Humble Pie not the preferred Dons menu

Never a sympathetic word was spoken about the Carlton Football Club whilst growing up in my Don household.  Of course there were a few other clubs that weren’t loved  too, but somehow Carlton was always top of the heap.

One incident that sparks the memory in particular, was the Harry Casper/John Coleman ” event”  just before the 1951 final series. I was just a little kid at the time, but I can still remember the conversation and conspiracy theories that took place around the kitchen table. We lost our champion full forward and the premiership cup that year.

And today, many, many years later we meet the old enemy again, in a cut throat Elimination Final at the”G”

And what a sight the “G” is, the surface  is a magnificent green, a wild  and windy blue sky  above and a big big crowd in for the game. The Dons look great in their impressive black jumper with red stripe and white shorts as they group for the National Anthem. I must admit, the Carlton jumper looks good too, but really ,don’t you think they should stop Eddie Betts buying his footy shorts from the Brotherhood shop?

Game on, and Carlton immediately look dangerous,. Three very getable goals are missed  and they have five points before the Don’s score. And then the  Don’s  do score , three  quick majors and  the lead. But what a brief respite it was, Carlton hit their straps and took over the game scoring goals at will so by quarter time they had a seven point lead.

Second quarter and the flood gates open, Carlton are rampaging. The Dons hesitate and fumble. Carlton kick ten unanswered goals, they are winning all over the ground, they are too fast, too precise and too bloody good. I have never left a game early, but today I am surely tempted, the icy wind and the footy, doesn’t add to my comfort zone. At half time the Blues lead by a massive forty one points.

I wonder can things get worse? Unfortunately for a Don tragic like me the answer is yes. The Blues are far too good, the goals continue and apart from Heath Hocking who is doing a great job on Judd, the rest of the team chase and try to tackle opposition players who have already moved the ball on.  When the Dons try to move the ball forward ,  they try high floating passes which is fodder for Carlton. Garlett and Yarran and the other twenty wearing blue are having a ball, everything is working for them.  Essendon  score some late goals just before  three quarter time but the lead has increased to a massive ten goals.

I hung around for the final siren, cold and  disappointed.  Essendon kept  battling but the lead went out to almost thirteen goals before we got a few right at the end. I was out of the “G” as quickly as i could for the chilly walk to the tram.  It’s all over for  another season.

Have we improved? Yes, we have, there were positive signs during the year, but not too many today I’m afraid.

There was only one thing left to do. I have to congratulate the Carlton Four, Rob,Rod,Michael and Liv. For the last two weeks I have been giving then a bit “lip” on my regular plod around Princes Park. I saw them today and I ate a huge plate of humble pie. Footy is a great game, and how good it is to have some opposition supporters to have fun with.

Final Scores    Carlton 21.23. 149  defeated Essendon 13.9. 87.

Goals                Carlton  Betts4  Walker3 Gibbs3 Garlett3 Thornton2 Murphy,Judd,Simpson,Robinson,O’hAilpin,Carrazzo

Essendon Monfries3 Stanton2 Hille2 Reimers2 Jetta, Carlisle, Colyer. Hocking.

Best                   Carlton.        Murphy, Yarran,Garlett, Thornton, Betts, Carrazzo and Laidler.

Essendon   Hocking, Monfries, Lovett-Murray,Stanton and Watson.

 

Comments

  1. Rod, very sporting of you under the circumstances.

    The ‘slippery little suckers’ got you again.

  2. Alovesupreme says

    Rod,
    I love your final sentence, and gentle jibes are certainly an indispensable part of the fun. I concur with JB’s observation; grace in defeat is an important characteristic of the civilised supporter. The Blues certainly have their share of obnoxious fans, but I think dancing on even (especially ?) a loathed opponent’s grave is poor form; as well as it sets one up for deserved retribution, when the wheel inevitably turns.

    I agree with your observation that Essendon can take some consolation from their improvement in 2011. If it’s not enough to satisfy, then there is some reason to look to further progress in the next 2-5 seasons. It’s been a long time for we of the Carlton faith. I noted the symetry, that we finally won a final on the tenth anniversary of that notable event of which we have endured saturation media coverage this week-end. The previous time we graced the MCG in a final was that dark day at the end of a dark week in 2001 (Saturday, 15 September), when Richmond felled us, and the mighty Kouta was slain.

  3. Pamela Sherpa says

    I admire you being able to write after such a shellacking Rod. At least the Bombers can see where they are at and where they need to go from here.

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