http://www.realfooty.theage.com.au/real ... 13109.html

Its going over old ground that is pretty much settled by Carlton supporters but it is a change to read someone in the media aknowledge how poorly the AFL has handled our situation in the last few years. A change from the crap written by the usual suspects.

Isn't Jake Niall Collingwood man?

Some choice quotes.



Yep, they just keep twisting that knife.





Seriously, when will Demetriou go to his true calling and get into Labor politics. He is well suited to the short sighted and self serving backstabbing that goes on there because as a CEO he seriously is shite.

I would love to know what Niall was writing at the time though of the draft penalties. Was he on the bandwagon of "Yeah, those f**&&ing cheats deserve it!", or was he thinking similarly to what he is writing now?

Niall is a knobjockey, plain and simple

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"I had to eat"

i actually dont mind Niall.

and i reckon its bullshit (the pp's new laws)

i agree with what the afl has done with regards the pp's

It had to be done, you only need to look at collingwood last year and this year to see the failures of that system.

however, i think they where wrong in starting from scratch.

the system should be place as is but pervious seasons should still be taken into considerations.

And i say that for all teams.

As i understand it, we get 1, 17, 18 this year.

however if there rules this year considered previous years we would get

1,2,18 which is what we should get if we finish last.

or

1,3 and 19 if we finish 2nd with the bumbers getting 2 & 18

but something had to be done about the pp's

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Got to love the stare Down by Setanta on Llyod

There is no such thing as a level playing field in this game. It was probably more even in the 70s and 80s when teams had to actually'recruit' talent in the old fashioned sense. Now its just take a number and get the players previously ranked by the so called experts.

How can there be a level playing field when only 3 vic teams have won the ultimate prize in 15 seasons or so even though they make up 70%odd of the comp.

I bet the doggies and aints are wrapped that the new system gives them an equal chance at success .


Nialle is a flower - I still can't understand why people ask his opinion on the game - what are his credentials?? He makes a living from stating the bleeding obvious and everyone nods their heads and says ' yeah, hmmmm, you're right Jake'

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you are talking about the draw

that gives the interstate a better chance, and also the insistance of the AFL to have two grounds in melbourne.

victorian based teams have no home ground advantage, exception being geelong.

but that is not what he is talking about.

his article is aimed purely at the ability to recruit are draft.

someone aluded to it in another thread and its spot on.

we are only just starting to see the benefits of the draft. when side a will be just about the same as side b on paper.

it is then up to the better coaches, better facilities etc.. that will decide the outcome of games - unfortunately for us melbourne based supporters, due to the competive market in victoria - we also fall behind the interstate teams in that respect as well.

but the draft, IMO is achieving its goal.

also, if we had access to the draft and got the benefits of the draft when we finished last the first time i dont think the club we be in such a bad state as we currently are.

his article while is obvious to us, as we have all been saying it for sometime, is not obvious to the greater footballing community

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Got to love the stare Down by Setanta on Llyod

Niall was one of the many dim-witted journo's who were dancing on our graves when we were punished by the AFL. He loved it. He didn't go as far as the fat prick himself who wanted an even heavier penalty, but he rejoiced nonetheless.

The only media person I remember criticising the penalty was Tony Shaw and for all his drawbacks and idiotic traits, he was the only AFL "identity" that criticised the heavy-handedness of the penalties.

Tony Shaw is a knob but I will always respect him for his stance.

Also, I dont think we have heard the last of the PP situation, especially if we remain last

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C'mon Blueboys!

Is that a hunch or have you heard something?

That would take a brave AFL to give us an additional pick at this stage.

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"The ability to speak doesn't make you intelligent." Qui-Gon Jinn 15-05-2005

"there’s more chance of me becoming the full forward for the [Western Bulldogs] than there is of any change in the Labor Party." Julia Gillard 18-05-2010

Its a fair article and good overview of where we are and why and where the future lays......why whinge about the penalties..if that was Essendon* or Collingwood I would have expected and insisted they get the same medicine..

We have to wear it and stop whining and fix the problems...Smorgan has actually said something sensible in the fact we are sticking with youth and wont pursue Aker or his kind...an interstate Vic kid wanting home is also fair enough.....

Its not a level playing field with the interstate teams but thats how it is...

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

Gerad Healy was also another who mentioned that the penalties were draconian. I'm not sure whether the pain from the penalties have fully kicked in just yet. I still think we are paying the price for our drafting between 1997 - 2001.

True, Healy did say that back in 02. He was also disgusted that we weren't even allowed to TRADE INTO THE FIRST TWO ROUNDS .

Which meant that even if we wanted to start the re-building phase then and there, there was no chance. That was one of the big problems, we couldn't give up a Campo, Kouta, Lance or anybody for that matter for a top 30 pick - we had our hands tied and chucked into the bay.

