Do I really believe?

[Benaly28]

Voss at the presser said something that I can’t get out of my head.

“The jobs not done yet”.

Make of that what you will.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Kruezing]

Voss at the presser said something that I can’t get out of my head.

“The jobs not done yet”.

Make of that what you will.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

I think he was referring to winning the flag …

 

[whyeye]

I spent Saturday afternoon building myself into a frenzy after finally going through the ladder predictor the night before. Hitherto, I'd been the stable one amongst our group of tragic Carlton supporters. Hold the course, things will be right. Never as bad, never as good. But not that day. I was a rambling mess. The parallels between this season and last just seemed too great to be a coincidence. I'd convinced myself that the universe was conspiring against us, and I had half a mind to bring a soapbox to the footy and preach to the masses - take heed, lest you be deceived.

Last season we started the season 8 and 2, before capitulating, losing the last 4 and missing finals by 1 point in the final round.
This season, we don't lose any of the first 4. 7 straight wins, and a loss to Melbourne would have likely made it 8 and 2 to end the season. Depending on results, it looked like we'd again miss finals by 1 point - this time in the first round of the season vs the Tigers.

Like last year, we play Melbourne in round 22, with finals in doubt. My mate was showing me the live ladder at every break, and I kept threatening to throw his phone off level 2. The tight margin, the parallels, the importance of the result - memories of 2022 came rushing back, and the stage was set for heartache.

5 minutes into the 4th quarter, euphoria after Charlie kicks true to put the result seemingly beyond doubt. Then the Pickett goal, and doubts come creeping back. My mind back to its paranoid delusions. The free against Cunners (fair in hindsight but lost the few marbles I had left at the time), and the Joel Smith goal. Was my raison d'etre to be tormented as a Carlton supporter?

Holding on frantically in the final 15 minutes. 5 minutes left, the nerves were too much. I looked to my left and right, looking for a way out to the back of the stands, but I was smack bang in the middle of the aisle. I alternated from head-in-hands to watching through my fingertips, convinced it was only a matter of time before the Dees take the lead. The Newman hack kick to the corridor, the turnover, the shot from 50, heart sinking - the mark from Kemp on the goal line. Maybe the narrative would be different.

2 minutes to go, and we're barely holding on. The deliberate out-of-bounds, Petracca marking within range. Play on, shot on goal, and all my fears were confirmed. The deliberation, the score review, and, crucially - the soft call. The same mate who was taunting me with the ladder confidently remarks that it won't be overturned. I'm frantic, how is he so blind to the cruel narrative that's playing out before us? Looking at the replay on the big screen, seeing the gap between the outstretched hand and the ball, it doesn't look touched to me, but surely there's not enough evidence to overturn the call.

Umpire's call. A behind. 40 seconds on the clock, surely we defend it from here. The Acres deliberate, in my mind 30 seconds left. We defend, the Newman kick down the line. 15 seconds left, the Dees are going to win possession, they're going to launch it back inside 50...but then the most unexpected thing happened. The siren sounded, and we'd won.

The crowd erupted around me, absolute euphoria. I collapsed, head in hands and for the first time ever, I cried at my footy. Ugly, uncontrollable sobbing. Friends could not understand why I was crying - it's not even a final. They thought they were tears of happiness, but it was pure catharsis.

I was 11 when we received the sanctions in 2001. I have memories of listening to the 99 Prelim on radio, I vaguely recall wondering what all the commotion was about in 95 as my uncles shouted at the TV during the 95 Grand Final. My Carlton was not the Carlton of the 80s and 90s, but rather the Carlton of the 21st century. The words to the song rung hollow, almost a mockery. When had they not let us down?

It wasn't just another win, it wasn't just another step closer to September. I was watching the club exercising demons that have haunted us for 2 decades. That's the most significant win I'd witnessed in my time watching Carlton. This is a team I no longer need doubt. This is a team that can rise above adversity and win against the odds, against fierce opposition that had it all to play for. We didn't just keep our end up. We went above and beyond.

So back to the question, do I believe? I thought I believed a week ago, but the doubts and self-preservation after two decades of heartache took over. My subconscious wouldn't let me truly believe. Those doubts are gone, washed away with the tears that were shed on Saturday.

To borrow a line from Voss, we're done with looking back. We're no longer the Carlton of the past 2 decades. The club's got a new story to tell, and whatever the rest of the season brings, whatever 2024 brings, I can't wait to see what it is.

Bloody oath I believe.

Bravo. Logged in for the first time in years just to like this post. Perfect summary for those of us who spent our formative years in the mid 2000s.

