Brendan Fevola of Carlton comforts Ben Cousins of Richmond as Cousins hobbles from the field during the AFL Round 01 match between the Richmond Tigers and the Carlton Blues at the MCG.
It was a bold, daring slogan, every part the arrogance we’ve come to expect from Carlton: “They know we’re coming.” And from a commercial point of view, it’s proved hugely successful. After all, any publicity is good publicity,
Like it or loathe it, the Blues are about to hit a membership high and post a big profit for 2009.
But while Carlton’s marketing team might have been celebrating their masterstroke over countless soy chai lattes, the stamp of approval from the club’s football has been notably absent. Rival fans might say all the bravado has been a little, well, premature.
You get the feeling that – had Brett Ratten had any say in it – something more reserved might have chosen.
It has put added pressure on the club, particularly in the early rounds of this season.
James Hird used it in a well-timed article prior to the Round 3 clash, and to great effect.
Even the Essendon marketers had a crack, utilising a carbon copy advertisement featuring Jobe Watson and Mark McVeigh and stating, “We’ll be waiting.”
It’s added a bit of spice for tonight’s clash with the Bombers, at least from the media’s perspective. Spin campaign it is, but it must be said that Ratten would identify with at least a bit of the sentiment.
The Blues have shown – at times – that they are capable of playing the sort of football that could challenge the league’s best.
But they’ve also displayed an inconsistency, particularly in the “winnable” losses to Fremantle, Sydney and Essendon.
Carlton believes itself capable of making an impact come the pointy end of the season. But it has to start to show that finals-bound form on a constant basis.
First up is a win against the Bombers.
Make no mistake; this game is as important as any the Blues will play this season. They must overcome a side that – while weaker on paper – still played them off the park for the final three quarters on that mild Melbourne night back in April.
Matthew Knights has showed he is capable of getting the best out of a limited squad, as he did in the four-point win.
The Bombers triumphed that night by a combination of a concerted defensive effort when they didn’t have the ball, and red-hot pace when they did.
Ratten would have no doubt prepared for that, while Knights would be silly to serve up exactly the same fare this time around.
It’s a must-win for both sides. But the expectations are far different.
The Blues may be coming, but it’s time they arrived.
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