No. 31

Carlton definitely play better with Harry in the side. He provides a great marking option on the wing, decent field kicking and will run, chase and tackle quite well for a big guy, he adds alot to the side even without many goals. It is just now with Tom De Koning finally showing signs of stepping up a notch recently (and Jack Silvahni re-signing) that Harry may possibly be dangled as trade bait?? 🤔

Not sure that talk of Harry McKay is realistic. If he somehow did go to Melbourne and you wanted him for goals he should be used as a classic full forward inhabiting the goal square. He played that role in 2021 for Carlton when Charlie Curnow was still out injured and won the Coleman Medal with 58 goals. His set shots were usually much closer to goal (with the consequent higher conversion rate) than they have been in the last 2 seasons where he was used differently and further away from goals. He is the kind of player who if he regained their set shot confidence could be the missing piece to win a flag. But yeah, there is an element of a gamble. Fritsch can be used for longer range accuracy with McKay closer to the goals. As for Rory Lobb, run away as fast as you can. He plays 3 or 4 decent matches a season.

20 odd years ago when I started my professional working life, Christmas Parties could be wild affairs at times. Social mores change over time and end of year functions are much tamer affairs than in the past (at least from what I have observed). I suspect the AFL is no different to the rest of society? 🤔

Or look at Brisbane and Melbourne, regular finalists for several consecutive years now. Dees with one flang and the Lions with a chance to get one next week. Of course there are no guarantees in football and outcomes are a complex interplay of playing lists, form, coaches, preparation, mentality, injuries and sometime just plain luck thrown into the mix. Next year the Dees could get the wooden spoon, but I am 99% certain they won't. I'll put a $100 on the Blues having serious September action again in 2024. Carlton have a very good list now, needs a bit of tinkering to improve but they are ready after losing their finals virginity and gaining some useful experience this season and in the 3 finals games they played in recently ...

2028 for the Blues Quintuple ... 5-peat Flag 😝 😁 The Blues window is definitely open now, just need to keep working to improve and evolve, but all the right ingredients are there which hasn't been the case for a long time. I am pretty happy how the season panned out after the horror 6 losses in a row. I am still bullish on the Dees as well, just need to look at the foward line set up and perhaps adjust some tactical things. Tinkering rather than wholesale refurbishment that some understandably dejected souls here think. Would be happy to split some silverware with the Dees up to 2028 😊

Top 4 next season I would say. Voss has actually shown himself to be a better coach than most gave him credit for (me included). The Carlton list is the right age/experience/quality profile to make the next step.

A 3 is easily converted into an 8 😊

Little chance of the Lions having a soft outing tonight, the Blues have been playing tough, bruising footy for the last 3 months, will be a tough game, whoever wins.

Transiting in Singapore and just read this sad news. RIP Ron. A true legend of the game and he left an indelible mark on Melbourne, Carlton, North Melbourne and the modern game.

Good start by the Dees, TDK kept the Blues in it with 2 goals ... Carlton then wrestled the initiative and Joel Smith kept Melbourne in it. Tight game, will be a close one in the second half I say ...

Interesting old footage of RDB's last game as a player in 1969 has now surfaced. Carlton played Melbourne in Ron's last game! https://www.carltonfc.com.au/news/1430971?fbclid=IwAR1Gyp59vqAa4Mc6K2935x984zNUusurpXRobEVp9nFtkjPwDvDFPfDTfpk

On the way home from work and listening to SEN (just after 6pm) and Kane Cornes having a dig at MFC's crowd size in the MCG finals match against Brisbane Lions last season trying to deflect that Port Adelaide v GWS for Saturday has only sold 37K tickets so far ... reckons Lions supporters made up over 20K+ in the 62K crowd last year so Port's ticket sales aren't that far off ...

Eddie is a nuisance 🤦‍♂️

I grew up in the Demons old Melbourne recruiting zone in S.E. Melbourne. MFC players used to come to teach us footy skills at primary school so I always had a fondness and affinity for them. Robbie Flower came to one of our footy clinics, I remember being pretty excited and made sure I traded footy cards to get his one. My extended family were largely either St Kilda or Richmond supporters (depending upon which suburb they first lived in when they arrived in Melbourne from overseas). I baulked at supporting either of them for some reason despite the attempted bribery to join their ranks and once I found out that I was born in Carlton (at the Royal Womens Hospital) I declared them as my club. The Blues were flying high in the early 80s and my ethnic compatriot, Val Perovic, who featured in the 1981-82 Blues Premiership sides sealed supporting CFC for me.

I had SEN on during part of the day in the background when working and caught the take of some Rugby League bloke on the Maynard "footy act". Very interesting comments, said unequivocally that if in Rugby League, Maynard would definitely be rubbed out for 4 weeks! Interesting viewpoint from north of the Barassi Line. Did anyone else catch these comments?

Actually, I outed myself earlier this year and even had some other Demonlanders confess assorted connections or sympathies with the Navy Blues after my post [I now call them my Blues Brothers 😁] BTW, Ron B was Carlton's most famous No. 31. Tom Alvin ('87 Premiership side) coming in as the second most famous Blue to don the No. 31 guernsey I would say. In the event the Blues get up on Friday (I will be there with the hordes of other Navy Blue Zombies* at the 'G) I won't come here to gloat as that would be disrespectful. I would probably even feel a tinge of sadness mixed with the elation of the Baggers being back in the big time. The Dees are my 'second team', I watch all their matches and even occasionally go to watch them live as I have a membership this season. * reference to Robbo on AFL 360 last night describing the Carlton fans after defeating Sydney last Friday ... he needn't fear us, Zombies lust after brains for food, he will be safe! 😁

Yes, Martin is a big out. However, don't underestimate the fact that Cerra and Walsh are back and both now have had 2 games into their legs, they are primed for a big game(s) I suspect. The real revelation about Carlton in recent times has been the unfashionable role players like Acres, Cottrell, Fogarty, Cincotta etc rather than the 'big name' players. They have been incredibly impactful in recent times 😮

At the risk of becoming a social outcast here, time to nail my navy blue colours to the mast. Yes, I am a Bagger, was born in Carlton and have supported them since I was wee lad! 😁 I think Friday's game is very much a 50/50 prospect and will be a close one. Some outs for the Dees, some outs for the Blues. As for the view from Parc des Princes, I think the Baggers are quietly confident. Reality is the Blues have only lost one match in the last 3 months and that was essentially the dead rubber against GWS in Round 24. So I don't think it is a case of misguided hubris. Carlton are a good side and in form. I think for the Dees to win this they really need Fritsch and Pickett to have a significant scoreboard impact. May the best team on the night win (with no ARC controversies) and then go all the way, via Brisbane, to beat GWS on the big day 😁

Port could on their day but are a bit flakey defensively at the moment. GWS certainly could, very good side and currently in form!

On SEN just before they said the AFL is not appealing.

Yeah, noticed the spelling after I posted.

Just saw this on Twitter, is this a legit account? [Edit - spelling of @ColLingwoodfc is suspicious]

Losing Angus most certainly had an impact. It is one thing to lose a player in the lead up to a game, you can think about alternatives, move the magnets around, prep someone for a different role at training. Different dynamic losing an important player in such circumstances early in the 1st quarter. Still, better composure up forward would have seen the Dees win this.