"There has been a conscious acceptance by those who administer
this great club, that we are no longer in the business of buying
success...young men with ability, steel in their make-up and
commitment to excellence shall be given every chance to carve
out a career at Princes Park."
- David Parkin, Carlton Annual Report, December 1990

and he also said

"By the end of this year, no Australian child will be living in poverty"

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Congratulations CK95

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He also called us a B Grade team, and then we made the Grand Final.

Jezza was the coach in 1990

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#DonTheStash

maybe not by December 1990

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Spot on TT.

Silvagni finished 3rd in the brownlow in 1990, playing at CHB

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We beat Grand Finalist Essendon* twice in 1990

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I'd say that we were on the up, after a bried trough. However, someone in the recruiting area must not have seen the quote.

Tim Powell wore number 22 for Carlton

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not in 1990

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Parkin may have come in with high hopes?

I reckon that will always be the unsolved mystery RE Parkin. It'll be interesting to see what Parkin's role in Carlton's history will be seen as in 50-100 years time. 3 time premiership coach, but also at the wheel when we started veering off into a our worst period since the VFL's inception. BUT, exactly how much of his driving was compromised by "other people" at the club?? THATS the mystery.

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The period of 1989 through to 1991 when Parkin was re-appointed coach remains a mysterious blip in a period where we did not miss a final series from 1978 through to 1996. Even our MC said to Parkin when they were trying to lure him back for his second stint said we were very ordinary and going backwards fast.

We certainly had a great nucleous of players:

- Kernahan
- Bradley
- Silvagni

But we probably carried a few too many of the great champions like Johnston, Buckley, Harmes who were past their best mainly due to the battering their bodies had taken.

Some of the younger players who played in that 1987 Premiership who we thought we may be able to build a side around like:

- Mick Kennedy
- Shane Robertson
- Ian Aitken
- Warren McKenzie

Just really never kicked on for one reason or another. But Parkin's philosphy has always been eschewing the philosophy of getting young players in favour of recruiting "body hardened" older players, in particular during the early part of his second stint he trawled the VFA/VFL and recruited players like:

- Adrian Bassett
- Tim Rienets
- Ian Herman

He was able to reap the benefits of the last days of the Under 19 system as Brett Ratten, Fraser Brown, Anthony Koutoufides and Ang Christou came through the system, and also the recruiting coup of Greg Williams and Earl Spalding.

But in the end it was Parkin who probably had more to do with giving the advice to people like John Elliott about not using the draft for young players but trading for older and more experienced bodies that has cost us the most in the long run.

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"Hence you will not say that Greeks fight like heroes but that heroes fight like Greeks"?

Winston Churchill

Thos were great times... ey CK?

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We recruited Greg Williams on big money from the Swans about 12 months from that comment so not really sure what to make of it.

In 1991 - Parkin led a big turn-over of players ... and from that point on insisted on recruiting guys of good work ethic and the result ... the 1995 premiership. He used mature recruits such as Athorn, Hogg, Spalding, De Iulio, McCormick and Welsh to bolster the list in 1992 and then Rice, Clape, Manton and Thorpe between 93 and 95 ... another illustration of his preference for ready mades - the famous 'we never rebuild mentality'.

PS When Wayne Brittain took over he wanted work ethic over every other possible skill set suitable for AFL and the result ... the wooden spoon.

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We recruited some recycled duds like Athorn, Powell, Sholl in the lead up to the 95 flag - but we also recruited some great recycles like, Rice, Clape, Pearce and dare I say Manton, who proved great acquisitions. In fact with a bit of luck with injury I reckon we were unlucky not to win 3 flags in a row ie. 94/95/96 - I count 93 as a bit of an aberation as I am not sure how we even made the Grand Final with players like Athorn, Powell and Sholl in the side.

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"Hence you will not say that Greeks fight like heroes but that heroes fight like Greeks"?

Winston Churchill

There was no standout team in 93 hence why we overachieved. Geelong finished the year with 6 or 7 wins flogging some sides and beating top sides like Essendon* and WC but just missed the finals. IMO if they got in they would have won it easily with the form they were in.

This is the reason why I don't agree with the current thinking of you must bottom out, finish last for a few years and then charge up the ladder when it's 'your turn'. There is still a place for clever recruiting ... and not just in the 17 and 18 year old age bracket.

Of course, it helps when your side has a backbone of Dean, Silvagni, Kernahan, Bradley and Madden when you start the 'rebuild'!

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