Blues suspend Betts, Houlihan, Walker

[Canyouhearthedrums]

For everyone saying this is soft, consiuder the players involved. For different reasons, none can be completely confident of their position in our best 22. Eddie has Gartlett and Yarran on his tail, Walker is coming back from serious injury and hasn't as yet fulfilled his potential and Houlihan, for all his skill, still lacks a bit of application and hardness. Being banished for the month leading up to and including the NAB cup is a pretty major set back for them.

 

[Campbell's Chunky]

50 pushups is a bigger penalty.

 

[TeamHurley]

Burn them at the stake as witches.

 

[tigers_of_old_08]

Good to see the Carlton FC taking a strong stance. Clubs sweeping bad news under the carpet is abhorred. Blues supporters should be happy with this, As seeing your club defend players time and time again only to have them walk all over said club & let down their Team-mates & supporters is a shite feeling

Are you serious? Surely youre joking.

They were suspended from a couple NAB games, big deal.

If Sticks was serious the suspensions would have taken place during the H&A season.

 

[nut]

I don't want to let facts get in the way, but to everyone who is winging that they weren't banned form any regular season matches i would urge you to listen to the entire press conference.

Julian Destoop "Did you consider suspensions from the home and away season?"

Stephen Kernahan "... i think, actually the way it's set out they will probably be very lucky to be playing the first couple of rounds." he then continued on to say "I think it will be difficult for them to play rounds one and two."

And to anyone who thinks they are just saying this and they will bring them in round one regardless, I personally would find it hard to believe any club would bring in a player that hadn't played with the team for that long.

Then why not suspend them for the first 2 rounds and make them join the group now.

the reason is they will have 4-5 weeks back in the quad before the start of the season and the Blues PR people will will brag how well they have trained etc... etc... and they will play rnd 1.

.... and the Carlton time bomb starts ticking again because they still haven't put the boot in to stop the rot.

 

[Crooza]

Are you serious? Surely youre joking.

They were suspended from a couple NAB games, big deal.

If Sticks was serious the suspensions would have taken place during the H&A season.

Yes, I what I wrote was my serious opinion. Banning them away from the main playing group for a month will have repercussions on their respective seasons & Would be a massive blow IMHO to be banned from training with your team mates. Carlton used to blow this stuff away, Seems they are trying to change their culture Starting with axing Fev.

Good on them.

What do you think should of been the correct penalty handed down from the Carton Board?

 

[UpTheGuts]

Each of them probably in their last year with the club anyway. And now they get to sleep in for a month of preseason. Gee..ouch.

Big incentive to hit the gas! Walker won their time trial so not as if he's suffered for a night out on the turps

I think it is reasonable to assert that Sticks is not suited to the presidency. He'd probably make a nice publican, but he is not a very smart guy

Hasn't parrot been quiet of late!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[nut]

Do you really think that the Carlton Football club would restrict the chances of these 3 players being ready for round 1???? Do you really believe that their pre-season will be so interrupted that they wont be ready round 1 after being back in the group for a whole month once the suspension is complete???

This is a huge cop out. I must congratulate the Carlton Board for pulling the wool over everyones eyes again....

What a sick club. NEVER can they admit they have a problem.... thats the Carlton way.

 

[UpTheGuts]

That said, probably best to back the blues in R1

We were $1.60 for R1 last year.

 

[Lockyer24]

Weak penalty from weak leadership at a weak club. Funny stuff.

 

[Visions]

Glad they didn't dish out a harsher penalty. Then they might have been on the way back to some sort of discipline at the club.

As it stands, a slap on the wrist won't deter anyone down there and the club can keep with the status quo and implode.

 

[dave_27]

Slapped on the wrist with a wet lettuce leaf by a president who's probably secretly disappointed that they didn't go harder.

Nice to see Carlton continuing their form from the last decade as the comedy club.

Well said. Same old Carlton, always taking the piss.

 

[coryne]

Anyone who thinks missing a month of training and the NAB matches is a slap on the wrist is fooling themselves ...................

The month of training away from the main group will do a couple of things

1) Show the players commitment to the team. If they come back out of shape then they obviously don't posses the commitment needed for success and will struggle to regain shape before the start of the season (how many players come back out of shape after their post-season break and then struggle in the preseason ???

