As a loyal Carlton fan I need to get one thing off my chest – We deserve to be there! Much of the commentary after Carlton knocked the Tigers out has revolved around their legitimacy as a finals contender.
I understand and accept the novelty value of Carlton progressing to finals thanks to Essendon’s penalties. And yes, Richmond losing in their long-awaited finals appearance to the ninth placed team does warrant a few laughs.
But let’s take pause for a moment and consider what those saying Carlton don’t deserve to be there are really saying.
They’re saying they endorse Essendon’s supplements regime. They’re saying they endorse the injection of unknown substances into AFL footballers.
And until ASADA delivers its final report, they’re saying they endorse the very real possibility of an AFL club using performance enhancing drugs.
Moreover, they’re also saying they would have preferred the AFL Commission did not act to bring Essendon to account for its misdemeanours.
They’re saying they would have preferred if the Commission did not value the integrity of the game.
It’s not Carlton’s fault Essendon failed the game so badly. It’s not Carlton’s fault the Bombers chose to treat its competitors with such contempt.
It’s also not Carlton’s fault that North Melbourne didn’t win enough games to finish ninth.
And it’s not Carlton’s fault West Coast and Adelaide underperformed so badly this year.
Carlton can only be responsible for its own actions. One club had to finish ninth and it was Carlton. Get over it.
Over the last two weeks, in particular, while far from perfect, Carlton have delivered two performances that typify everything we love about the game of AFL.
Carlton have delivered courage and fight none of us knew they had. Carlton have delivered thrills and excitement. Carlton have delivered hope to its fans.
And, crucially, Carlton have delivered all of that within the rules of the game.
After the AFL Commission kicked Essendon out of the finals, the ninth placed team deserved to be promoted. At least, the AFL deserved to have a finals series consisting of eight teams who played by the rules.
Thank goodness the first weekend of finals just gone was a fantastic advertisement for the game.
Finally, without the long shadow of Essendon, we are all free to talk about footy again. Proper footy. Not embarrassing calls of heroics or splitting hairs over the legality or otherwise of injected substances.
This weekend we saw one club stamp its authority on September and we saw three fantastic upsets against the odds. And through that, we saw eight clubs play an unwitting role to help undo all the ill feeling Essendon has given season 2013.
Hawthorn, Fremantle and Port Adelaide, the game of AFL thanks you.
To Carlton, your performance against Richmond, to fight back from 32 points down, was a fitting end to a great weekend of football.
Not only did Carlton make the finals on merit, they delivered a performance worthy of any finals series in any of the 117 years the game has seen.
And they did so in front of the biggest crowd ever to witness an elimination final.
Footy is back!
peter rollins
Guest
Waste of time arguing with Richmond and Essendon supporters. Its just bias over logic. End of story.
Edan Nissen
Roar Rookie
Wrong. In 2010 Carlton got into the finals with a record of 11-11. In 2009 Essendon finished 8th with a record of 10-11-1
Andrew A
Guest
If Richmond were any good, they would've beaten an average 9th ranked Carlton side. The Swans easily accounted for Carlton despite a long injury list and losing two players in the first quarter.
theroardeal
Guest
ah correct me if iam wrong but carlton only won 11 matches which has never been enough wins to EARN a spot in the 8 why the hell should they have got the bennefit of essondons actions to me Essondon forfitted ther finals game and Richmond should have gone straight to the next round
Jack Smith
Roar Guru
How many drugs work for more than a few months anyway? They stopped taking them, by Dank's admission, around August. They needed weekly injections because they did not have much affect. 9 months for a drug's effect to continue - please. The only thing that would have been long term is damage. You could not 'permanently' improve yourself with drugs because you have to keep taking them. Problems usually occur and not benefits, because you stop taking them and your body has got used to the drug. So in reality, Essendon players were at a physical disadvantage this year. Essendon have been good at comebacks since Sheedy's days too. @ G - by Dank's admission it ended in August and he wasn't with them during the pre-season. Considering everyone identifies him as the supplier and implementer it stopped with him. Again why I think he deserves the biggest head to roll - IF - ASADA does anything.
Steve
Guest
So that is, indeed, your best argument.
Hez
Roar Rookie
weak, very weak
Hez
Roar Rookie
Haha gezza that was just plain dumb, thanks for the laugh
macca
Guest
They won't care, the papers will be full of the fairy tale story and a Hawks Blues GF or a Geelong Blues GF will be massive. The AFL will spin it wonderfully. I can't see the blues making it but if they did the AFL would be happy and probably happier than a Freo getting through.
dahawkacup13
Guest
+1 Agreed, if Carlton make the GF then it'll be dead set embarrassing for the AFL head department.
macca
Guest
Still Waiting on that quote Gezza!
dahawkacup13
Guest
"Live it up Blues fans. We are moral victors over the Bombers, and now are a better team than Collingwood and Richmond. Fact." Don't get ahead of yourself.
macca
Guest
Show me the quote. And where is the one from Malthouse and the other "players"
Gezza
Guest
Duigan not on the team list? That has to hurt?
macca
Guest
Please find 1 quote from a Carlton player or Coach that says they don't deserve to be there, they might say they were lucky (which is true) but none of them have said they don't deserve it. And again you fail to argue your case, if you don't think the Carlton situation is the same as Carl Lewis or the promoted horse please explain the difference.
Gezza
Guest
Dream on! But I even heard the Carlton coach and players supporting my point of view many times recently Thanks for the critique of the quality of my thought process – people in glass houses shouldn’t call kettles black!
macca
Guest
But they did win enough games to finish 8th, look at the ladder. They won enough games to finish 8th of all the teams that competed and abided by the rules. It is exactly the same as being able to collect on the horse that finished second but won because the first placed horse was ruled out under protest. It is exactly the same as Carl Lewis winning gold after Ben Johnson was disqualified. It isn't just about winning games it is about playing by the rules and as you seem unable to articulate an argument to refute that t seems pretty clear the blues "deserve" their spot.
Gezza
Guest
OK that's simple if Carlton deserved to be in the eight they would have won enough games to make the eight Not finish ninth and then be pushed up Ergo didn't deserve to be there! Bye!
macca
Guest
Gezza - I would be happy not to have the last word if you would come up with an argument for you case but all you have said is that the blues don't "deserve" to be there, you haven't defined the term "deserve", you haven't outlined who does "deserve" to be there if the blues don't and despite stating that the blues "fell in after protest" answered if you would collect on a horse that won after being promoted by a protest. If you can't support your statement that's fine, just don't expect anyone to take it as fact.
Gezza
Guest
Perfect that my previous comment holds But I am sure you want the last word Macca And thanks to you I now have to support the Swans on the weekend