 

[lily of laguna]

I spent Saturday afternoon building myself into a frenzy after finally going through the ladder predictor the night before. Hitherto, I'd been the stable one amongst our group of tragic Carlton supporters. Hold the course, things will be right. Never as bad, never as good. But not that day. I was a rambling mess. The parallels between this season and last just seemed too great to be a coincidence. I'd convinced myself that the universe was conspiring against us, and I had half a mind to bring a soapbox to the footy and preach to the masses - take heed, lest you be deceived.

Last season we started the season 8 and 2, before capitulating, losing the last 4 and missing finals by 1 point in the final round.
This season, we don't lose any of the first 4. 7 straight wins, and a loss to Melbourne would have likely made it 8 and 2 to end the season. Depending on results, it looked like we'd again miss finals by 1 point - this time in the first round of the season vs the Tigers.

Like last year, we play Melbourne in round 22, with finals in doubt. My mate was showing me the live ladder at every break, and I kept threatening to throw his phone off level 2. The tight margin, the parallels, the importance of the result - memories of 2022 came rushing back, and the stage was set for heartache.

5 minutes into the 4th quarter, euphoria after Charlie kicks true to put the result seemingly beyond doubt. Then the Pickett goal, and doubts come creeping back. My mind back to its paranoid delusions. The free against Cunners (fair in hindsight but lost the few marbles I had left at the time), and the Joel Smith goal. Was my raison d'etre to be tormented as a Carlton supporter?

Holding on frantically in the final 15 minutes. 5 minutes left, the nerves were too much. I looked to my left and right, looking for a way out to the back of the stands, but I was smack bang in the middle of the aisle. I alternated from head-in-hands to watching through my fingertips, convinced it was only a matter of time before the Dees take the lead. The Newman hack kick to the corridor, the turnover, the shot from 50, heart sinking - the mark from Kemp on the goal line. Maybe the narrative would be different.

2 minutes to go, and we're barely holding on. The deliberate out-of-bounds, Petracca marking within range. Play on, shot on goal, and all my fears were confirmed. The deliberation, the score review, and, crucially - the soft call. The same mate who was taunting me with the ladder confidently remarks that it won't be overturned. I'm frantic, how is he so blind to the cruel narrative that's playing out before us? Looking at the replay on the big screen, seeing the gap between the outstretched hand and the ball, it doesn't look touched to me, but surely there's not enough evidence to overturn the call.

Umpire's call. A behind. 40 seconds on the clock, surely we defend it from here. The Acres deliberate, in my mind 30 seconds left. We defend, the Newman kick down the line. 15 seconds left, the Dees are going to win possession, they're going to launch it back inside 50...but then the most unexpected thing happened. The siren sounded, and we'd won.

The crowd erupted around me, absolute euphoria. I collapsed, head in hands and for the first time ever, I cried at my footy. Ugly, uncontrollable sobbing. Friends could not understand why I was crying - it's not even a final. They thought they were tears of happiness, but it was pure catharsis.

I was 11 when we received the sanctions in 2001. I have memories of listening to the 99 Prelim on radio, I vaguely recall wondering what all the commotion was about in 95 as my uncles shouted at the TV during the 95 Grand Final. My Carlton was not the Carlton of the 80s and 90s, but rather the Carlton of the 21st century. The words to the song rung hollow, almost a mockery. When had they not let us down?

It wasn't just another win, it wasn't just another step closer to September. I was watching the club exercising demons that have haunted us for 2 decades. That's the most significant win I'd witnessed in my time watching Carlton. This is a team I no longer need doubt. This is a team that can rise above adversity and win against the odds, against fierce opposition that had it all to play for. We didn't just keep our end up. We went above and beyond.

So back to the question, do I believe? I thought I believed a week ago, but the doubts and self-preservation after two decades of heartache took over. My subconscious wouldn't let me truly believe. Those doubts are gone, washed away with the tears that were shed on Saturday.

To borrow a line from Voss, we're done with looking back. We're no longer the Carlton of the past 2 decades. The club's got a new story to tell, and whatever the rest of the season brings, whatever 2024 brings, I can't wait to see what it is.

Bloody oath I believe.

Brilliantly written.




On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[haveago]

I spent Saturday afternoon building myself into a frenzy after finally going through the ladder predictor the night before. Hitherto, I'd been the stable one amongst our group of tragic Carlton supporters. Hold the course, things will be right. Never as bad, never as good. But not that day. I was a rambling mess. The parallels between this season and last just seemed too great to be a coincidence. I'd convinced myself that the universe was conspiring against us, and I had half a mind to bring a soapbox to the footy and preach to the masses - take heed, lest you be deceived.