2) The team is going through a restructure, esp in the forward line. Betts is a key small forward, and will miss out on a large chunk of the training regarding the restructured forward line. If he comes back out of shape, and not knowing the new game plan in the forward line, he will struggle to push his way back into the team for a couple of weeks (Yarran and Garletyt may hold him out for a while). Houlihan has also been played more up forward than in defence lately, and will be under pressure from Lucas and Robinson for the defensive forward spot. As for Walker, he hasn't had an injury free season in years (probably ever) and would have been dying to cement himself in the team next year. His most likely position would have been on a HFF/rotating through the midfield, and while his fitness is outstanding (won the time trial) he lacks match fitness, meaning no games before rd 1 will make it difficult to break back into the side right away

3) No preseason games = no match fitness for ANY of them. We saw last year that spots can be cermented in the side during the preseason comp (Armfield and Joseph are 2 prime candidates for the importance of preseason for for cementing a spot in the side) making it damn hard to break back into the side for rd 1. That said, the window is still open IF then show the discipline they lacked and work their arses off and show the side they are desprate to play.

4) Footballers need the team environment, so being taken away from that will hurt them.

5) ANY interuption to a players preseason has a ripple effect for the players season. Look at the Hawthorn team last year, they had opporations late due to the GF appearance, meaning players preseasons were cut short and they struggled in 2009. Sure the guys can still train with the Bullants, but it won't be ANYWHERE near the level of an AFL preseason (otherwise drafted players who have had a preseason with a VFL/WAFL/SAFL team wouldn't struggle during their first preseason). Saying that a 1 month suspension from training with the team = sleep ins shows a lack of knowledge of what is needed to play AFL level football. If they do treat it as an extended break then they will come back in crap shape, will take a month or 2 to get back into shape (let alone train properly with the squad) and there will be no way in hell they will be ready for rd 1 next year.

We showed last year with the dropping of Stevensand Scotland that if you are not in shape you don't play. It is up to these guys to now show that they are dedicated to the side and desprate to play. Words mean little, it will be their actions of the next couple of months which will tell us if they are likely to play early next year ..........

 

[yeah-nah]

Theyre lucky Kernahan didnt eat them. How fat is that bloke.

 

[mediumsizered]

It really concerns me of the lack of ability to read & comprehend among some of BF's posters. Somehow a number of posters have missed the important part of the punishment handed out:
"Houlihan, Walker and Betts will be able to train with Carlton's feeder club, the Northern Bullants, during their suspension."

Training with a VFL club will severely impact on their pre-season training & put them well behind where the AFL listed players will be at come the start of the home & away season. Of the 3 players, only Walker would have the fitness level & commitment to come into consideration for senior selection for the early rounds of the home & away season. For Betts & Houlihan it is virtually a guarantee they will not be playing for Carlton at the start of the home & away season.

 

[Happy_Neale]

Anyone who thinks missing a month of training and the NAB matches is a slap on the wrist is fooling themselves ...................

The month of training away from the main group will do a couple of things

1) Show the players commitment to the team. If they come back out of shape then they obviously don't posses the commitment needed for success and will struggle to regain shape before the start of the season (how many players come back out of shape after their post-season break and then struggle in the preseason ???

2) The team is going through a restructure, esp in the forward line. Betts is a key small forward, and will miss out on a large chunk of the training regarding the restructured forward line. If he comes back out of shape, and not knowing the new game plan in the forward line, he will struggle to push his way back into the team for a couple of weeks (Yarran and Garletyt may hold him out for a while). Houlihan has also been played more up forward than in defence lately, and will be under pressure from Lucas and Robinson for the defensive forward spot. As for Walker, he hasn't had an injury free season in years (probably ever) and would have been dying to cement himself in the team next year. His most likely position would have been on a HFF/rotating through the midfield, and while his fitness is outstanding (won the time trial) he lacks match fitness, meaning no games before rd 1 will make it difficult to break back into the side right away

3) No preseason games = no match fitness for ANY of them. We saw last year that spots can be cermented in the side during the preseason comp (Armfield and Joseph are 2 prime candidates for the importance of preseason for for cementing a spot in the side) making it damn hard to break back into the side for rd 1. That said, the window is still open IF then show the discipline they lacked and work their arses off and show the side they are desprate to play.

