Are Carlton on the verge of something great?

[Havoc]

The current Carlton side reminds me of my own side under Hardwick prior to winning the 2017 premiership.. facing similar criticisms and radiating similar vibes. Last year the media compared Carlton 2023 to Richmond 2016... saying they only have five good players carrying a list of spuds (Curnow, McKay, Weitering, Cripps and Walsh vs Cotchin, Martin, Riewoldt, Rance and Deledio).. and have a hard nosed coach who struggles tactically (Hardwick vs Voss). Back then, anyone who suggested our list was capable of winning a flag would have been laughed at and ridiculed.

In 2017.. it wasn't until after we beat Port at Adelaide Oval when our fans believed we could dare to dream, and Carlton this year appear to have turned a corner after beating Port at Adelaide Oval. This is a good measuring stick.. because Port under Hinkley are a gatekeeper side, with the last eight premiership sides having beaten Port at Adelaide Oval during the season.

This year.. we have seen lesser players step up and improve Carlton's side, instead of relying on their stars to fire in order for them to win games. Similar to us in 2017. Do you think the Blues are on the verge of greatness?? Or no?

 

[Chief]

Definitely. But for the damned Swans.

 

[Worm4]

Here is the kicker - if they can get greater output from Curnow and Cripps in the finals, they will be tough to beat. Got within 3 goals of a GF last year with nothing from those 2 according to most on here.

 

[RUNVS]

I hope not.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

I agree on the role player observation. We are terribly exposed by sides with pace and quick ball movement however. I think we set up well for Essendon's run, and Port prior to that, but failed dismally against the Swans.

We have nobody coming back that can alleviate this problem either. Perhaps it is the recent roles of Cincotta and Cowan that will limit the damage from this.

We are in with a chance, but so much to play out.

 

[Thrawn]

Is this a jinx thread?

We'd want to see where we finish this year first.

 

[Donakebab]

No.

 

[TheGoatBaron]

I hope not.

What he said

 

[Roobs321]

They are about where the Blues were in 2011 (top 5-ish, also see 2001), just the flag is more achievable whereas then there was a clear pecking order to surmount. This week they’ve enjoyed favourite-challenger status and look a likely type to go deep, the rest for now is speculative.

 

[BuffDog]

Potentially but the Swans are very young as well, Brisbane will hang around and you’d think the Giants, Port and Dockers will continue to rise.

 

[Franc de Borges]

Yes please.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

One would hope not, but they may well be. The greatest recruit in the league of the past few years was not a player or coach.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

One would hope not, but they may well be. The greatest recruit in the league of the past few years was not a player or coach.

You talking Brian Cook, or Andrew Russell?

I suspect the former, because all of our injuries have compromised Russell a little bit, but there is no doubt we are fit and do some good work in last quarters.

 

[Robroy22]

Definitely. But for the damned Swans.

Crikey....if you guys can't take the Swans with Curnow AND McKay, with Cripps and Co in the guts and TDK firing....
Us Pies KNOW we can take em, and we'd give just about anything to have two key forwards to chuck at that tiny Swans backline. I mean Curnow v Blakey??? are you kidding me?

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

Crikey....if you guys can't take the Swans with Curnow AND McKay, with Cripps and Co in the guts and TDK firing....
Us Pies KNOW we can take em, and we'd give just about anything to have two key forwards to chuck at that tiny Swans backline. I mean Curnow v Blakey??? are you kidding me?

It's not so much our forward line, as it is their transition and pace. Pies are a quicker side than us. Most sides are in fact.

But Williams forward, and Cincotta in the midfield has helped spread our pacy players out across the ground more. It's a more dangerous balance.

We will see how much has changed when we play quicker sides again.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

You talking Brian Cook, or Andrew Russell?

I suspect the former, because all of our injuries have compromised Russell a little bit, but there is no doubt we are fit and do some good work in last quarters.

Cook. The club seemed, from the outside so maybe the reading is wrong, to be stuck in a rut with its thinking and (not alone among big clubs) bending over backwards to a few cashed up supporters.
Too many favourite sons in key roles, still seemingly trying to buy glory like it was 1980, etc.

Things just seem to have been aligned much better, maybe the football department has been protected from non-football influence a bit or something.
Or maybe its largely coincidence that 20 years of alternating between false promise and dismal failure (of a type only North have surpassed but at least we can claim not having the resources to avoid lengthy spells of shitness) seems to have come to an end and genuine contention is in sight.

 

[Ed_Gein]

As Dwayne Russell would say: "From little things, big things grow."

 

[Lavender Bushranger]

The current Carlton side reminds me of my own side under Hardwick prior to winning the 2017 premiership.. facing similar criticisms and radiating similar vibes. Last year the media compared Carlton 2023 to Richmond 2016... saying they only have five good players carrying a list of spuds (Curnow, McKay, Weitering, Cripps and Walsh vs Cotchin, Martin, Riewoldt, Rance and Deledio).. and have a hard nosed coach who struggles tactically (Hardwick vs Voss). Back then, anyone who suggested our list was capable of winning a flag would have been laughed at and ridiculed.

In 2017.. it wasn't until after we beat Port at Adelaide Oval when our fans believed we could dare to dream, and Carlton this year appear to have turned a corner after beating Port at Adelaide Oval. This is a good measuring stick.. because Port under Hinkley are a gatekeeper side, with the last eight premiership sides having beaten Port at Adelaide Oval during the season.

This year.. we have seen lesser players step up and improve Carlton's side, instead of relying on their stars to fire in order for them to win games. Similar to us in 2017. Do you think the Blues are on the verge of greatness?? Or no?

WTF does 'something great' mean?

 

[kreuze_missile]

Refer below

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[Magpie Since 1986]

Would love to get them in the finals , still mentally fragile I reckon when a side puts the heat on them . They look good when flying under the radar , haven't proven they can do it when expectation is on them .

 

[Robroy22]

As Dwayne Russell would say: "From little things, big things grow."

I thought it was Paul Kelly and Archie Roach?

 

[ThePhantom777]

No. Close the thread.

 

[raskolnikov]

Yes please.

No thanks.

 

[juss]

Chance for the flag, untested/unproven in finals though.

 

[kreuze_missile]

They look good when flying under the radar , haven't proven they can do it when expectation is on them .

People expected us to be good this year.

The toughest draw of anyone so far.

Decimated with injuries.

Refer ladder for a summary of how its going.