Last season we started the season 8 and 2, before capitulating, losing the last 4 and missing finals by 1 point in the final round.
This season, we don't lose any of the first 4. 7 straight wins, and a loss to Melbourne would have likely made it 8 and 2 to end the season. Depending on results, it looked like we'd again miss finals by 1 point - this time in the first round of the season vs the Tigers.

Like last year, we play Melbourne in round 22, with finals in doubt. My mate was showing me the live ladder at every break, and I kept threatening to throw his phone off level 2. The tight margin, the parallels, the importance of the result - memories of 2022 came rushing back, and the stage was set for heartache.

5 minutes into the 4th quarter, euphoria after Charlie kicks true to put the result seemingly beyond doubt. Then the Pickett goal, and doubts come creeping back. My mind back to its paranoid delusions. The free against Cunners (fair in hindsight but lost the few marbles I had left at the time), and the Joel Smith goal. Was my raison d'etre to be tormented as a Carlton supporter?

Holding on frantically in the final 15 minutes. 5 minutes left, the nerves were too much. I looked to my left and right, looking for a way out to the back of the stands, but I was smack bang in the middle of the aisle. I alternated from head-in-hands to watching through my fingertips, convinced it was only a matter of time before the Dees take the lead. The Newman hack kick to the corridor, the turnover, the shot from 50, heart sinking - the mark from Kemp on the goal line. Maybe the narrative would be different.

2 minutes to go, and we're barely holding on. The deliberate out-of-bounds, Petracca marking within range. Play on, shot on goal, and all my fears were confirmed. The deliberation, the score review, and, crucially - the soft call. The same mate who was taunting me with the ladder confidently remarks that it won't be overturned. I'm frantic, how is he so blind to the cruel narrative that's playing out before us? Looking at the replay on the big screen, seeing the gap between the outstretched hand and the ball, it doesn't look touched to me, but surely there's not enough evidence to overturn the call.

Umpire's call. A behind. 40 seconds on the clock, surely we defend it from here. The Acres deliberate, in my mind 30 seconds left. We defend, the Newman kick down the line. 15 seconds left, the Dees are going to win possession, they're going to launch it back inside 50...but then the most unexpected thing happened. The siren sounded, and we'd won.

The crowd erupted around me, absolute euphoria. I collapsed, head in hands and for the first time ever, I cried at my footy. Ugly, uncontrollable sobbing. Friends could not understand why I was crying - it's not even a final. They thought they were tears of happiness, but it was pure catharsis.

I was 11 when we received the sanctions in 2001. I have memories of listening to the 99 Prelim on radio, I vaguely recall wondering what all the commotion was about in 95 as my uncles shouted at the TV during the 95 Grand Final. My Carlton was not the Carlton of the 80s and 90s, but rather the Carlton of the 21st century. The words to the song rung hollow, almost a mockery. When had they not let us down?

It wasn't just another win, it wasn't just another step closer to September. I was watching the club exercising demons that have haunted us for 2 decades. That's the most significant win I'd witnessed in my time watching Carlton. This is a team I no longer need doubt. This is a team that can rise above adversity and win against the odds, against fierce opposition that had it all to play for. We didn't just keep our end up. We went above and beyond.

So back to the question, do I believe? I thought I believed a week ago, but the doubts and self-preservation after two decades of heartache took over. My subconscious wouldn't let me truly believe. Those doubts are gone, washed away with the tears that were shed on Saturday.

To borrow a line from Voss, we're done with looking back. We're no longer the Carlton of the past 2 decades. The club's got a new story to tell, and whatever the rest of the season brings, whatever 2024 brings, I can't wait to see what it is.

Bloody oath I believe.

Brilliant......

I am old enough to have seen and enjoyed our glory filled years from 1970 on and in some ways that makes the last 28 years even harder to bear.

I didn't even believe we could lose a GF till after 86. Sitting up high with the pigeons in the Olympic stand looking down on what felt like an apparition.
What is going on? We DONT LOSE Grand Finals.
To see the great man Bruce Doull get slaughtered by the rampaging Dunstall almost bought a tear to my eye then too.

87 soon came around however and all was right with the world.

The wait to 95 was way too long and not what we were accustomed too however sweet that victory was. OOH Diesel, Sticks and that Big Earl smother

Now 28 years later and still waiting. Hoping.

Loved your post and I am living these same emotions particularly through my 16 and 24 y/o sons who both love Carlton with all their broken hearts.

You simply HAVE TO BELIEVE. GO BLUES ,17 is in sight.

 

[Bletch]

Brilliant......

I am old enough to have seen and enjoyed our glory filled years from 1970 on and in some ways it make the last 28 years even harder to bear.

