Dear CFC,
Now that you have commited to Ackland for the next 3 years, please do the Carlton faithful the further service of delisting 3 more players, namely Davies, De Luca and Bryan (although you can rotate any of the other ability challenged players into that 3 if you prefer). Promote Aisake and let him play VFL, but with the ability to play seniors as warranted (through good form in the VFL) or as required (eg Sandilands).
This would mean that the club will have delisted 9 players and have one retirement, for a total of 10 new faces. Another 3 players will then be added to the rookies list (if Flint and Jackson are not promoted). Given that the clubs playing stocks have been so low for so long, this will give members and supporters faith that the club is acting proactively to turn over the list and improve the club.
Given that this would still leave the likes of Teague, Saddington and Bannister to be delisted next year, along with Kouta's retirement, you would only need to choose another 2 or 3 players to join these at the end of 2007. These additional players will become apparent in 2007.
The club should be hoping that picks 1, 17 and 19 will produce at least 2 long term players, and the remaining 10 picks (including national draft picks 35+ and the rookie picks) would hopefully net another 2-3 long term prospects. This leaves the club an enormous developmental challenge over the next 2 years, but goes substantially to having a young and talented first 22 within 3 seasons.
If you are worried about having too many immature bodies on the list, then promote Jackson and Flint in addition to Aisake, and draft 6 players in the national draft and then 5 in the PSD. Ok, they may not be as physically mature as senior players, but will be better off than first season rookies.
Given that we've tried the mature recruit strategy, and it's failed, then this has to be a serious consideration. This strategy sends the right message to the football community, does not produce any shortfalls in delisting candidates in 2007, and will help the club in finding new talent, please consider this strategy, rather than simply maintaining the conservative policy of recent times of delisting only 6-7 players.
Eagerly awaiting your response through further press releases announcing the make up of the 2007 list,
Steve
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