2018 VFL Rd 11: Carlton vs Richmond

[LP]

Think of the bigger picture.

If we came out publicly and said this year is going to be a bust, what message does that send to the players? Try your guts out for us all pre-season, but you are going to get spanked every week.

The message to the players is the sky is the limit. There is no cap on what we can achieve.
Which is true, if everything goes right.

What do you think the 'realistic' message was to the tigers before last season?
Do you think it was "we hope to play finals, but we are richmond so we don't expect to do anything, like the last 36 years"
or
was it similar to ours, the sky is the limit.

For them, everything went right, and they played and won a GF against all odds.
For us, everything has gone wrong, injuries to AA, captain and a large chunk of others.

FWIW, i remember the club saying it was going to be a tough year when Doc went down as you couldn't cover for him, but it gives the opportunity for someone to step up.

You don't have to say anything negative to avoid lying, you seem to be inferring that they had to do, write or speak the opposite of what they did!

That is clearly not the case!

[flyboy77]

Of those injured for big chunks (or all of) the current season, the impact in decreasing importance is - to my mind:

1. Docherty - HUGE. All Australian and the general of our defence.
2. Kennedy - PRETTY HUGE. Was going to be the chop out for Crippa but either not fit for Rd 1 or the injury received earlier in that game has stuffed his season entirely). A quality player when fit.
3. Willo - PRETTY HUGE - might have been the guy to fill Doc's shoes but his back didn't hold up. Hoping he will be unhindered come 2019.
4. Pickett - SIGNIFICANT. Gave our forward line spark (even if he hasn't played a lot of games yet).
5. Murphy - still a prolific ball winner even if not the inspirational leader many would like him to be.
6. Marchbank - a quality defender.
7. ASOS - for his mongrel.
8. Lang - still looks well off the pace, interrupted pre seasons do that (yep, I was wrong...). But will be a regular in our starting 22 when fit.

8 Blokes who are all walk up starts when up and running....

And you could throw Byrne in there too.

[Gointocarlton]

8. Lang - still looks well off the pace, interrupted pre seasons do that (yep, I was wrong...). But will be a regular in our starting 22 when fit.

And you could throw Byrne in there too.

Agree with all that except these two points. Lang is a spud, Byrne has no awareness or footy smarts, delist both IMO.