I didn't even believe we could lose a GF till after 86. Sitting up high with the pigeons in the Olympic stand looking down on what felt like an apparition.
What is going on? We DONT LOSE Grand Finals.
To see the great man Bruce Doull get slaughtered by the rampaging Dunstall almost bought a tear to my eye then too.

87 soon came around however and all was right with the world.

The wait to 95 was way too long and not what we were accustomed too however sweet that victory was. OOH Diesel, Sticks and that Big Earl smother

Now 28 years later and still waiting. Hoping.

Loved your post and I am living these same emotions particularly through my 16 and 24 y/o sons who both love Carlton with all their broken hearts.

You simply HAVE TO BELIEVE. GO BLUES ,17 is in sight.

Guessing we're of a similar vintage. It's funny, I remember the 1972 GF vividly. Don't remember the following year's GF at all though.

 

[DirtyLeeds]

I spent Saturday afternoon building myself into a frenzy after finally going through the ladder predictor the night before. Hitherto, I'd been the stable one amongst our group of tragic Carlton supporters. Hold the course, things will be right. Never as bad, never as good. But not that day. I was a rambling mess. The parallels between this season and last just seemed too great to be a coincidence. I'd convinced myself that the universe was conspiring against us, and I had half a mind to bring a soapbox to the footy and preach to the masses - take heed, lest you be deceived.

Last season we started the season 8 and 2, before capitulating, losing the last 4 and missing finals by 1 point in the final round.
This season, we don't lose any of the first 4. 7 straight wins, and a loss to Melbourne would have likely made it 8 and 2 to end the season. Depending on results, it looked like we'd again miss finals by 1 point - this time in the first round of the season vs the Tigers.

Like last year, we play Melbourne in round 22, with finals in doubt. My mate was showing me the live ladder at every break, and I kept threatening to throw his phone off level 2. The tight margin, the parallels, the importance of the result - memories of 2022 came rushing back, and the stage was set for heartache.

5 minutes into the 4th quarter, euphoria after Charlie kicks true to put the result seemingly beyond doubt. Then the Pickett goal, and doubts come creeping back. My mind back to its paranoid delusions. The free against Cunners (fair in hindsight but lost the few marbles I had left at the time), and the Joel Smith goal. Was my raison d'etre to be tormented as a Carlton supporter?

Holding on frantically in the final 15 minutes. 5 minutes left, the nerves were too much. I looked to my left and right, looking for a way out to the back of the stands, but I was smack bang in the middle of the aisle. I alternated from head-in-hands to watching through my fingertips, convinced it was only a matter of time before the Dees take the lead. The Newman hack kick to the corridor, the turnover, the shot from 50, heart sinking - the mark from Kemp on the goal line. Maybe the narrative would be different.

2 minutes to go, and we're barely holding on. The deliberate out-of-bounds, Petracca marking within range. Play on, shot on goal, and all my fears were confirmed. The deliberation, the score review, and, crucially - the soft call. The same mate who was taunting me with the ladder confidently remarks that it won't be overturned. I'm frantic, how is he so blind to the cruel narrative that's playing out before us? Looking at the replay on the big screen, seeing the gap between the outstretched hand and the ball, it doesn't look touched to me, but surely there's not enough evidence to overturn the call.

Umpire's call. A behind. 40 seconds on the clock, surely we defend it from here. The Acres deliberate, in my mind 30 seconds left. We defend, the Newman kick down the line. 15 seconds left, the Dees are going to win possession, they're going to launch it back inside 50...but then the most unexpected thing happened. The siren sounded, and we'd won.

The crowd erupted around me, absolute euphoria. I collapsed, head in hands and for the first time ever, I cried at my footy. Ugly, uncontrollable sobbing. Friends could not understand why I was crying - it's not even a final. They thought they were tears of happiness, but it was pure catharsis.

I was 11 when we received the sanctions in 2001. I have memories of listening to the 99 Prelim on radio, I vaguely recall wondering what all the commotion was about in 95 as my uncles shouted at the TV during the 95 Grand Final. My Carlton was not the Carlton of the 80s and 90s, but rather the Carlton of the 21st century. The words to the song rung hollow, almost a mockery. When had they not let us down?

It wasn't just another win, it wasn't just another step closer to September. I was watching the club exercising demons that have haunted us for 2 decades. That's the most significant win I'd witnessed in my time watching Carlton. This is a team I no longer need doubt. This is a team that can rise above adversity and win against the odds, against fierce opposition that had it all to play for. We didn't just keep our end up. We went above and beyond.

So back to the question, do I believe? I thought I believed a week ago, but the doubts and self-preservation after two decades of heartache took over. My subconscious wouldn't let me truly believe. Those doubts are gone, washed away with the tears that were shed on Saturday.

