After another poor display against Melbourne on the weekend, Carlton is under the spotlight from the ravenous media that cover the AFL. It’s been their worst start in 25 seasons.
The Blues continue to talk up their list but, as mentioned in this column last week, it’s not good enough to put them in premiership contention anytime soon.
They are the quick-fix merchants, still believing they will have the sustained success of the 1970s, ’80s and early ’90s. They refuse to believe that times have changed.
They need to learn from the recruiting methods of Geelong and Hawthorn, the only undefeated sides remaining in the competition after four rounds. They will be the protagonists of a traditional Easter Monday clash next week. Usually a blockbuster, it now has triple-blockbuster status, if there is such an expression.
The Blues, as they do, tried to snare the league’s best recruiter, Stephen Wells, from the Cats but were unsuccessful. He has remained loyal to the Cats’ cause and they continue to look after him. And so they should, he has a recruiting success rate second to none.
Geelong also has an outstanding development program, which is part of the package when young players are involved.
Youngsters can be stars at junior level and the recruiters will identify that, but the coaches and the development teams at football clubs have to fine tune them into what they want and make sure they adhere to the structures and rules of their team.
The Cats are experts at that as well. They have had their own VFL side longer than any other AFL club and many of the others are now following suit. But Geelong has stolen a march and pick their young players knowing they can make a contribution straightaway.
They recognised that when drafting immediate replacements for the ageing stars that were part of their golden era over the past decade. George Horlin-Smith has come in to replace Joel Corey, George Burbury for Paul Chapman and Cameron Guthrie as a small defender instead of Josh Hunt.
They obviously would still love to have the great Gary Ablett, but they haven’t fallen apart without him, with Allen Christensen and Mitch Duncan making their mark.
Jackson Thurlow could become a running back in the mould of Corey Enright and Andrew Mackie, while Lincoln McCarthy and the injury-prone Josh Cowan have also had a taste at senior level and are waiting in the wings.
Hawthorn has been similarly adept is on track to win back-to-back flags for just the second time.
They make subtle changes to their list seamlessly, without going for the quick fix. They have an outstanding relationship with their VFL affiliate, Box Hill, and their young players are ready to step up to the AFL.
Incredibly, they look a better team without Lance Franklin. Jarryd Roughead, Cyril Rioli, Jack Gunston, Luke Breust and David Hale have taken up more responsibility, while Taylor Duryea, Angus Litherland, Will Langford and Kyle Cheney all come in to contribute.
Mitch Halihan, who tied for the Liston medal in the VFL last year for Box Hill, is a ready-made inside midfielder. He is yet to play for Hawthorn but should be a suitable replacement for Brad Sewell.
These perennially successful sides have been methodical and have planned thoroughly to ensure that even though they will lose great players they don’t have to completely rebuild. They can remain in finals and even premiership calculations.
The Blues can look on with envy, but they can also do something about it. Now is as good a time as any to start.
Geoff Lemon
Expert
He was on thin ice in 2006, for sure. Patience is underrated by football boards, and I reckon Brian Cook and co. showed good sense. Drafting Selwood, Bartel and the rest all happened between about 2000 and 2007, and it's hard not to give credit to the coach and the recruitment staff for making good choices. There have been very few duds in their selections, and they've spotted and created players like Mumford who've gone on to be stars elsewhere.
Jorji Costava
Guest
Wouldn't it be amusing if Carlton managed to get their first win of the season over good old Footscray. Then you'll be laughing.
Rudere
Guest
One article everyday - that's all I ask Please give the Carlton faithful a chance to examine their souls and speak from the heart Go Doggies!
Jorji Costava
Guest
Geoff, you are correct. My error. Must be getting old mixing up the years like that. Thompson was very fortunate to have a very patient board at Geelong. Most of the Melbourne clubs would have tossed him under a bus years before. Bomber was constantly playing his inept mates like Kent Kingsley at full forward when every man and his dog could see the bloke was a dud was an example of his poor coaching foresight. The once in a 100 years players like Gary Ablett junior, Joel Selwood, Bartel, Scarlett all turning up at the Cats at the same time was a freak event and possibly a pay back to Geelong for all the hardships they suffered since 1963.
Geoff Lemon
Expert
In 2008 Bomber Thompson took Geelong to the grand final after winning a flag in 2007. They must have been talking about sacking him. Hawkins barely played until 2009, and didn't start to be a dominant player until late in 2011. The Cats built a list on draft picks that commentators mocked for being mediocre: Enright, Ling, Corey, Milburn, Rooke, Wojcinski. When are they publishing your history of the Geelong Football Club?
Jorji Costava
Guest
Firstly Geelong got lucky in it's recruiting the last 10 years. Do not forget, around 2008 everyone was talking about sacking Bomber Thompson. Now look at him, the sun shines out of his rump according to the geniuses of the AFL media sheeple. Geelong's team was all over the place, no flag in 40 years blah blah blah. But they had a swag of father sons they got outside the system. Gary Ablett Jnr, Mat Scarlett, Hawkins. Not a bad bunch to get, plus a load of guys that really wanted to take their games to higher levels. Thompson was in the box seat and took all the bloody credit, the cheeky sod. Over at Carlton, the Blues were practically broke. Actually they were busted completely and had to take a cheap coach in Ratten. His recruiting is what we are dealing with today. He went to the recruiters and said I want this and this type of guy to play this game style. If you look back, as soon as they dumped Fevola the rot was setting in, he was massively important to that forward line and players of his kind are once in a 50 years type of player. Soapy Vallance was the last Carlton forward in that category. What tripe we are seeing out there now is a product of the last decade. It is time to turn things around. Play the up and comers, develop those skills and show the duds the door. There is no timeframe on another flag, you gotta get pretty lucky recruiting what is about 8 to 10 a graders. It will be a miracle to happen anytime in the next 5 seasons from where we sit now. Get the back house stuff right first, to allow for the right people to fill the vital jobs.
