Are Carlton on the verge of something great?

[Juddernaut08]

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?

This could be true, but we are witnessing a ridiculously dominant Sydney. It is theirs unless they get struck with injuries

 

[Chief]

This is not one of the banter threads or the Bay.

Deletions and cards for carrying on the Carlton v Collingwood baiting and banter that belongs elsewhere.

 

[JayJ20]

If it weren't for Sydney, they'd be premiership favourites. But Sydney is just that much better than everyone else that the rest are all playing for second.

 

[Worm4]

If it weren't for Sydney, they'd be premiership favourites. But Sydney is just that much better than everyone else that the rest are all playing for second.

In saying that, Carlton have a habit of spoiling parties of dominant teams . We all thought essendon would breeze past Carlton and win the flag by 10 plus goals....

 

[The King!]

They are a very balanced side and their midfield is beast like in the contest. Their forward line is obviously dangerous, and TDK looks to be going from strength to strength.

They also are never out of a game and hold their nerve in a close on, managed injuries well as well. Very strong flag chance

 

[JayJ20]

In saying that, Carlton have a habit of spoiling parties of dominant teams . We all thought essendon would breeze past Carlton and win the flag by 10 plus goals....

Ignoring the trolling, Sydney already destroyed Carlton though. They take the whole game away from their opposition in one quarter which is reminiscent of peak Richmond. Just like we knew Collingwood would win the premiership last year from mid way through the season because of their ability to win close games, I think Sydney is also a straight forward premiership.

It'll take a special effort for Carlton or anyone to win it.

 

[Worm4]

Ignoring the trolling, Sydney already destroyed Carlton though. They take the whole game away from their opposition in one quarter which is reminiscent of peak Richmond. Just like we knew Collingwood would win the premiership last year from mid way through the season because of their ability to win close games, I think Sydney is also a straight forward premiership.

It'll take a special effort for Carlton to win it.

MCG brings them back to the pack slightly

 

[JayJ20]

MCG brings them back to the pack slightly

Which is actually the same argument I made a month ago until I saw how they systematically crush teams in a quarter of football no matter what team it is or where it is. Carlton, Adelaide, Essendon and Geelong all had a sizeable lead in the 1st quarter. By the end of the game, you wouldn't know they led at all. They also crushed decent teams in Collingwood and Hawthorn at the MCG.

If Sydney dominate territory against Carlton the way Essendon did last week, it's done. Carlton are still susceptible to lapsing for large parts of the game, which is Sydney's bread and butter.

Carlton are premiership standard, but it's going to take a huge improvement for any side to stop Sydney.

 

[MisterMarcus]

Sydney is 3 games AND massive percentage ahead in 1st place. Ridiculously dominant so far.

At the moment, everyone else is just "on the verge of" nothing but making up the numbers.

 

[My Tilly]

If making top four for the first time in decades is classified as something great then yes, yes they are.

 

[Worm4]

Well fingers crossed Carlton learnt a few lessons that night and will go to work at the business end of the season. Can't see any side beating us by that margin again for the rest of the year

 

[tigs2010]

Is this a jinx thread?

I ****ing hope so

 

[TheGoatBaron]

Is this a jinx thread?

We’re praying for it to be one.

 

[Cdog71]

What’s left 10 more games then finals? 104 days to the GF.
Still haven’t seen Carlton’s best I don’t think and that’s a long time for Sydney to stay playing their best.
Looking forward the Cats v Blues game I still rate the Cats this year and Blues will have to deal with their speed around the ball and the Cats seem to get hurt by a dominant Ruck.

If Curnow and De Koning stay healthy they’re a big chance this year.
A lot has to go right for whoever plays on the last day.

 

[carlton_99]

Do you care to highlight the vagaries of that table?

For example, it seems the games against Richmond and Brisbane (who started the season appallingly) are excluded for Carlton, but Collingwood are credited for their win against 17th placed Brisbane, and have their games against GWS in Sydney and the ladder leaders Sydney excluded...

OR and Round 1 are excluded for all teams because this is based off ladder positions at the start of the Round. At the start of OR there was no 2024 ladder and at the start of Round 1 only 8 teams had played whilst the other 10 would have just been ranked in alphabetical order.

 

[Fadge]

OR and Round 1 are excluded for all teams because this is based off ladder positions at the start of the Round. At the start of OR there was no 2024 ladder and at the start of Round 1 only 8 teams had played whilst the other 10 would have just been ranked in alphabetical order.

But don't you think it's an important factor to highlight when presenting a table like that to support an assertion?

 

[carlton_99]

But don't you think it's an important factor to highlight when presenting a table like that to support an assertion?

It's pretty clear in the table they don't include OR and Round 1. I thought my explanation of what the table was (i.e. based off ladder position at the start of the Round) would be enough to answer the question of why OR and R1 would have been left out.

 

[GoPies1]

The comparison should be of carlton 23 v Melbourne 2018.
Got way ahead of themselves, drinking their own bath water as such.
Another issue is Carlton still have players there for themselves - the team first ethic is not embedded yet after many many years of self preservation due to being totally inept

Another cpl of years yet of team development

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

MCG brings them back to the pack slightly

We'll be right its a neutral venue after all.

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

No but seriously Carlton and Collingwood are two teams who on their day can sustain that maniac pressure and do it for 4 quarters which will keep them in the contest.

No team as of yet has been able to do it the whole game (Gee/Carlton) did it for 1 quarter than lapsed.

 

[Arr0w]

But don't you think it's an important factor to highlight when presenting a table like that to support an assertion?

We might need one of your spreadsheets

 

[Art Vandelay_]

This year... Sydney need to choke for someone else to win it.

As for future years. There's a club with a strong premiership pedigree starting to build nicely that should start worry a few clubs wishing to contend in the next few years.

 

[FlowersByIrene]

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?

Who said this?? We're nothing like that Richmond side. Docherty, Saad, Cerra, McGovern, Acres are all elite in their position and we have talented young kids like De Koning and Elijah Hollands. We're nothing like Richmond. That Richmond side actually was a bunch of spuds, carried by insane work ethic and defnesive pressure, combined with a penchant to infringe the opposition player and gamble on the Umpire not paying the free kick. Appreciate the faith you see in the Blues, but we're nothing like that Richmond side - our players are actually talented.

 

[deeplivid]

So is this the part where we ridicule Carlton for having the worst percentage ever for a team second on the ladder after rd 14?

 

[Canyouhearthedrums]

MCG brings them back to the pack slightly

Us not having 10-12 out next time we play them may also assist.