To borrow a line from Voss, we're done with looking back. We're no longer the Carlton of the past 2 decades. The club's got a new story to tell, and whatever the rest of the season brings, whatever 2024 brings, I can't wait to see what it is.

Bloody oath I believe.

You made me cry brother.....
My Bagger history goes back to the '72 GF, I have a Premiership 'flag' with Big Nic grinning at me, a 'soap-on-a-rope' from 1976, an original "I Hate Collingwood Badge" from circa 1979, but my boy has only the odd memory of a surprise result; beating Freo after the siren IN PERTH!!, or the odd Filth victory, no memories of finals, forget the dream of Grand Finals. It makes me feel like a Fitzroy supporter of the '80s, an occasional good season.
The first game of real footy I ever saw was the famous '75 blood bath at Windy Hill, where our second quarter 14 goal blitz was a record for thirty years; Little Dirty's first game was a non descript honorable loss to The Eagles at Marvel during The Teague Train derailing. He somehow loved it though.....
I was there for '79, '81,'82,'87,'95 and the '99 Prelim (and GF loss), my team owes me nothing. I saw Harmesy smack the ball to Bomba in the goal square, I saw Buzza take the Mark and kick the Goal of the Year in the same year, I was at the Kouta V WC game at Princess Park, I saw Jezza, SOS, and Rhys all get knocked out, and I also was unfortunately there when McGuane danced his way to a goal of the year, Blight roosted it 70 metres, stood with all the members to applaud Mots in the Social Club...
But they all feel so hollow, my Blues never, ever let me down, but to you young Baggers they've continually broken hearts.
I am inexorably drawn to one moment, it seemed to be the first bounce after quarter time against The Suns, the ball was lifted and carried by spirits of baggers past and swept towards the goals to be guided through for a goal, it must have been magic because I have no memory of who the players involved were. Then it happened again, and another six or seven times, it was mystical, poetry in motion, and unstoppable. And it still hasn't stopped. It's like '95 when all we had to do was turn up and we won, we were undeniably the best team not only in that season but (until *) probably ever witnessed in AFL/VFL history for a season! This feels just a little bit like '95 true believers, I'm beginning to go to the footy and actually expecting my team to win, no matter who we are playing.
I am taking a very old mate to the Giants game, the last time we went to the footy together was the 1982 Grand Final, yes the Helen Demeko game!! I remember my father refusing to surrender the Binoculars, "...she's not a natural blonde boys..." I recollected that story at my dad's memorial service, still got a laugh.
I reckon we get the next two games done, can't see either team being good enough.
And I don't care who we cop in the Elim, I believe.
We can take this all the way, but not in a cocky head wobbling way like those * members lining up for Grand Final tickets in '99, before the ball was bounced in the Prelim!!!! No we'll just keep turning up, going to work, being the next man up, and win this f132G63 thing !
I can smell number 17, it's a chocolate cake cooking in my nana's oven, a beautiful aroma sweeping it's way throughout the house....
Bring it on Vossy and Crippa.
Enjoy the ride my fellow Baggers
Dirty...

 

[Gointocarlton]

I've tried to believe for several weeks but I kept thinking not until we beat a real contender or two, so I thought lets wait and see if we can beat Port. We did, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. Lets wait and see if we can beat the top of the table side in Coll, we did that also but again, the doubts in my mind took over. The years of disapointments and false dawns have trained my mind to doubt. Lets see if we can beat Melb then the lid will surely be off I thought. We did indeed beat Melb but again, well you know the drill. So its come down to the last two weeks, one lousy win away from securing a spot in September action. Surely we can eek out a win, surely the doubts will be washed away. Surely.

 

[Earls Smother]