4) Footballers need the team environment, so being taken away from that will hurt them.

5) ANY interuption to a players preseason has a ripple effect for the players season. Look at the Hawthorn team last year, they had opporations late due to the GF appearance, meaning players preseasons were cut short and they struggled in 2009. Sure the guys can still train with the Bullants, but it won't be ANYWHERE near the level of an AFL preseason (otherwise drafted players who have had a preseason with a VFL/WAFL/SAFL team wouldn't struggle during their first preseason). Saying that a 1 month suspension from training with the team = sleep ins shows a lack of knowledge of what is needed to play AFL level football. If they do treat it as an extended break then they will come back in crap shape, will take a month or 2 to get back into shape (let alone train properly with the squad) and there will be no way in hell they will be ready for rd 1 next year.

We showed last year with the dropping of Stevensand Scotland that if you are not in shape you don't play. It is up to these guys to now show that they are dedicated to the side and desprate to play. Words mean little, it will be their actions of the next couple of months which will tell us if they are likely to play early next year ..........

Are you on the Carlton board? What a load of tripe! Training with the new forward line is something that will continue for the entire year, not just pre season. My guess is they will already know how the new structure will work and what their roles will be, after a good 6 weeks of training alrwady. Plus players are given structure charts and play books to assist with learning where to run etc.

As for the other things you mention, match fitness would not be achieved for these three through the NAB cup, the season proper is the ONLY way to gain genuine match fitness. This still may impact their chances to play in round one but the fact that this is not a definitive part of the sanction is ridiculous. Bringing Hawthorn into your argument is also strange, as these were injuries which meant they were unable to train full stop. They also lost one of their best backman in the GF and lost a ruckman or two during the 2009 season.

As for punishment I would probably disregard the NAB cup completely and just drop them indefinatley for round one. That would be more effective IMO.

 

[crackersrulz]

We suspended our Captain for what I think was something minor. We haven't had an alcohol incident since.

.

Your club didn't have the kahunas to suspend him, he suspended himself remember........

 

[new breed]

It really concerns me of the lack of ability to read & comprehend among some of BF's posters. Somehow a number of posters have missed the important part of the punishment handed out:

"Houlihan, Walker and Betts will be able to train with Carlton's feeder club, the Northern Bullants, during their suspension."

Training with a VFL club will severely impact on their pre-season training & put them well behind where the AFL listed players will be at come the start of the home & away season. Of the 3 players, only Walker would have the fitness level & commitment to come into consideration for senior selection for the early rounds of the home & away season. For Betts & Houlihan it is virtually a guarantee they will not be playing for Carlton at the start of the home & away season.

So What ..... , nearly three months till round one . Plenty of players miss a month of pre season with injury !!!

Plenty of time to press their claims if dedicated enough .

 

[coryne]

So What ..... , nearly three months till round one . Plenty of players miss a month of pre season with injury !!!

Plenty of time to press their claims if dedicated enough .

Yeah because plenty of people walk straight into the team for rd 1 without playing a single practice match during the preseason, after missing a month of preseason ..................

 

[mediumsizered]

So What ..... , nearly three months till round one . Plenty of players miss a month of pre season with injury !!!

Plenty of time to press their claims if dedicated enough .

Hence why I said that Walker may still be a chance to play the early home & away games because of his fitness & commitment. Eddie Betts cannot afford to miss out on full pre-season training, this suspension will probably hurt him the most, while Houlihan will suffer from not being able to put some form on the board in the NAB Cup matches with a number of flankers on our list whose hunger for a spot in our best 22 will see Houlihan pushed down the list.

Realistically this punishment throws the ball back in the court of the 3 players. Work their arse off while training with the Bullants & make it impossible to overlook them for senior selection, or start the season in the Bullants & hope those players selected ahead of them in the seniors struggle. Not a good position to be in, especially for Houlihan who is approaching the twilight years of his career (this may well be his last season at the club).

 

[charmer]

Anyone who thinks missing a month of training and the NAB matches is a slap on the wrist is fooling themselves ...................