Dave
Guest
Pokies ownership rumours? Really? Macca, you wanna repost those pre/post Judd win/loss figures again? It's round 4 and the vagueries of the draw etc. etc. flogging a dead horse. Carlton won an elimination final six months ago. Are you all mad? Teams win games they're not supposed to and lose games they're not supposed to. How many teams would be anything other than 0-5 if their season started cats, hawks, magpies, swans, dockers. Not the case here but the point is valid. Probably they should have beaten the Dees but should have is a furphy. 1999 preliminary final. 44 points down in a grand final. Seriously, babies and bathwater. It's a game. Sometimes the roll of the dice goes against you. Zero and twelve is when this duscussion needs to happen.
paulb
Guest
They also identify players that can play, unlike Carlton.
Hendrix
Guest
Everyone needs to learn from the cats and the hawks
Ingot oodles
Guest
Sorry Gene il ask u next time when I want a definition of great team. What I mean was they were competitive and produced some amazing football. No not everyone gets lucky an has a team like Geelong to follow. But some of us have to take a glass half full approach and be happy for the efforts of our teams in the past even if it doesn't result in a premiership. Hate to hear you when your team finally takes a tumble.
macca
Guest
I am not in denial Jack - I have repeatedly said thjis season has been a disaster but I think we need context to fully understand the situation and realise what exactly is the cause. Things like calling recruiting Judd a failure becauuse the blues only went from winning 3 or 4 games a year to winning a minimum of 10 is seeing the big picture, similarly people who criticise Bryce Gibbs for being a down hill skier or soft player and blaming his performance for our losses despite the fact he has got 27 and 26 possessions in the past 2 weeks and against Melbourne had 13 contested possessions, laid 6 tackles and I think 5 clearances. Yes Geelong and Hawthorn have been very good in recent years but I would say it is easier to develop players in a winning environment and they are both fortunate to be at the top when the compromised drafts came through which caused the chasing pack to stagnate. Both those sides will be tested in the coming 2 or 3 years as established stars retire and the effect of those compromised drafts flow through. For example when Hawthorn lose the likes of Lake, Mitchell, Burgoyne, Sewell. Gibson, Hale and Hodge (all of whom will be 30 before the season ends) the real quality of their drafting will be exposed.
Jack from Liydale
Guest
Macca, you're pretty symptomatic of what ails Carlton. You're in denial!!! Its everyone else's fault! You embrace mediocrity. Rudd and Malthouse last year, were both brought over to the Blues because they thought a premiership window was open!! Utterly delusional with the cattle available at your club. Have a look at the young players in the Hawthorn or Geelong lists and you can see plenty of in house development out of both camps. Its no accident they are both in a position to win a flag or two in the years to come. Both clubs have an exceptional input in to their VFL affiliates which explains their outstanding success over recent years.The harder they work the luckier they get!!
macca
Guest
I thought it was a little excessive to but the point was reasonably sound.
Cat
Roar Guru
You must have a very different definition of great team then most.
macca
Guest
Ingot - There is a lot of truth in what you are saying but for me the blues are going to be "rebuilding" from a pretty good position - or at least one far better than they did a decade ago - three last couple of year of draft picks look pretty good, there is apparently plenty of KPP's in this years draft and the likes of Thomas, Murphy and gibbs sitll have at least 6 years left in them.
Ingot oodles
Guest
Macca I don't think you need to stress mate. All teams have their ups and downs. Carlton had a good run at it and were a great team for a 5 year period there. Now their fading out and having to rebuild again. Most teams go through it. Crows had an awesome period from 05-09 and never made the grand final. Doesn't mean they were crap. They fell off, got a few players to build around in the drafts and are slowly making their way back up. It's good to bottom out. It flushes the team of players who don't care about their club, brings in new coaches and most importantly new players. Then you start again.
macca
Guest
I thought it was pretty clear Paul.
macca
Guest
Prior to the last to this year the blues had a better winning percentage without Judd than with him over the past few seasons. And focusing on the past 4 weeks is ignoring what was achieved in the previous 6 years.
macca
Guest
Gene - The BLues have cleard a lot of their debt, rebuilt their facilities and improved the income streams the are also having a disappointing year the same as Geelong 2006. 1 difference is the starting point in that in 1999 Geelong had 10 wins while in 2005 the blues had 4 and the other is Geelong had a strong list when the compromised drafts came through so they will be impacted by them later. I do think the blues should have used the Geelong model in 2012 and stuck with their coach and could look to them again now but that doesn't mean they haven't achieved anything in the past decade.
paul
Guest
His point is obviously, that Hawthorn don't rely on drafting as much as insinuated. How is it possible to miss that point??