You made me cry brother.....
My Bagger history goes back to the '72 GF, I have a Premiership 'flag' with Big Nic grinning at me, a 'soap-on-a-rope' from 1976, an original "I Hate Collingwood Badge" from circa 1979, but my boy has only the odd memory of a surprise result; beating Freo after the siren IN PERTH!!, or the odd Filth victory, no memories of finals, forget the dream of Grand Finals. It makes me feel like a Fitzroy supporter of the '80s, an occasional good season.
The first game of real footy I ever saw was the famous '75 blood bath at Windy Hill, where our second quarter 14 goal blitz was a record for thirty years; Little Dirty's first game was a non descript honorable loss to The Eagles at Marvel during The Teague Train derailing. He somehow loved it though.....
I was there for '79, '81,'82,'87,'95 and the '99 Prelim (and GF loss), my team owes me nothing. I saw Harmesy smack the ball to Bomba in the goal square, I saw Buzza take the Mark and kick the Goal of the Year in the same year, I was at the Kouta V WC game at Princess Park, I saw Jezza, SOS, and Rhys all get knocked out, and I also was unfortunately there when McGuane danced his way to a goal of the year, Blight roosted it 70 metres, stood with all the members to applaud Mots in the Social Club...
But they all feel so hollow, my Blues never, ever let me down, but to you young Baggers they've continually broken hearts.
I am inexorably drawn to one moment, it seemed to be the first bounce after quarter time against The Suns, the ball was lifted and carried by spirits of baggers past and swept towards the goals to be guided through for a goal, it must have been magic because I have no memory of who the players involved were. Then it happened again, and another six or seven times, it was mystical, poetry in motion, and unstoppable. And it still hasn't stopped. It's like '95 when all we had to do was turn up and we won, we were undeniably the best team not only in that season but (until *) probably ever witnessed in AFL/VFL history for a season! This feels just a little bit like '95 true believers, I'm beginning to go to the footy and actually expecting my team to win, no matter who we are playing.
I am taking a very old mate to the Giants game, the last time we went to the footy together was the 1982 Grand Final, yes the Helen Demeko game!! I remember my father refusing to surrender the Binoculars, "...she's not a natural blonde boys..." I recollected that story at my dad's memorial service, still got a laugh.
I reckon we get the next two games done, can't see either team being good enough.
And I don't care who we cop in the Elim, I believe.
We can take this all the way, but not in a cocky head wobbling way like those * members lining up for Grand Final tickets in '99, before the ball was bounced in the Prelim!!!! No we'll just keep turning up, going to work, being the next man up, and win this f132G63 thing !
I can smell number 17, it's a chocolate cake cooking in my nana's oven, a beautiful aroma sweeping it's way throughout the house....
Bring it on Vossy and Crippa.
Enjoy the ride my fellow Baggers
Dirty...

If we do go on to achieve the ultimate success, the second quarter against the GC will go down as one of those "what was I doing at that time" moments.

I was at the game and had just finished analysing the battling first quarter with my Collingwood mate (they had the bye). The consensus was we were a bit lucky they hadn't taken more opportunities and we were in for a real dogfight. We were a struggling, disjointed collection of individuals, working hard but just not "clicking".

We started the second quarter well and gained scoreboard ascendency with early goals. I relaxed enough to go and get a pie. Behind the glass on level 2 you can't really hear much to indicate what is going on. The muffled roars were at least better than silence for the 8 minutes or so of queueing. Returning with the pies, the scoreboard was even more promising but had stagnated through the middle of the quarter. In the time it takes to eat a pie that is borderline too hot, we slammed on 4 quick goals to blow the game apart. Never was a more enjoyable meal had.

I reckon since that time, we have had 1 quarter of football (the 2nd against St. Kilda) out of 30, where we have looked the inferior side. We have dominated when we've needed to, but we have also broken even when it has been important to snuff out opposition enthusiasm.

Regardless of what happens this year, we have a team that should be in it up to it's eyeballs for multiple years. As you say, enjoy the ride.

 

[sosos]

I've tried to believe for several weeks but I kept thinking not until we beat a real contender or two, so I thought lets wait and see if we can beat Port. We did, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. Lets wait and see if we can beat the top of the table side in Coll, we did that also but again, the doubts in my mind took over. The years of disapointments and false dawns have trained my mind to doubt. Lets see if we can beat Melb then the lid will surely be off I thought. We did indeed beat Melb but again, well you know the drill. So its come down to the last two weeks, one lousy win away from securing a spot in September action. Surely we can eek out a win, surely the doubts will be washed away. Surely.

This is me. Should believe. Still can't.

I am immensely enjoying the journey though.

 

[TimeFor17]

If we do go on to achieve the ultimate success, the second quarter against the GC will go down as one of those "what was I doing at that time" moments.

I was at the game and had just finished analysing the battling first quarter with my Collingwood mate (they had the bye). The consensus was we were a bit lucky they hadn't taken more opportunities and we were in for a real dogfight. We were a struggling, disjointed collection of individuals, working hard but just not "clicking".

We started the second quarter well and gained scoreboard ascendency with early goals. I relaxed enough to go and get a pie. Behind the glass on level 2 you can't really hear much to indicate what is going on. The muffled roars were at least better than silence for the 8 minutes or so of queueing. Returning with the pies, the scoreboard was even more promising but had stagnated through the middle of the quarter. In the time it takes to eat a pie that is borderline too hot, we slammed on 4 quick goals to blow the game apart. Never was a more enjoyable meal had.

