I WANT CARLTON PLAYERS TO PLAY IN A CARLTON JUMPER

One of the big frustrations in 2006 for me, was having to miss out on watching up to 8 Carlton players not playing in the firsts or reserves (Bullants seniors) due to the 10/12 rule, and/or selections made by the Bullants.

I appreciate the fact that we can follow 22 blokes running around every week in the Carlton jumper, but the remaining 20-22 members of the squad are split up into 2 Bullants teams, and I find this frustrating and nauseating.

I fly down to Melbourne whenever I get a chance to to watch my beloved Blues, and after making such an effort, I try to fit in watching the rest of the players in the Ants firsts (supposedly our reserves team), but I can't. If I want to see the Carlton squad in a weekend, I am compelled to watch 3 games; Carlton seniors, Ants' seniors and Ants' reserves. I can't do that.

I hope that the 2 seniors games don't clash whenI fly down, because 2 games to watch in a weekend is reasonable, but 3 is impossible for me, and ridiculous for others. Football is enjoying its greatest exposure ever, but non football crazy people, who may be partners and wives believe that there's too much football. As a result partners/ family put restrictions on Blues lovers to watch only i and maybe 2 games, but 3 games are rules out of bounds...due to too much football taking up family/lovers time.

My issue is different, but I know the above is true. Family does come first (after the Carlton seniors). My problem is the tyranny of distance.

Honestly, I find the 3 teams policy at 3 different venues frustrating for several reasons:

I was a big follower of the VFA (Zebras) and hated the Bullants and Ray Shaw, so it's hard to accept the Bullants.

I can't get into any team that may no longer have ties with the Blues in future.

I can't watch the Carlton squad play because I can't fit 3 games in a weekend, plus catch up with friends and family, sleep and travel.

Most Melbourne based fans, and TCer's can't watch 3 games per weekend either, and as a result the third team is caste aside and we can't follow their progress.

The third group must feel a bit alienated from the mother club (Carlton) with only up to a maximum 8 members from the squad (their 'real' listed team mates) playing with them on weekends; it's not fair to the players either.

The third's squad of up to 8 players play at a different level in terms of ability on the field, the coach, let alone game plan, than their other team mates; stunting their development , alienating them from involvement of the higher level game (plans) others team mates are lucky enough to be exposed to.

The thirds players do not get used to playing against more mature and fitter bodies; again slowing down their development or progress.

When playing finals, as in the 2006 prelim, we had to leave out many players qualified to play in that game; yet were playing in the seniors in the previous week(s). Are they good enough or not? I as a supporter don't get it.

These same players (left out of the finals team) were more responsible for helping the Ants seniors complete a remarkable year, and making to the finals, yet were excluded from the game due to the 10/12 rule; not fair to the players.

We can't watch them play in the third team, and as a result we can't compare the progress of the players on a level playing field. eg we only know what we read in the papers about Batson (the ruckman), but we only read the number of goals he kicked. When we ask of his progress, noone knows anything about him; and he's a listed Carlton player...same with Raso, Edwards, Aisake...

OK, so we delist/ retire 8 players this year, and they make room for the 8 that were missing out playing with their real team mates, but we will replace them with 8 new players or more, and poor guys are going to have to face the same predicament and play in the "seargent peppers lonely hearts club" team....the thirds.

It's wrong. I want my club back, united and developing as a squad, able to put practise into play week in week out; together as a team.

I no longer not want to alienate members of the squad from the rest of their team mates.

I want the Carlton Reserves back and kicking up a storm in the Old dark Navy Blue jumper. That's the jumper I want to see.

I WANT TO ONLY WATCH CARLTON

How do you feel?

Do you want change? Why?

How can we change this untenable situation?

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Apparently it cost to much to run a reserve side and at present we cant afford it.


My questions is : Does the Bullants administration have any say in who coaches their side next year.???

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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

I can see where you are coming from, if we could afford it it would be fantastic to have a VFL stand alone team that plays out of MC Labour Park - imagine that - going to watch us play there on a Saturday arvo!

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Between our dreams and actions lies this world

I know where you're coming from Bondi...I find it frustrating as well. Personally, I think I watch less VFL (VFA) than I used to...however I was brought up to follow Carlton and Williamstown as Dad played for the Seagulls briefly.

There is no affiliation toward the Northern Bullants - as much as I want the boys to play well and push for senior selection - I don't care what jumper they do it in - and there is more loathing in our family toward Collingwood who are doing next to nothing for Williamstown - a club that is older than the Pies themselves.

I don't think Preston is a good fit for Carlton. Werribee and the Bulldogs - Brilliant...Melbourne and Sandringham - Great...Kangaroos and Ballarat / Tassie - Great...Hawthorn and Box Hill...Great Again. Saints and Casey...good. Geelong and Geelong - AWESOME!!

If they played at Carlton, I'd go every week. For me - and a lot of other Carlton members - Preston doesn't do it. Has it done anything for Preston...I don't see it. Time to get the boys back in the jumper...

