Ok, I pose the question to you footy analysists out there...(Jarusa, BrizzyBlue etc...)

"Is the Carlton list that last made the finals in 2001 much better than the Carlton of 2006?..."

Obviously it was the final year for many of our recent stars and the team contained a lot more experience...but, can we comfortably say that the team that last made the finals was a hell of a lot better than what the Carlton of '06 could assemble...

I believe that there is a great deal of the "unknown" to our young and promising list of '06...

You see if the cards fall our way, I can see us making a push for the finals this year...There is a lot to like about where the team is heading and if we can put it all together we may surprise a few...

The future ain't all doom and gloom...

BlueJean i've been saying we will make the finals since the end of last season. As you say alot of upside to our list and at out best and injury free we will make it. We won't be as bad as recent years, not a chance.

We are a better more skilled team than 2004 IMO and we won teams games then.

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Mjonc signing off at 8888

Yes about 15 goals better.

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

Thats spread out over the season right?

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No ones listening till you make a mistake.

Carlton 2001 about 10 goals better....per game

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Oompa loompa doompety dee
If you are wise you'll listen to me

Yeah....I was being facetious.

In our case the good old days WERE the good old days.

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No ones listening till you make a mistake.

Big difference one would think. We had
- SOS still in fantastic form at FB. Was great right to the end, his last game on Richo testament to that!
- Kouta at his absolute best
- Campo in AA form
- Rats going strong
- Andy Mckay marshalling the HB line
- Whitnall in AA form as well! (those were the days... )

Just those 6 alone, in the form they were in at the time completely eclipses what we have now in their respective position (even with Kouta and Red still with us)

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C'mon Blueboys!

Key difference was our defence was far superior in those days, whereas our backline at the moment is clearly the worst in the AFL.

We'll finish bottom four again this year, as I realise we've improved, but I don't see any teams that have gone backwards.

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"The old believe everything, the middle-aged suspect everything, and the young know everything." Oscar Wilde

You're probably right; but I'm an eternal optimist, and while there's hope....and fingers crossed and I hope natural improvement; you never know.

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No ones listening till you make a mistake.

Make no mistake Warby, I'll be eternally grateful to be found wrong in this case.

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"The old believe everything, the middle-aged suspect everything, and the young know everything." Oscar Wilde

2001: a better team with a poorer future. Minimal decent youth to speak of, and aging top 6 and the reast made up of rejects and VFL standard players.

2006: A hugely inexperienced lineup with only a couple of top-liners (Kouta, Stevo). Many exciting youngsters that are possible 200+ gamers (Walker, Russell, Murph, Kennedy, Waite, Thornton). A couple of mid 20's wayward stars (Whitnall, Fev). The upside of Carlton at the moment is massive. The sky is indeed the limit.

While the 2006 'present' isn't as good as the 2001 'present', the future is shitloads better IMO.

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Richard Pratt - A Carlton legend.

You betcha Deano!..................(Gee....pretty bright for a Sydneysider)..

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No ones listening till you make a mistake.

It'd want to be better anyways, using the benefit of hindsight....

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Richard Pratt - A Carlton legend.

Deano....as stated; that side still had class experienced players.

The current side? ....no comparison.

But I'm still excited!

It's a new season!

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No ones listening till you make a mistake.

We will show improvement in 2006 yet are still a likely bottom 4 team.

2007 and beyond is what excites me!

How would this team (Round 1 2001) go up against the best 22 in 2006?

Matthew Allan
Brett Backwell
Simon Beaumont
Craig Bradley
Scott Camporeale
Heath Culpitt
Brendan Fevola
Simon Fletcher
Scott Freeborn
Trent Hotton
Ryan Houlihan
Darren Hulme
Anthony Koutoufides
Matthew Lappin
Glenn Manton
Kris Massie
Andrew McKay
Mark Porter
Brett Ratten
Dean Rice
Stephen Silvagni
Lance Whitnall

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|♥♥♥♥♥♥| http://www.blueseum.org |♥♥♥♥♥♥|

Can I phone a friend?

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No ones listening till you make a mistake.

Rice Manton Massie
Beaumont Silvagni McKay
Camporeale Ratten Bradley
Lappin Whitnall Houlihan
Hotton Fevola Backwell
Allan Koutoufides Hulme
Freeborn Porter Fletcher Culpitt

They would win.

We beat both grandfinalists that year in both meetings. Brittain's 2001 mob would anihilate the current side.

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

Because Pagan's so crap right?

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Richard Pratt - A Carlton legend.