Despite being 1 of the 7 remaining optimistic Carlton fans, I will admit to feeling pretty heartbroken at the moment. I haven't seen the last 3 games, but you can sense it through the press and on the fan sites - Carlton has disappointed us all.

It's a very different disappointment, it's a very different pain. In prior years you could look forward to Carlton re-entering the draft for solace, either given the end of our draft penalties or the end of our self-imposed banishment from using our early draft picks. You could look forward to the changing of the guard because surely we had enough kids coming through to allow the senior guys, Kouta, French and Lappin, to become the bit-part players they deserve to be at this stage in their careers. You could look forward to the kids coming through to take their mantle across all lines out there, and rejoice in them winning games on their own boot.

But purely & simply we don't have enough of these kids. We don't have enough skilled, pacy kids coming through. We have the wonderful Fev, the dashing Slimmo and Walker and the all too brief glimpses of future greatness from Murph and Kennedy.

We did what we felt we must in 2003 but in 2002, 2004 and 2005 we've made very few changes to the list. Yes, we have Russell, Hartlett, Bower and Edwards to add to our glimpses but where are our 10 kids coming through? Sure we have some late picks and rookies trying their darnedest but surely the probabilities for those guys are lower. What have we been doing - have we continually over-estimated the list? Have we forgotten that the vets will decline, as they surely have in 2006? Have we just sat on our hands whilst the Club, brand and fans have suffered? Our inaction in the past is costing us...sure we had the penalties we had to have and some of the trades we had to have too, but why are we sitting on this list?

At the moment, the only solace I get is from our history. For the future keeps on moving away from us, faster than we approach. Its a very different pain this year; one that undermines the optimism only a few have left.

Cheer me up, please?

Unfortunately Molsey our history doesn't count for much now. Since 1997 (start of current 16 team structure) we are the bottom team by around 4 games. That is the reality. Our 'rightful place' is at the bottom and if we think we will just ascend to the top because of our history ........we are toast!!

Great VFL club.
Shithouse AFL club because we have never got our head around whats needed because of the success we have had as a VFL club...

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Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil....... the Light at the End of the Tunnel has been turned off. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Carlton FC = The Worst Run Company in Australia

No vision, no sense, no talent, no clues

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Love Cricket? Love me

Perhaps the history is just the only area of real enjoyment - I wasn't brought up in a Carlton-loving household nor in Melbourne so the history is all new to me.

There's definitely no link other than the jumper, for whatever that is worth. If I'm this down about the Club, and have found it the only way to help rather than just 'switch off', what do the rest of you do (other than 'plot' )? What will the common fan do for membership in 2007 if we continue to give them 4 beans of hope rather than the whole handful?

Well, if you're not cheered up by those replies, you're uncheerable!

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Looking forward to seeing our potential realised.

The loss of those draft picks is hurting us now. Goddard, Wells and Tenace would be handy right now. The AFL changing the draft rules isn't helping us either.

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"We used to sit around and talk about how bad the game plan was." Anthony Koutoufides

I think molsey what keeps me going is that i think (hope!) that the worst is over. Next year our regular 22 may even be younger than this year's 22 so we may be in for some beltings but i'm hoping we start to see some glimpse of what the future may hold.

Your avatar also helps.

I thought this year would have been worse than it has been. I think we've bottomed out now and it is onwards and upwards from here on. We no longer rely heavily on Kouta, Lappin, Stevens etc. We have an even spread of youth who will bring Carlton back up the ladder.

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"We used to sit around and talk about how bad the game plan was." Anthony Koutoufides

Winning 10 matches in 2004 was a huge mistake as we missed out on Deledio/Griffen/Franklin. Remember we only had a percentage of 70% that year.

Hopefully we will only win four games next year and get picks #1 and #2 instead of an "honourable" 6-8 wins which is meaningless.

Seriously though, our emerging youngsters are better than most other clubs. Betts, Blackwell, Bower, Fevola, Fisher, Kennedy, Murphy, Russell, Simpson, Thornton, Waite and Walker are all either promising or good players who will be around for while. Then there are players like O'Hailpin, Hartlett, Edwards and Raso who have shown something. Now add picks #1, #17 and #18/19 in this years draft and things are looking good for 2008 and beyond.

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There is no footy god

Interesting... did you think we'd win less games or just figured that the kids would have come on slower than you think (or performance demonstrates) they have?

Molsey - remember it is a process.

No 1: it isn't all that bad. Things are improving - a little slowly......but they are. All you need to do is review the progress that up to 5 or 6 young kids have made this year....with the exception of Setanta all of them under 20.

No 2: you are too close to it. You obviously play some part contributing valuably to the club. In addition, the negatives you fear are being amplified by the types of contributions from general posters to the TC site.

Forget the negatives. What did you want to achieve at the beginning of this year and how many wins did you really think we would have?

Certainly, we are not that far away from my expectations. O.k i thought we might win 4 to 5 games and not 2.5. Having said that i certainly am over the moon with Murphy's class, Kennedy's character, Simpson's development, Blackwell's potential, Setanta's desperation to succeed, Walker's progress, Russell's glimpses.

It is a process. Step away for a moment and turn your back on the intense nature of TC. What is reality? Just think of the committment to success that those young blokes above are demonstrating. Surely there is a win for you?

Sadly Synbad is right...

But hopefully things will turn 2008 we might start to look Great....

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I know a little secret. And i'm not sharing.

Agree to a degree with theGame and Humpers... they're right... but still have little confidence in this administration to make the most of the young talent... and I'm sure theGame won't exactly disagree with me on that one

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Love Cricket? Love me

The kids have come on quicker than I thought, Murphy exceeded all expectations. I expected to get a lot more beltings this year but we've been reasonably competitive. Considering Kouta, French, Stevens, Lappin and Waite have struggled with form/injury I would have expected this year to be worse than last year but I don't think that's the case.

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"We used to sit around and talk about how bad the game plan was." Anthony Koutoufides

Absolutely Tyrant but I'm kinda hoping Pagan really is GAWN. Even if he stays there are going to be some massive changes.

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"We used to sit around and talk about how bad the game plan was." Anthony Koutoufides

Well said.

But why are there so few of them? Anyone else on the bottom or near enough for 5 years would have half a list of them, wouldn't they? (not the same quality but at least, young and aspiring). Take your point on 3 missing draft picks (which could have been more) but I just don't get why we still have 10 players in our reserves team who shouldn't have been there.

Why do we continually overestimate the quality of the list?

(Or have we been list tanking? A Coach effectivley given 4 years tenure must have thought about it)

Completely agree... here's the battle plan I reckon:

1) Impeach board
2) Sack Pagan
3) Pick Gibbs

TOO EASY

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Love Cricket? Love me

The club is still alive ..there is a reason to be cheerful..you got something talk about....Fitzroy supporters would say we were lucky....

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"When you have the attitude of a champion, you see adversity as your
training partner."
- Conor Gillen