The month of training away from the main group will do a couple of things

1) Show the players commitment to the team. If they come back out of shape then they obviously don't posses the commitment needed for success and will struggle to regain shape before the start of the season (how many players come back out of shape after their post-season break and then struggle in the preseason ???

2) The team is going through a restructure, esp in the forward line. Betts is a key small forward, and will miss out on a large chunk of the training regarding the restructured forward line. If he comes back out of shape, and not knowing the new game plan in the forward line, he will struggle to push his way back into the team for a couple of weeks (Yarran and Garletyt may hold him out for a while). Houlihan has also been played more up forward than in defence lately, and will be under pressure from Lucas and Robinson for the defensive forward spot. As for Walker, he hasn't had an injury free season in years (probably ever) and would have been dying to cement himself in the team next year. His most likely position would have been on a HFF/rotating through the midfield, and while his fitness is outstanding (won the time trial) he lacks match fitness, meaning no games before rd 1 will make it difficult to break back into the side right away

3) No preseason games = no match fitness for ANY of them. We saw last year that spots can be cermented in the side during the preseason comp (Armfield and Joseph are 2 prime candidates for the importance of preseason for for cementing a spot in the side) making it damn hard to break back into the side for rd 1. That said, the window is still open IF then show the discipline they lacked and work their arses off and show the side they are desprate to play.

4) Footballers need the team environment, so being taken away from that will hurt them.

5) ANY interuption to a players preseason has a ripple effect for the players season. Look at the Hawthorn team last year, they had opporations late due to the GF appearance, meaning players preseasons were cut short and they struggled in 2009. Sure the guys can still train with the Bullants, but it won't be ANYWHERE near the level of an AFL preseason (otherwise drafted players who have had a preseason with a VFL/WAFL/SAFL team wouldn't struggle during their first preseason). Saying that a 1 month suspension from training with the team = sleep ins shows a lack of knowledge of what is needed to play AFL level football. If they do treat it as an extended break then they will come back in crap shape, will take a month or 2 to get back into shape (let alone train properly with the squad) and there will be no way in hell they will be ready for rd 1 next year.

We showed last year with the dropping of Stevensand Scotland that if you are not in shape you don't play. It is up to these guys to now show that they are dedicated to the side and desprate to play. Words mean little, it will be their actions of the next couple of months which will tell us if they are likely to play early next year ..........

hahaha please - I'm sure Sticks and Ratts will be on the phone to the lads filling them in along with other meetings letting them know every plan. Plus they'll be in contact with the other players. The ban is another band aid for a bullet wound from your pathetic club. You traded Fev, but that still hasn't fixed your problem so you should be doing everything possible to show the players that this behaviour will not be tolerated.
But the old Blue boys suffer from a really bad case of Blue balls

 

[nut]

Theyre lucky Kernahan didnt eat them. How fat is that bloke.

Too many lunches with Jack.

 

[nut]

Your club didn't have the kahunas to suspend him, he suspended himself remember........

As leader he showed leadership. Something your club fails to do. You failed Fev by not suspending him after his urinating episode and now the rot continues.

These guys will still play 2-3 pre-season matches... and at-least 1-2 for the seniors. Plenty of opportunity to press for selection for rnd 1.

It was a great PR exercise by sticks to make the club look like they have acted in a tough manner. But it's a nothing suspension really.

 

[Wokko]

This reminds me of similar incidents at Collingwood. We had Tarrant and Johnno hitting the piss and slapped them with a wet noodle. Tarrant has ended up traded to Freo. This was our Fevola.

Now Carlton get another incident, look at it like Dids and Heater lite. Collingwood suspended these guys from H&A games AND finals. The club culture has now changed for the better, and while there may always be individuals who will mess up, the club itself doesn't stand for it.

Instead of sending a message the blues have again gone the wet noodle. Don't be surprised if this comes back around again.

 

[HBF]

So What ..... , nearly three months till round one . Plenty of players miss a month of pre season with injury !!!

Plenty of time to press their claims if dedicated enough .

And those players always struggle to make an impact early on in the preseaon. Any time you miss a significant part of the pre-season, you will struggle early on.