...thought I'd summarize a few of our future stars.

Adam Bentick – 20yo midfield
Still developing physically and honing his “in & underâ€

More importantly, fill in the blanks;

Carrazzo Livingston Teague
McGrath Thornton Sporn
Simpson Stevens ...............
Houlihan Fisher Waite
Whitnall Fevola Betts
Bryan Walker ................
DeLuca ............. ................ .............

Support: Scotland, Chambers, Johnson
Potential: Russell, Blackwell, Raso, Hartlett, O'aHaiplin, Smith.

Nice summary budzy.
I'm licking my lips about the next few seasons when we add to the up-and-comers, and cut some of the deadwood.....

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And so while others miserably pledge themselves to the pursuit of ambition and brief power, I will be stretched out in the shade, singing.

Add Mark Murphy and another 1st rounder and it looks even better!!

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When Dick became President, it was as if everyone at Carlton came out of the hailstorm and into the sunshine - Stephen Kernahan

YARRAN!!





.

Exactly boys! It's good to see us being positive again. I've been saying it all along and actually made a thread about it a little while ago... we aren't THAT far off the mark.

I seriously believe that all our confidence will come back through the preseason (c'mon, seriously, it always does ). The crap will get cut, Simmo, Walker, Waite, Carrazzo, Thornton have already shown there gonan be very very good players and with another preseason will really be flying. Livo will improve another 10%. Harts, Russell, Blackers will all have another preseason and will really get there chances in 06. Fish will get some more weight on him. Plus we will have all the new draft picks and hopefully a big catch throughout the preseason.

This sounds crazy, i've been bagged for saying it to my mates and anyone else that will listen, but i believe we can make the 8 next season.

Agreed - one thing a lot of the doomsayers miss (including the media commentators) is that your good average player can all of a sudden be a gun in a good side and a hack in an ordinary side (eg. Brad Pearce, Blake Caracella).

My point is that a lot of people are writing off the Carlton youngsters saying they have no talent but I don't know if they are any better or worse than say the Brisbane youngsters that the press on the weekend are now saying are all guns !

Doing my best Gary Ayres impression, if you take your Simpsons, your Sporns, your Walkers and put them into the Brisbane or West Coast team we might be sitting here saying how fantastic they are and how great the recruiting at Brisbane has been).

Great sides can make average players look good and crap sides (eg. Carlton) can make potentially good young players look bad because they are not ready to shoulder the extra burden.

There is no doubt the talant is there, but what concerns me is our current application or lack off if you like. Why are we playing like we are? Is it that we are trully tanking? Is it Pagan? The players? or a combination of both Pagan/Players?

I don't believe we are that shit and hense why our results are even harder to take/understand.

Good thread budzy.

Even though I'm a huge fan of Carrazzo, I'd like to see him in 2006 before declaring him a 10 year player. At this stage he looks the goods, but lets see how he copes when opposition teams start paying him a bit more respect.

It's nice to be positive for a change.

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Surrey you see their names on paper you read through our list and they dont look that bad but put them on a football feild and they are nothing short of Pathetic. I think we are Tanking and I think Elliott and Brittain Tanked in 2002. I think those two were three years a head of our current lot and realised the list was getting old. Just turns out the AFL put a spanner in the works and Elliott used Brittain as a scape goat to cover for the tank. If we are not tanking then indeed we are in for some long tough times ahead.

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They will create an Emergency to change the Laws

Surrey Blue, agree 100%...or 99%...either one.

All I ask for is - if they are going to lose (more than likely considering)...that they at least take a few scalps on the way out.


Let's see some physicality. I liked the havoc Fevola caused when he threw his body around in the last quarter in midfield/defence. OK so he gives away a fifty metre penalty. So be it. Apparently we are playing netball now... but who cares. At least he makes a few of them feel it.


Also liked Waite's tackle in the last quarter. Tackling and pressure is the key. Make sure the tackle sticks... none of this wavey wavey arms about.


All I want is one shirtfront... i asked for three last week, but apparently it is too much to ask for. One will do. One legal hip and shoulder to make them think twice about s*hi*ting all over the Carlton brand.

Verbatim.

Always been a believer that many players look better/worse than they really are because of the successful/unsuccessful environment in which they are playing at a given time. I have absolutely no doubt that if you put some of our younger blokes into the WCE, Geelong sides etc they'd look no worse than their current crop of young talent. The same applies in reverse, that is, that the young talent in those top sides probably wouldn't look as good playing for Carlton at the minute.

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Formerly Blues-Back2003.

I wouldnt have decluca, mcgrath, teague, sporn in that list of starters - dont think any of them have proven viable long term options (teague needs another year in my book and I would prefer him to be a hickmott forward rather than defender).

Support list - all 3 are questionable with scotland the only really settled player (and even he might be at risk by seasons end if he doesnt string a few more good games together).

Potentials - looks good to me though not convinced on smith as yet (based on 1 VFL viewing only and various reports, also similarity to other players). Also some might feel aggrieved that u missed bentick.

Add Jesse D Smith to that midfield for some physicality

I was going to celebrate my 1000th post with a very similar theme, but budzy has beaten me to it... plus done a great job mind you.

At times of footy pain we need to look to our youngsters for solace, for enjoyment. And you can't tell me that the list as outlined bu Budzy don't impress you, plus imagine what we can add to them this year with some good choices (regardless of the plague).

Compare this to 2002 / 2003 and you can see why there is a case for optimism, as distinct from then where we were clearly shit, shot and shattered. the only highlight was watching players retire, now its the return of Betts and Fisher and first games - a much better feast for the eyes & heart of a Carlton fan. back then we had nothing but downside, at least now we have some upside as these guys make their mark.

I disagree with those who blame the youngsters for our performances; to me its the senior players but more importantly the mid-tiers, of which we're really struggling. yes, sporn and wiggins should be in the 1's and performing but our 50-150 gamers are down and just not good enough.

So keep your optimism up and watch Fish, Carrots, Simmo, Betts, Russell and the o'hAilpins come through.

Go Blues, thanks Budzy.

blues circa 2007

Carrazzo ............ ...........
............ Thornton Hartlett(hope)
Simpson Stevens ...............
Whitnall Waite Fisher
............ Fevola ...........
............. Walker ...............
Barny Russell Livo Betts (sorry Eddie, haven't shown enough yet)

Sorry to burst the bubble, but this is how I see it realistically. This is dependant on keeping Lance Because I can't see any reason why we would toss out a quality, experienced, versatile player for a pick in the 20's.

Two picks last year, 3 this year, trade and PSD for 2 more experienced players and you never know..........

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end of message

Injuries crueled us in 2002, nothing to do with tanking. Brittain was in n o position to be tanking.

Great work budzy, agree with everything you wrote and an article like that really raises the spirits. You did forget Russell though

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....apologies to the Russell family if they venture into these parts