Carlton came to the end of its line on Saturday night. Despite the noisy support of me and my footy buddies who DROVE to the game from Melbourne, the Blue boys could not get enough wind up to fly the flag against the Swans.
When first Tippett and then Mitchell were taken from the field in the first quarter, I remarked stupidly to my buddies “that’s a shame, I wanted to beat them fair and square”. In the second quarter as they started on their rampage, we needed several more to fall to be a chance. A McVeigh twisted ankle might have helped.
What were all the sports journos doing writing the Swans off? Baiting them, I suppose. Well thanks very much. It worked a treat.
Yet I can’t be too disappointed. We finished 9th but we got to play two finals. I saw two. Mick has had a look at them all, and in a pressure situation. This will help him choose who to keep. I couldn’t contemplate cutting any players. After the Sydney game I am ready for Mick to move on anyone he likes (except Judd, Simmo and Walker of course). With the loss comes clarity.
Yes, I will be happy to take Daisy. That will complete our Collingwood trifecta: ex-Collingwood Coach, CEO and now mid-fielder. I used to dislike Mick at Collingwood, but in Carlton colours he suddenly makes a lot of sense. I’m sure I will grow to love Thomas.
Being out of the finals (and out of our depth) has had its upside. Instead of being chained to the telly, buying a second paper each day in case I missed anything, watching replays, checking the AFL website twice a day, I can now concentrate on other parts of my life.
My overweight dog, my messy garden, my dirty car, my languishing business all deserve my better attention. I will leave Carlton’s improvement to Mick and I will clean up my own backyard. Literally.
After the game, my feeling was more one of malaise – not unlike the way Carlton went about it the 120 minutes prior.
I’ve quite the appetite for a list overhaul now.
DELIST: Davies*, McCartney, Mitchell, Laidler*, Joseph, Dale, O’Keefe, Collins, Buckly (re-listed as a rookie)
TRADE; Robinson, Ellard, Lucas, Armfield… Warnock (if packaged with Robinson or Lucas for a specific target)
RETIRED: Scotland
LOST TO FREE AGENCY: Betts
PROMOTE: Curnow
IN: Thomas… and I’d throw a heap of cash at Kersten to get him out of Geelong.
*Trade if can get anything of value
You’d trade Robinson? I thought you were batshit crazy about him.
No… he’s batshit crazy.
Love his endeavour, he just lacks polish… that is to say he has none.
Maybe if you rolled Robinson in glitter.
Carrazzo may join Scotland in retirement – tailgating 30 and the soft tissue injuries are mounting. Hampson is washed up at Carlton and his Mrs will leave a bigger gap than him.
I’d look at Watts but wouldn’t sell the Merc for him – in other words, it’s not our problem what pick number he was, so if Melbourne want our first rounder they can whistle for it), and similarly Jack himself can shave at least the top quarter off whatever Club X (which had bloodywell better not be Carlton!) shells out to Dustbin Martin. Yeah JW’s high-maint and attracts criticism from the ‘old guard’, all a bit like Harry O, but Mick’s record with that kind of personality (eg Harry) is actually quite good.
We need Thomas. We also need key position height and marking power, so if steering Eddie to North gives us the inside running for Delaney, great. Yarran is meant to be looking West – the Eagles won’t swap Josh K for him, however we may dream, and McKenzie or Darling aren’t that much more likely, but Chris’s next door neighbour growing up was Michael Walters, and there is one key defender who struggles to get a regular gig at Freo except when at least two of Luke McPh, Pav and Sandilands are unfit, whose very NAME screams Carlton….
Carrots is an interesting one — Mick does have form in moving on favourite sons, and in an era where loyalty is an antiquated virtue (let’s all be honest with ourselves, this is a business and has been for a long time. If Eddie goes, good luck to him, he’s looking for the best deal and to do the right thing by his family) I’d imagine this only becomes a little easier… but that said, Carrot’s IS Carlton.
Yaz is going nowhere.
You can take Will Schofield, we will have Chris Yarran. Schofield is a Geelong boy. Tall rangy defender who was great in 2012, awful in 2013. He can play if Mick can get his head right.