...list size is irrelevant - name and brand is not. Playing footy in Carlton is not...they could even play in an alternative strip for all I care - just get them training, playing and used to winning in Carlton.

We are told it's too expensive to field a reserves team, yet the AFL are crowing about how cashed up everybody is due to their media deals.

A reserves team would also mean avoiding this season's Bullant's fiasco of playing ex-Carlton has beens and current Carlton rejects in the finals games instead of blooding our young future champions.

The Bullants did us no favours here...

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"...that's the thing about opinion - you don't have to know anything to have one..." Andre Agassi commenting on Pat Cash 2004
"...the less you know - the more you believe..." - Bono 2006

In an ideal world it would be great, but with our massive debt it would be irresponsible for Carlton to attempt to field it's own V.F.L team.

Not 100% sure but I think the liscense fee is around 1mil a season.

Sydney Blue wrote



So that's the only hurdle...then that's something worth working towards, when we get a board in place that attracts money, sponsors, makes money, and attracts 40,000 members. We have to make it a long term objective.

We're already paying for the 20 players on the list (not in Carlton's senior/only team), and we've already got a ground to play on. Has it maybe got something to do with fielding a third's team perhaps?

Anyway...I hate the current format....!

Yeah we could exclude Port Melb and Frankston to get rid of the 10/12 rule, but it's the Bullants selection panel that picks the team with Mitchell, ie trying to make one team from 2 teams...it's bullshit!

Sydney Blue wrote



I don't know the answer to that Sydney, but I do know they have too much say on the team selections when not playing Frankston, Port or finals....and that's too much influence on a BIG AFL CLUB....stupid interdependency...we are sovereign in our constitution, and so it should remain.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

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29 different attributes,
And only 7 that you like;
20 ways to see the world,
Or 20 ways to start a fight.

Collingwood are as cashed up as anyone yet they have a VFL affiliation with Williamstown.
One of the main reasons is having older seasoned players about to help and protect the kids. I have no doubt that Blackers and Kennedy would have benefitted by having Harf and Diggers around when they played VFL.

As for management of the affiliation, I believe $ have a lot to do with it. Collingwood pump a heap of money into their affiliation so they control coaching etc.
Clubs like the Bulldogs and Carlton probably relinquish some of that by putting less funds in.

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Looking forward to seeing our potential realised.

Beantown wrote



Yeah, can't do anything in our present financial state.....but nevertheless an ideal to strive towards!

Very interesting ..a VFL license is $1M?...to run 2 VFL teams?

Wet Willie wrote



So is the AFL Commission supporting the VFL with all that cash, or are they supporting the AFL? Well if it's the AFL, then give me my club back, and give me our jumper back....we are the Blues not Ants; a colour not an insect.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Blue Vain wrote



BV, other than money, that is the only benefit for the players...but doesn't apply to the 8 players playing in the thirds, and doesn't help me discern the progress, ability and stage of development of those caste into the thirds of oblivion, let alone give me a reasonable opportunity to watch them play...so I can judge their progress for myself.

There must be a better way than the present.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Cheers jimmae

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Dr Sherrin,

I grew up living next to Uncle Teddy (Whitten), and barracked for Williamstown growing up...I barracked for Footscray and Ron Barrassi. We had a border living with us who was keed Bumbers supporter. He took me to the footy in '68 and as a result I was a Seagull abd Blues supporter.

I moved to Hampton, where I was able to walk to watch the Zebras play...so I had two VFA teams, and after the infamous relegation match at Beach rd that Zebras won, I was able to have a 1st division and 2nd division team in the VFA.

I can't watch the VFA/VFL anymore...altough I do follow carlton players.



That would attract a few more thousand per game I'd reckon.

Why couldn't a VFA team wear a Carlton jumper, and enjoy the facilities of MC Labour Park?

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

thanks BW - they have a say - I wonder if they still want mitchell

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

Unfortunately we are stymied by the 12/10 rule which is a VFL rule.

Although its hard to tell if the Bullants thought they would be better served by playing Sporn, Teague, Prendergast et al in the Preliminary Final rather than, Raso, Edwards and Jackson.

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

Winston Churchill

When does Mitchell's contract with Carlton end?

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"You are being watched. The government has a secret system. A machine that spies on you every hour of every day. I know because I built it." - Finch

I think the VFL has been great for the development of players. People used to watch the reserves before the real game but hardly anyone would have went out of their way to watch them. The only people that would are watching the bullants now.

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

I'd love to see it happen once the finances are sorted out and we can bear the risk.

Imagine a navy blue reserves side playing as part of 11 "event days" at MC Labour Park.

The club already has a database of members on email. If they could hook reserves home games into a broader program of events where supporters got to meet former Carlton stars, indulge in food events, kids rides, long kick competitions, world's largest VFL/AFL BBQ, whatever...

11 different themes could be devised and repeated annually to build and strengthen the Carlton family. Push the "community football" line and actually build a community.

Plenty of money making opportunities for the club 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