How high can Carlton go in '08?

[retroparty]

Ah no.

 

[SolidTiger]

5th place awaits us!

Forget the obvious:

• players playing with passion following the departure of Pagan
• inspiring new coach (highly respected by the playing group)
• plethora of new, invigorated support staff
• stevens back and itching to make up for lost time
• forward line to fire, with fev, fisher and waite all playing exciting and consistent football
• hadlee to make his mark and show why he was a premiership player
• murphy to become a certified gun
• gibbs to really make an impact
• kreuzer to show what's in store for 2009 - mark him down as our regular CHF from 2009 onwards
• setanta to take a big step-up and become a feared opponent
• all other young players to step-up and emulate some of the feats we seen in 2007 from Collingwood's young players; improvement will really be noticed by opposition players and supporters
• fairly good draw
• and, of course, judd...

Here are the X factors:

• Aisake (O'Hailpin), who would have been our ruckman this year if he hadn't contracted OP, will be a stand-out revelation in the ruck and will be well-supported by Cloke, Hampson and Kreuzer; Acland will move down the pecking order as our young rucks take all before them
• Ryan Jackson will catch everyone by surprise - will be a gun (he is primed - mark my words)

I think you are going to be disapointed next year. Carlton are going to improve, but not as much as many Carlton supporters think.

 

[Da Bull]

Fair Dinkum, some of you blokes are a down right embarrassment. Have hope and faith, sure, but geez be realistic.

 

[j-ham]

9th - 12th is probably a realistic expectation for 2008, some people are getting a bit ahead of themselves here. Although it would be a pleasant surprise if we just snuck into the eight.

 

[rancidpants13]

Ah no.

carlton will finish ahead of essendon....and very possibly can challenge for the top eight
whether people like or respect what carlton has done in the past few years to compile the list the club now has, the fact is the list is now starting to take a decent shape
and, while everyone knows the obvious ares the improvement will come, the one player who can be the real key is jarrod waite
so much talent, and maybe now a chance to be put in one position and left there to develop

 

[Da Bull]

carlton will finish ahead of essendon....and very possibly can challenge for the top eight
whether people like or respect what carlton has done in the past few years to compile the list the club now has, the fact is the list is now starting to take a decent shape
and, while everyone knows the obvious ares the improvement will come, the one player who can be the real key is jarrod waite
so much talent, and maybe now a chance to be put in one position and left there to develop

We've either been shit or tanking. You can't be both.

Personally - we've sucked and as a result have received priority picks.

 

[Cynic]

Judd doesn't play for teams that don't make the eight.

 

[Heisenberg_]

Judd doesn't play for teams that don't make the eight.

well he will have to learn then

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Personally I believe that we can probably finnish 7-8th and just sneak into the finals. I would then like to see us make the 2nd week of the finals.

Many people seem to forget that we have been tanking (something I'm not proud of), now that we have significantly improved our midfield, our defence can only get better, and our forwards have already shown that they can score goals.

So now when we actually try to win some games, how well do you think Carlton will go in '08?

PS: Please be realistic, I will review @ the end of the season!!!

Delusion Board (Carlton Board)

 

[Cheshire Cat]

5th place awaits us!

Forget the obvious:

• players playing with passion following the departure of Pagan
• inspiring new coach (highly respected by the playing group)
• plethora of new, invigorated support staff
• stevens back and itching to make up for lost time
• forward line to fire, with fev, fisher and waite all playing exciting and consistent football
• hadlee to make his mark and show why he was a premiership player
• murphy to become a certified gun
• gibbs to really make an impact
• kreuzer to show what's in store for 2009 - mark him down as our regular CHF from 2009 onwards
• setanta to take a big step-up and become a feared opponent
• all other young players to step-up and emulate some of the feats we seen in 2007 from Collingwood's young players; improvement will really be noticed by opposition players and supporters
• fairly good draw
• and, of course, judd...

Here are the X factors:

• Aisake (O'Hailpin), who would have been our ruckman this year if he hadn't contracted OP, will be a stand-out revelation in the ruck and will be well-supported by Cloke, Hampson and Kreuzer; Acland will move down the pecking order as our young rucks take all before them
• Ryan Jackson will catch everyone by surprise - will be a gun (he is primed - mark my words)

LOL.

Scary delusional.

 

[Silvagnis]

Rnd 2- Geelong defeated Carlton by 78 points
Rnd 3- West coast defeated Carlton by 61 points
Rnd 12- Hawthorn defeated Carlton by 100 points
Rnd 13- Fremantle defeated Carlton by 77 points
Rnd 15- Sydney defeated Carlton by 62 points
Rnd 16- Brisbane defeated Carlton by 117 points
Rnd 18- Kangaroos defeated Carlton by 82 points

Does an awsome list get belted like that when they come a across quality sides?