I reckon since that time, we have had 1 quarter of football (the 2nd against St. Kilda) out of 30, where we have looked the inferior side. We have dominated when we've needed to, but we have also broken even when it has been important to snuff out opposition enthusiasm.

Regardless of what happens this year, we have a team that should be in it up to it's eyeballs for multiple years. As you say, enjoy the ride.

I have one question Earl? Why did you have to go get the pies at a Carlton game when you had a perfectly good servant at hand to run those erins?

 

[Sinjin Smith]

Mmm seems the right thread to tell my story.

My journey to becoming an emotional fully invested Blue Boy might be a bit different to some on here. For those that don't know I am a filthy soap dodger, born and raised on the mean streets of Clapham London. My first sporting loves were Tottenham due to my grandfather being a mad Yid and the English Cricket team, I spent many a day at White Hart Lane, Craven Cottage, Stamford Bridge sometimes travelling north to Manchester (shithole), Newcastle (not much better) etc to watch my first sporting love Spurs who were really a mid to lower table team back then .

My family make up is my late mum, two sisters and I are all English whilst Sinjin Snr is a hard blooded (Carlton fanatic) Aussie. Sinjin Snr travelled extensively for work back in the day, many a trip to USA, China, Japan and Australia. When he returned from his many Aussie trips he would bring back footy matchday records, video tapes of Carlton games and of course my first football to which we would spend many a weekend kicking around Clapham Common. So from about the age of 5 I was being integrated from afar into VFL and most importantly Carlton.

Sinjin Snr was so dedicated that in 1979 about 5 weeks after I was born much to my mother's dismay he actually flew over the the 79 GF, my mother was not impressed. He did the same for 81, 82 and 86 then in 87 I at the tender age of 8, he took me to my first VFL game, the 87 Semi Final then my second the 87 GF. We then did the same for 93 before we permanently moved to Melbourne (for Sinjin Snr's work) in 95 where I was lucky enough to attend my second GF win and boy was it a win for the ages.

Ever since I have loved Carlton as much as Spurs. Emotionally invested to the extreme, Sinjin Snr taught me the rivalries with the Filth and the Scum. He actually hates Essendon more than Collingwood due to the 70's (not quite sure why). The last 20 years have had some up's but mostly downs. I truly believe now we are a different beast. Gone are the days "Carlton **** the rest" no more dinosaurs having a big influence on the club, no more buying our way to success through individual talents. This feels different, we are in all as one, Vossy has instilled resilience, team first, and having your team mates back at all times. We went through six weeks of shitness, copped it from everywhere and looking back that will be the making of us. One of life's biggest lessons I have learnt is failure drives you to succeed, it drives determination. You have learnt from your mistakes, you have experienced the worst and lived through it. We may (though I really doubt it) have a stumble, all teams do. But this crop of players with Voss seem different, they are united as are we the supporters.

We may even win it this year, stranger things have happened, though I doubt it. We may get done first week of finals and Ill still be proud because next year is the year I believe we launch a serious assault on the flag. There are no dynasty teams right now, the comp is wide open and I truly believe this team has a premiership in them next year.

 

[BlueTongue]

This might seem a strange thing to say given the last 8 weeks but I think Gold Coast will be another test of sorts.
I believe we can go all the way if we beat them soundly and don't take them for granted and take the foot off the gas.

 

[BlackGoanna]

Mmm seems the right thread to tell my story.

My journey to becoming an emotional fully invested Blue Boy might be a bit different to some on here. For those that don't know I am a filthy soap dodger, born and raised on the mean streets of Clapham London. My first sporting loves were Tottenham due to my grandfather being a mad Yid and the English Cricket team, I spent many a day at White Hart Lane, Craven Cottage, Stamford Bridge sometimes travelling north to Manchester (shithole), Newcastle (not much better) etc to watch my first sporting love Spurs who were really a mid to lower table team back then .

My family make up is my late mum, two sisters and I are all English whilst Sinjin Snr is a hard blooded (Carlton fanatic) Aussie. Sinjin Snr travelled extensively for work back in the day, many a trip to USA, China, Japan and Australia. When he returned from his many Aussie trips he would bring back footy matchday records, video tapes of Carlton games and of course my first football to which we would spend many a weekend kicking around Clapham Common. So from about the age of 5 I was being integrated from afar into VFL and most importantly Carlton.

Sinjin Snr was so dedicated that in 1979 about 5 weeks after I was born much to my mother's dismay he actually flew over the the 79 GF, my mother was not impressed. He did the same for 81, 82 and 86 then in 87 I at the tender age of 8, he took me to my first VFL game, the 87 Semi Final then my second the 87 GF. We then did the same for 93 before we permanently moved to Melbourne (for Sinjin Snr's work) in 95 where I was lucky enough to attend my second GF win and boy was it a win for the ages.

