Ok, all in all, it's been an exciting but slightly disappointing start to the season. The team's had a fair old crack, and we can probably consider ourselves a little unlucky not to be 2-2 given what we've been up against. The injury, umpiring, tribunal and conversion gods have all put the boot into us. In fact, if there's a football related diety that hasn't had the shits with us, I don't want to know about it.

But sometimes you've gotta draw a line in the sand. No more excuses, we simply must win next week. Without wanting to prempt the doc on Waite's quad, we should have a full squad to pick from. So if we can't give an injury ravaged Tigers outfit who have yet to give a whimper this season a fair old touch up next Friday, then this band's going nowhere and we may as well pull up stumps and all go to the pub for 8 months until Hansen and Proud show up for training.

Blues by 46.

Please don't quote Dermott

Yeah we really need to step up next week after blowing three games in a row we probably should've won. But in the end that's up to the players. Still Fev and Waite are going to be two big ins.

Yep if we don't win next week i reckon we will not win for another 20 years.


oh and if any more sky falls around here only the coachroaches will survive.

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This type of slight is alien in the more cultured part of the world - Walsh. Its up there with mad dogs, Englishmen and the midday sun!

Who actually expected us to win any of these games? We were underdogs in every one. Just accept we are a bottom club who can't afford to lose their gun full forward.

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

I know my opinion doesnt count for much around here but I think Nightcrawler has a point .

A loss this week could change the football club forever

this week if we lose you kiss goodbye the 30k membership
you can kiss goodbye the bumper crowds expected for the Bombers and the magpies games.

A loss this week will be season over - shut up might as well not go .

The players confidence will be shot - supporters will turn away in droves and we could end up having to dip into the CBF . which is a loss of identity .

The players - the coach and staff the whole dam club needs to stand up this week and be counted . Otherwise come Saturday morning all hell will break loose .

Yes Danny I think a loss this week will mean the sky is falling

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If you allow the Government to change the Laws in an emergency
They will create an Emergency to change the Laws

All this might be true if it wasn't for the kids. Have faith and be patient folks. The 68 flag was a long time coming .

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carn the blues

I don't expect to win alot of games but I do expect the team to play competitively. i.e. not flood back before the first bounce. This latest game was against a team we could have beat but we played defensively from the start which meant we had virtually no one in the forward line to kick goals.
IMO we should play be playing the style of game that we think will take us to the top, regardless of the talent of the players. We may get killed in some games but eventually we will get better (from more experience the and influx of more talent). The current extreme defensive style we are playing will win us few games if any.

A loss this week's going to change our footy club forever?

Really...?

This season is ALL about improvement from the kids.

We need to demonstrate that our U23's are heading in the right direction, and we need to gain a good position in this year's draft.

That's it. That's what this year is about.

If people expect 'lines in the sand' then they're only deluding themselves and setting themselves up for unwarranted disappointment.

It's a development year. Not a results year.

Gauge results in 2008. Because, if we do things right, THAT'S when we're going to be playing consistently good footy.

sadly John it seems results must come now - now wonder Elliott espoused the 'we never rebuild' philosophy - look at what happens when we do rebuild, A game against Richmond changes the club forever.

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This type of slight is alien in the more cultured part of the world - Walsh. Its up there with mad dogs, Englishmen and the midday sun!

John if it was about development why Teague - Chambers getting selected .

why is Pagan playing an ultra flood trying to miinimise the damage and hoping we are close enough to actually pinch a game

The club is about to go cap in hand to the AFL for money and if the financial side doesn't turn round - Next year we will be selling games to Sydney and Gold coast and being force down to 95 % of the cap. They have gone to the AFL to get them to look at our situation - Thats pretty dire stuff considering how the AFL have treated them in the past. The AFL will use this to their advantage make no bones about it

The next two to three games a critical for this club - partically next week

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If you allow the Government to change the Laws in an emergency
They will create an Emergency to change the Laws

well you tell me what he is saying then

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/ ... 42,00.html

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/ ... 42,00.html

http://www.realfooty.theage.com.au/real ... 77385.html


Such a membership shortfall would result in about $1 million in lost revenue and Smorgon said this would contribute to a "cash-flow negative" and the need to work closely with the AFL.