Being realistic, Carlton has an average list. Carlton has a list of five or six A grade players but then the majority of the side is made up of D to C grade players. With a list like that, Carlton should be able to defeat the lower sides comfortably and have a decent chance of pinching a victory or two from the middle of the road sides. But Carlton are going to be exposed (as what was indicated last year) by the sides that actually have an awsome list.

I know I can't critise because Richmond has a poor list. But I am just bringing a realistic perspective to the table.

Has the unpopular and clueless Pagan been axed or not?

And I thought we were tanking?

Nice of you to omit the results from the games against Port, St Kilda and Collingwood where we pushed them all the way, hit the front or even came back from the dead.

We easily accounted for one of the Grand Finalists at home without Stevens.

Add Stevens, Judd, Hadley to that side and we will be alot more competitive in the midfield. Add the natural improvement from the likes of Grigg, Jackson, Gibbs, Murphy, Walker, Hampson and Anderson, a new game plan and two development coaches we will see more encouraging signs next year. Young Blues such as Gibbs, Murphy, Grigg, Anderson, Bower, Jackson, Walker and Jamison could easily play as well Pendlebury, Goldsack, Murphy, O'Brien and Shaw next year.

Or be better than those young players.

Setanta would prosper if he was left in defence like O'Brien instead of being used in the ruck or up forward.

 

[purremiers]

they can only go higher than where they finished last year! i suspect not very higher though

 

[Smyth94]

Has the unpopular and clueless Pagan been axed or not?

And I thought we were tanking?

Nice of you to omit the results from the games against Port, St Kilda and Collingwood where we pushed them all the way, hit the front or even came back from the dead.

We easily accounted for one of the Grand Finalists at home without Stevens.

Add Stevens, Judd, Hadley to that side and we will be alot more competitive in the midfield. Add the natural improvement from the likes of Grigg, Jackson, Gibbs, Murphy, Walker, Hampson and Anderson, a new game plan and two development coaches we will see more encouraging signs next year. Young Blues such as Gibbs, Murphy, Grigg, Anderson, Bower, Jackson, Walker and Jamison could easily play as well Pendlebury, Goldsack, Murphy, O'Brien and Shaw next year.

Or be better than those young players.

Setanta would prosper if he was left in defence like O'Brien instead of being used in the ruck or up forward.

Tanking is not an excuse for those pathetic results. Whilst your administration may or may not have been tanking you're players certainly were not. You got spanked in those games pure and simple - and the amount of points you leaked this season is very very worrying. You still haven't addressed problems in your back half which will still limit you in '08. Whilst Carlton are assembling a good midfield and have a decent forward line capable of kicking winning scores, your defence is the worst in the comp.

I expect Carlton to win 8 games at the most and will hover around the 5-8 mark.

 

[Amers]

Something tells me this thread is going to light up one way or another come round 1...
10th for me.
Does Ratten know how to coach a winning side?
As for being premiers in 09, I am pretty confident that both Geelong and Hawthorn will be far and away better sides than Carlton for at least a few more years.
I don't know what any of you have to gain from talking this up so much, you are just setting yourself up for a fall, just be happy that you will make some strides this year.

Nice post!

If you think it's going to light up after round 1, watch it go absolutely ballistic if we manage to win our 1st 3-4 games! . Some Carlton people are even saying we could get to rnd 7 undefeated! It's nice to dream aint it?!!

Can Ratten coach? Fair question, but as a Carlton supporter, what I saw of him in the last 6 rounds last year (we were unfortunately tanking) gives me hope that he will be able to do a good job.

Your right, Geelong and Hawthorn MIGHT still be ahead of us still in 09, but I think we may frighten a few teams along the way!

Personally Im not trying to talk us up @ all, I started this thread to see how non Carlton supporters genuinely thought we might go in '08!

As for me personally, I prefer to be optimistic about our chances, than pessimistic, and without any LTI to key players, I genuinely believe that we are a chance for the top 8 in '08!

 

[oogac]

Carlton will finish 15 . . . just above Essendon. They will have to tank another 10 years to get a 1/2 decent team.

 

[Kruze]

Keep living in La-La Land son, you'll come crashing back down to earth soon enough.

And as for many of the predictions in this thread by other Blues supporters, good grief ............... You'd think we had also recruited Jonathon Brown, Mathew Scarlett, Dean Cox & Dustin Fletcher in addition to Judd the way you are carrying on.

FFS, we have been seriously poop for the past 5 years and are breaking in a new coach (even though I think he will be very good) this year plus we are bereft of quality ruckmen, defenders & key position players.