Ever since I have loved Carlton as much as Spurs. Emotionally invested to the extreme, Sinjin Snr taught me the rivalries with the Filth and the Scum. He actually hates Essendon more than Collingwood due to the 70's (not quite sure why). The last 20 years have had some up's but mostly downs. I truly believe now we are a different beast. Gone are the days "Carlton * the rest" no more dinosaurs having a big influence on the club, no more buying our way to success through individual talents. This feels different, we are in all as one, Vossy has instilled resilience, team first, and having your team mates back at all times. We went through six weeks of shitness, copped it from everywhere and looking back that will be the making of us. One of life's biggest lessons I have learnt is failure drives you to succeed, it drives determination. You have learnt from your mistakes, you have experienced the worst and lived through it. We may (though I really doubt it) have a stumble, all teams do. But this crop of players with Voss seem different, they are united as are we the supporters.

We may even win it this year, stranger things have happened, though I doubt it. We may get done first week of finals and Ill still be proud because next year is the year I believe we launch a serious assault on the flag. There are no dynasty teams right now, the comp is wide open and I truly believe this team has a premiership in them next year.

Great story. I went the other way. I was living in Sydney in my early years and watched those 70’s and early 80’s on TV. I was already a Carlton supporter as a 13 year old when I moved to Melbourne. In 93 I went to London for a working holiday, played footy at Clapham Common and missed the 95 grand final live. I am yet to watch Carlton play in a winning GF live. This could be the year


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

 

[Revenant1965]

Watching the Pies/Brions game. A good game, but there is nothing there that makes me think that we can't take either if them if we play like we have the past few weeks. Just need a win against either GC or Giants, and we'll cause havoc in the finals. I believe...

 

[dorianyates]

I don’t know whether Carlton can finish top 4, but if they do I reckon they’ll win it. They aren’t weak on any line and have a very good backline and shit all over the rest with their KPF’s.
Please beat Geelong and Collingwood

 

[Les Grossman playaaaa]

SEPTEMBER HOLIDAYS CANCELLED!!!!!!!!!
SEPTEMBER HOLIDAYS CANCELLED!!!!!!!!!
SEPTEMBER HOLIDAYS CANCELLED!!!!!!!!!
SEPTEMBER HOLIDAYS CANCELLED!!!!!!!!!

 

[btdg]

I now believe

It wasn't getting some big wins on the board and playing attacking footy.

It wasn't beating Port or Collingwood and showing how good we can be

It wasn't beating St Kilda despite a host of injuries

It wasn't winning the grand final atmosphere of last week

It actually took this - a nightmare game where we blew the start and conceded a 7 goal lead. And then kicked 7 straight behinds and conceded another 3 goal deficit. And then made some bad mistakes and gave GC another sniff in the dying minutes. And we still hung on and won. It took that for me - not the best of us, but to win while banged up on the road when we were at our worst...

I actually do believe and we are playing finals again!

 

[Elmer_Hauser]

It's these type of plucky come from behind (40 plus down) wins with at least 4-5 best 22 players out that are the ones that prove our street cred and coaching panel !

 

[Arr0w]

Never lost faith in this group, thought we had a 13-15 win team, but winning 9 in a row has surpassed my expectations.

Now, anything is possible given the intent and belief

 

[The Return of the Paf]

It's still too surreal for my liking. It might not sound like it with some of the stuff I come up with on this forum at times but I've been doing the "bup bah rup bur rah um.." stuff after every win for several weeks now. However, this feels nothing like 1995, for instance, or even 1993. It still feels like we are undermanned, even with Walsh and Cerra due back. I believe with my heart but not my head, if that makes sense, and my head seems to dominate.

 

[Warsaw]

Part of the generation that can remember and count nearly every Carlton finals appearance on one hand.

Tired of that being the case.

Not counting out what they could achieve this year, but irrespective of what happens, I hope this brings in the next successful era for the club.

 

[sosos]

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[Gointocarlton]

Demons exorcised, I Believe!

 

[Blue train 28]

One word Proud!

Blood , sweat , grit, determination and hard work has bought as back

10 bloody years without finals . And we are finally back , we were the best team to not play finals last year but this time we get our chance to show everyone what we are capable of!

Years ago if we had all those losses in a row like we did we would of rolled over probably finished close to last. Same as today if we were 30 plus points down we would roll over. But this now is a group of mature dedicated players who will fight to the line . Micheal voss way ! Sooo soo proud cannot wait !