carlton folklore and not a major debating point.

Quite so.

[LoveNavy]

We'll know that we are again a force in the competition when discussions like the Thomas and Betty deals are simply part of Carlton folklore and not a major debating point.

All going well it may not be long before discussion centres on:
- pick 13 ...... Brownlow
- the deal of the decade (GWS 4 way roll of the dice)
- Kreuzer to Flipper... Seamless transition

And other club's discussion centers on:
- how to sneak goals past the sensational six
- Eddie Betts mk2, how to stop the Blues next generation goal sneak

etc. etc... OK now I'm Carlton dreaming, but we're heading in the right direction IMO.

[DJC]

So by the same logic Armfield only learned to be a leader in the off-season then?

Cmon man, you're clutching at straws. Just let it go.

You've boosted Thomas since the ill-fated decision was made Kruddler.  When it was apparent that his best footy was behind him, you started bleating about his leadership and professionalism.  You must enjoy flogging dead horses