Anyone who didn't see that coming hasn't been paying attention for the last couple of years.

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"You can't polish a James Hird"

Essendon* have been to hell and back. As a club they've copped a reaming from every angle imaginable. They had lost 4 in a row, their coach to be suspended, I mean seriously they've copped it badly. You would think they'd be finished. Just go through the motions of playing the last few games out and put 2013 far behind themselves.

On the other side of the ledger you have Carlton. Who should have been licking their lips at the prospect of putting their hated foe to the sword. An experienced new coach, a wealth of number one draft picks, everything to play for (finals) and lastly, revenge and pride. This defeat tonight is the most unacceptable defeat I have ever experienced in my 40+ years supporting Carlton. During the coarse of a season every supporter has their fair share of disappointing loses. But this loss is so disappointing on so many levels it leaves one wondering if it would be better to simply call it quits.

The club asks for my support. Tells me its grateful for my continued faithfulness and sticking by it through its darkest times. That's okay, I'm happy to do so. Supporting my club during its darkest times wasn't that hard. I had a history of wonderful memories, of fantastic victories, premierships, passion, pride, Carlton.
I don't expect miracles. I don't expect to win every week (it would be nice) but I'm a realist. You win some, you lose some, that's football. But there are those rare games during a coarse of a clubs history you damn well expect to win, fkn demand to win. Games so important to our culture, that losing is simply not an option. They must be won, and won at all costs. Tonight's game against Essendon* was one of those rare games.

Losing tonight is probably one of the most massive wake up calls to the true extent of this clubs terrible position. Anyone who thinks we are anywhere near a premiership is living in la la land with our current playing list. I am not talking about skill, superstars or miracle coaching tactics. There comes a time when a team needs to stand up and put its sworn enemy to the sword. On its knees, weakened, pathetic, ready for the kill. Tonight that was Essendon*. We showed our true character and the complete and utter shambles we are as a playing group.

I am ashamed of my team. They are boys, not men. They lack character, determination, pride, passion and the killer instinct.

When Carlton was at its lowest, team after bloody team put us to the sword. They seen we were down, they seen we were weak, and they murdered us. Remember the beltings we got? Remember the humiliating defeats we suffered? The wooden spoons?

This is the litmus test of a team that means business. They take their sworn enemy when their at their weakest and shows them no mercy. We have a team of weak minded boys who either don't know our history, or simply don't give a shit about it. Playing for Carlton is supposed to mean something. Are we known for our pride? Are we known for our winning culture? When winning is everything and second is failure. Because the current team we field is nowhere near the type of team we need to win premierships. Nowhere near it.

Good win Essendon*, you've got some pride in yourselves and your jumper.

I beg to differ he's not talking like a hero seems to me the jubilation of the win lasted as long as the team song. The emotion of the win has rubbed off and now hird is just a cheat like the rest of their team. Will take pleasure in the AFL penalties.

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Blue is the colour, Blue is our colourful conversation, football is the game, talking carlton is our aim, we're all together, we're all together, winning is our aim, arguing is a pain, let's debate for gain. .. .!

I'll only support Carlton from now on, if they win, otherwise forgetaboutit.

MM sacked our midfield coaches and tackling coach and these are two areas we have gone backwards this year!
Just something to keep in mind there is no one man who is the messiah and we have wasted a year.
Hopefully the ego will allow a few extra coaches for next year to come on board.
Our kicking was woeful and we ran out of puff in the last quarter.

It frustrates me no end losing to this mob every year I go the same result.

My only come back to the Essendon* scum is that we now know why they run out the last quarter better!

I thought we played well outside of Waite on Hurley.

Obviously plenty to work on, but you work on plenty when we win.

The list is going to change, we aren't going to win past the first final at best if indeed we make it. I don't think we will, but that would be a good thing.

Not sure about Gibbs. Simply not hard enough when it counts. Leave him in the backline or trade him.

I'll reluctantly excuse Murphy because apparently he hasn't had a proper preseason for about 2 years. However, I would take the captaincy off him. Doesn't seem suited to the role.

I like McLean but I can't see him in our next premiership side so would only be there as part of the transition to our rebuilt side.

Graham and Menzel are promising.

Obviously need to focus on recruiting midfielders over the next 2 - 3 years.

He is a limited player but one thing that I liked tonight was Bells breaking of the lines. He would almost time his run to strip possession of the ball while running almost full tilt
Seemed a planned move and it worked often
But his lack of awareness once he gets it and his resultant tendency to get caught is a major flaw

Just home, seriously i hate this team.
You could see this coming a mile off, pack of chokers.
Simmo you can hold your head up.

He's blooding a new midfield slowly

Bell, Cachia, Graham, Lucas, Curnow etc

He knows this list isnt premiership material

He knows he needs to bring on a new wave

Problem is due to poor recruitment this new wave isn't good enough

And even worse it'll take more than one summer to clean out the list

In some respects Carlton might be Micks biggest challenge

At least at Coll he had a great admin and resources

And WC he had a list

At CFC he's got an ageing core who arent good enough anyway, a stack of B Graders, and a stack of pussies

He's taking a good hard look at the list, learning so much every game. He knows what he needs to do

But of course there are stupid fans who think he should be able to wave a wand and we are premiers over night

In the last quarter, about 7 minutes in, we tried to play possession footy. Coughed it up, and they got momentum from there and came back.
This was the turning point for me.

Also, @#$%&! the train driver of the 10.37 Pakenham who kept playing the scum song. and why did it take 20 @#$%&! minutes for a train on the SE lines? @#$%&! Metro are as useless as we are.

Mick if you are reading, this list needs a #1 haircut.

Even worse, we're getting worse.

And worse.

And worse.

I'm so @#$%&! angry right now.

I hope we lose next week. Would much rather see the Kangas in the finals.

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The measure of a life is a measure of love and respect
So hard to earn, so easily burned
In the fullness of time
A garden to nurture and protect

#DopeThenStash

I thought Bell was awful tonight

His composure and decision making is not up to standard

Hopefully, he can rectify these problems because he does have a physical presence

Or

No Judd carazzo McLean and Murphy underdone is an alternative reason midfield struggled

He is a butcher

Can't expect to win when you can't kick straight
Kade Simpson take a bow. The rest diabolically mentally and physically weak when it was most required.

To top it off we had a disgusting Essendon** supporter sitting behind us calling Eddie a cheat every time they got the ball. Disgraceful by him. But also an Essendon** supporter calling any Carlton player a cheat at this point in time. Beyond me.

Thank God we changed the recruitment head and at least last year got Menzel and Graham

That's a start

Ground Zero

We have wasted years playing Armfield and Robinson putting so many games into players who'll never become anything better than 6/10 players

Hopefully we can get something of some semblance of trade value from the above and the likes of Warnock and Hampson - I would happily take 3rd rounders for these types and roll the dice on a kid at pick 50. Just so long as we pick mids. More Graham's

The amount of dummies still waving their StandByTurd flyers was amazing.