Yes, it sounds like whinging but you can't hide from the fact that it happened and was going to stuff us for at least 5 years. When Healy said this I though 'yeah, but we're Carlton, the greatest team in the comp, we're bullet proof!!' History shows that's not the case.

I'd be amazed if they changes the draft PP system now, it would be a massive admission of failure, something we all know the afl won't allow to be exposed.

we've seen what the quality kids can give us, we now have to suffer as we turn some of those into experienced 150 gamers. Until then, sit tight.

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The PP is a farce.
In reality, if we win 4 games or less this year it will be our second successive year of priority pick qualification.
However the AFL refuse to accept our qualification from last year.

Retrospective rule changing is another case of Demetriou's tainted administration.

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Looking forward to seeing our potential realised.

Brereton too.

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“When a clown moves into a palace, he doesn't become a king. The palace turns into a circus.”
Turkish Proverb

Reactionary policy on the run..hmmmmm sounds like he could make a great politician

i have no doubt that this policy was brought in so that no one tesm could benefit from the 'Super Draft'. If they had any clue, they'd set the system up to work for all teams for 50 years and lock it in.

As for the salary cap penalties, the NRL do the right thing by the supporters and deduct points for the H and A season. You then at least see a competetive side play each week. The fine was the biggest kick in the teeth for the fans who had to rally to prop up the club in its darkest hour - who did they think would cough up the cash, Jack?

No @#$%&! idea!!

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end of message

TBB, only a hunch. However, when I compile a case for reconsidering Carlton's potential to qualify for a pre-1st round PP, it is very compelling.

It is not just the on-field results that will influence this. I think the AFL are seriously concerned by our situation both financially and with member/supporter numbers on a sharp decline. I think they will want to resurrect our club and the Carlton brand before any more long term damage is done to the club. And this is not just Carlton specific but even the impact it will have on the competition as a whole. The only significant avenue left to pursue, after so many years of mediocrity, is to have a competitive team that can challenge again. A team worth watching and following.

Our plight has gone beyond recruiting corporate geniuses to build revenue streams and other corporate strategies, it is about compiling a team that will again draw Carlton supporters and the next generation back to the club. The AFL can try and stem the bleeding with grants and interest-free loans or give us access to a PP that should probably justifiably be ours and return us to a reasonable cycle of success/failure. Not never-ending mediocrity! To disqualify us from this PP for only half a game, especially when this is a transitional year for the new rules is unreasonable.

It is only a hunch . And really it is up to the board to fight for it and keep it on the agenda with the AFL. The financial assistance may have compromised our negotiating power though.

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C'mon Blueboys!

The only guilt the AFL feel is that they may have comprimised their profits by punishing us in the extreme..they want us back playing blockbusters and having better TV exposure etc.... bringing in more revenue.
Demetriou is one greedy man and he sees the rebirth of the Blues as essential for money making only.....when we finally climb back up the ladder and bring some more coin in for the AFL he may give himself another hefty pay rise...

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

EB, if that is the motivation then so be it. I don't expect him to have the Blues interest at heart, only self and corporate greed. But it makes financial sense to have a club like Carlton, who used to be capable of drawing 80-90K against the other big Vic clubs in the H+A back firing.

I don't know if it is too late though. I know a lot of people who were quite passionate Carlton people who have turned their backs on the club and the competition. Sick of how sh!t we are and the artificial nature of the competition.

At the time of the penalties, I bet the AFL thought that we are such a big club that we can ride out an extended period down the bottom. We have enough support, and passionate support at that, to see it through. The only problem is that supporters and corporate support don't mind riding out 2-3 years of tripe and wont drop off in that period so much as long as after that amount of time there is some genuine improvement. Not 5-6 years like we are on now!

And don't think of the die-hards like us here, we are knowledgeable enough about AFL to realise that there is some faint hope but for your average supporter, they see a club always losing and struggling and the corporate world dont want to be associated with that. It takes its toll eventually and the crowd on Saturday is an indication of that.

I feel strongly about our eligibility for a pre-1st round pick especially if we remain on 2.5 wins and believe the case for it is indisputable. But its not up to me, its up to the club

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C'mon Blueboys!

I reckon the article is fairly accurate

The only way we'll rebuild is by hacking and burning at every level

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Love Cricket? Love me

Good luck. I doubt Essendon* or the other teams will be happy to slip back a position on the pecking order.

It is possible that Smorgan showed his hand far to early in the season seeking clarification/review of the PP criteria.

I wish I were so eloquent in my posts. Well Said Marci, particularly the bolded. Bravo.

Niall is a supporter of Victorian football.


And whats happened has happened.. we have to move on....

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