I am yet to see a team win a flag on the basis of just having a decent midfield (I did say 'decent', not star-studded) and that is all we have at present.

We have so many kinks that need to be ironed out that any prognostication suggesting we will play finals is sheer nonsense and just wishful thinking. If by some quirky hand of fate it was to happen then fantastic, but to suggest right here right now that it is a fait complii will render you (and in turn many other level-headed Blues fans) the laughing stock of the league for another 12-months.

Be realistic, not full of fantasy !!

You're an absolute disgrace! Back to your cave.

I'm sick of pussy supporters like you who are being "realistic". Go follow another team, I'd bitch slap the lot of you if you were near me at a game with your pessemistic attitude towards the team! I would hate to see you or some of the other Blues supporters here anywhere near most of our younger players with your mediocre expectations.

CARLTON WILL FINISH TOP 4 IN 08 EVEN IF MOST OF OUR SUPPORTERS HAVE NO FAITH THAT WE CAN ACHIEVE IT!

 

[SolidTiger]

CARLTON WILL FINISH TOP 4 IN 08 EVEN IF MOST OF OUR SUPPORTERS HAVE NO FAITH THAT WE CAN ACHIEVE IT!

Reminds me of when Peter Schab said "We WILL the premiership" before the 2004 season. How did that go?

 

[Amers]

Carlton will finish 15 . . . just above Essendon. They will have to tank another 10 years to get a 1/2 decent team.

You expext Richmond to finnish 14th or higher?

 

[Amers]

Well, I certinly generated some interest!!!!

After reading through everyones thoughts so far, from what I can gather, most genuine tips seem to be that we will finnish somewhere between 8-12 on the ladder.

I am happy with that, a posible chance @ the top 8, and a better than even chance of getting out of the bottom 4.

I'll take that!

Look out! Here come the BLUES !!!!

 

[Biggie]

Bottom half of the 8.

Midfield looks very good now, Forwards potent as always, but defence is ordinary at best.

Fev will keep his head and that play a major part in the Blues resurgence, not to mention a fully fit Judd.

A player to watch out for, J.Waite, I feel he could have a massive influence next year.

 

[marcmurphy3]

You're an absolute disgrace! Back to your cave.

I'm sick of pussy supporters like you who are being "realistic". Go follow another team, I'd bitch slap the lot of you if you were near me at a game with your pessemistic attitude towards the team! I would hate to see you or some of the other Blues supporters here anywhere near most of our younger players with your mediocre expectations.

Agreed.

 

[eagles rule]

The only way is up maybe 12th or 13th even with C.Judd running amuk.
IMO I don`t think they Tanked either, for what it`s worth ,They just had trouble with the game plan.

 

[chump]

Reminds me of when Peter Schab said "We WILL the premiership" before the 2004 season. How did that go?

That would have been the year the tigers won the spoon. Correct?

 

[The Casey Cat]

Keep living in La-La Land son, you'll come crashing back down to earth soon enough.

And as for many of the predictions in this thread by other Blues supporters, good grief ............... You'd think we had also recruited Jonathon Brown, Mathew Scarlett, Dean Cox & Dustin Fletcher in addition to Judd the way you are carrying on.

FFS, we have been seriously poop for the past 5 years and are breaking in a new coach (even though I think he will be very good) this year plus we are bereft of quality ruckmen, defenders & key position players.

I am yet to see a team win a flag on the basis of just having a decent midfield (I did say 'decent', not star-studded) and that is all we have at present.

We have so many kinks that need to be ironed out that any prognostication suggesting we will play finals is sheer nonsense and just wishful thinking. If by some quirky hand of fate it was to happen then fantastic, but to suggest right here right now that it is a fait complii will render you (and in turn many other level-headed Blues fans) the laughing stock of the league for another 12-months.

Be realistic, not full of fantasy !!

You deserve a better club, and better fellow supporters mate well done. I see Carlton 10-12th. Lower would not surprise given the recent tendency to draw stumps early and look forward to another priority pick. Maybe 8th if everything and I mean absolutely everything went right. Now let me edit something for accuracy:

You're an absolute legend! Back to your lovely house.

I'm proud of supporters like you who are being "realistic". Don't follow another team, I'd shake your hand if you were near me at a game with your realistic attitude towards the team! I would love to see you or some of the other Blues supporters here anywhere near most of our younger players with your reasonable expectations.

CARLTON WILL FINISH BOTTOM 8 IN 08 EVEN IF MOST OF OUR SILLY SUPPORTERS DISAGREE. WE CAN NOT ACHIEVE HIGHER UNTIL OUR DEFENSE IS BETTER THAN THAT OF OUR VFL TEAM!

 

[_RT_]

Judd doesn't play for teams that don't make the eight.

Does now.