"Carlton has a debt of $6 million-$7 million. We are going to be cash-flow negative this year. No business can survive under those circumstances," Smorgon said.

"We have co-operated with the AFL to allow an independent review of those finances and that is underway as we speak and once that is done the board of the Carlton Football Club will … discuss with the AFL what our options are. But clearly we have to do it with them and we will."

Smorgon said the success of Carlton and other clubs was "all about membership" and on the back of a wooden spoon in 2005, the Blues were facing a massive downturn in memberships.

"No club can survive without vitality and expanding membership. Last year we had 33,000, which was a record. We currently are at 25,000. I would expect and hope that if we win the next game or two in a row that that might jump to 27,000-28,000 but I don't think we are going to get to our budget," he said.

"And unfortunately that means a drop in the income of the club and without those members there is not much we can do."

You dont have to be t o smart to read inbetween the lines here

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If you allow the Government to change the Laws in an emergency
They will create an Emergency to change the Laws

Well that's my point really. The kids are impoving individually this season, you can see it in fits and starts already. A good game from Walker here. A great quarter from Simmo there. It's all good. But if the team is improving collectively, they will win on Friday. If they don't, I'm sure someone will make excuses for them, it just won't be me this week.

This season is all about development and incremental improvement, I understand that. But even in the midst of that process I think there are still games that no self-respecting football side should lose. For me, this is one of them. I think we have lost some of that self-respect over the last few seasons, and I think it's time the players took it back. They have worked hard and they deserve it.

I don't mind if other people disagree, everyone has their own standards I guess, but at least I've put mine out there.

Because you can't play all the kids at once. Anyway Chambers had his 2 weeks, so now has Teague.

no you don't need to be smart - just opinionated.

In memberships over all 16 clubs there seems to have been a drop off of 15% so we are not the only ones there.

Yes we need to emerge from this tunnel, we all understand that but if you think anyone expects anything other than a long season with a lot more losses than wins you haven't been paying attention to much the last few years.

So far I am happy. Kids are developing. The team is showing real signs it is a unit not the Pagan hating rabble we were led to believe.

We now have Murphy Walker Betts and Simmo all showing real dash. Like most I hope JR adds to this at some point.

We are getting glowing reports about Kennedy in the VFL (except for Elwood's today).

So far we have been more than competitive in each game, so far we have had chances. Now as a young, developing team I do not expect them to take those chances - yet. But the fact that they have them tells me we are on the right track.

If we lose to Richmond, we lose. But as a club we are moving forward = that'll do more for our long term future than some pissy little win against the tigers.

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This type of slight is alien in the more cultured part of the world - Walsh. Its up there with mad dogs, Englishmen and the midday sun!

thank goodness.. a man with a brain.

Take a look at the Dogs and if there were any lines drawn in sand they wouldnt be here.

Fancy being that short sighted people here are suggesting the wooden spoon team plus a first year Murphy are going to turn it all around.
Pick up a Proud and a Sellar and you can start talking top 4 in 3 to 4 years along with what we have...

As long as theyre developing...

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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.

I hate this argument that support should drop off if we lose

Just not true..... I've still got more money than sense (to buy my membership with), and there's litres and litres of beer brewed in Abbotsford every day.

And misery loves company.

GO BLUES!!!!!! WHERE'S THE BAR?!!!!

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Love Cricket? Love me

AND EVERYONE WANTS A BITE OF MY SANDWICH!!!!!

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Love Cricket? Love me

I LOVE that song............!


kindest regards tommi











for what it's worth.........i like Mr Emms post.............!

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that'siti'mnotchangingthistagain......!