There’s something special about this time of year.
The winter chill has been replaced by warmth and greenery and hay-fever, the tabloids are full of stories about horses that I’ll never read and – without football – this is a period where I can pause to breathe and reflect.
It is a time of inconsequence. As a Carlton supporter, late October is my grand-final.
There are few publicised injuries, no unmet hopes and the lack of on-field success that has become fundamental to my identity is about six months away. The superstars that chose other, less worthy clubs don’t matter either.
A good player is a good player, regardless of the jumper they are wearing.
But hypothetically turning a rugged half-back flanker into a bonafide midfielder, and discussing the assets of a fringe forward to the point where they theoretically become unstoppable is the sort of fuel that keeps me going until they fall short of my unfair expectations.
And have you seen Sam Docherty’s knee? I don’t need to see it. I just don’t. I can feel it in my heart and my guts and my bones that it is, he is and – by extension – they are premiership bound.
Because there is a list of names that are so full-to-the-brim with potential and possibility that this page is barely wide enough to contain them.
Paddy Dow, Charlie Curnow, Patrick Cripps and Jacob Weitering, Sam Petrevski-Seton, Harry McKay, Jack Silvagni and Tom Williamson, Jarrod Pickett, Zac Fisher, Caleb Marchbank and Lochie O’Brien, Will Setterfield and Mitch McGovern and… throw them all together without explanation, it spells dynasty.
(Photo: James Elsby/Getty Images)
So why bother with the season when the pre-pre-season is so full of positivity.
The low-stakes chatter about what the Blues could be is so much better than the crushing, despairing reality.
A small repressed part of me knows that maybe they aren’t there yet. Their development takes time that I might not have and the hours and hours and hours that I have spent accumulating Carlton-related information has not materialised into anything rewarding.
Perhaps, this is it.
A series of rebuilds that continuously falls flat. A team of coaches replacing another team of coaches who are ultimately unsuccessful or just successful enough to be replaced by other, unsuccessful coaches.
A squad of players to which I become emotionally attached and I call out to them but they don’t hear me and then they leave. A psychological process of enthusiasm and misery that goes around and around like a rotisserie chicken.
For Carlton supporters – or maybe just me – most of the football season is very bleak.
But not late October.
Because of the prospect of next year. The successful next year. The premiership-winning, happy, joyful next year.
And, if next year doesn’t pay off, there’s always the year after.
Leon Zwier
Guest
Aron seriusly understands the psyche of the new Carlton supporters. I yearn for the days of chequebook recruiting interstate talent.
Andrew
Guest
Great read, I'm a Lions fan but know these feelings all too well
Will Klinger
Guest
Great piece Aron. As a long a long suffering Melbourne supporter I understand too well your frustration being fed the same message of hope and “ this year will be different”. Well finally we have turned a corner and are definitely worthy of being a top 4 team over the coming years if we’re consistently beating the weaker sides . A premiership is another story and much has to go well with few injuries to best players.We live in hope .... In the meantime keep writing and flourishing ...
The Doc
Roar Guru
Haha. Sorry I meant to say Aron
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Nice article Aron. I genuinely hope the Blues get on their way. I love Summer but at the same time hate the footy off season, it's 11 months before I can look forward to another agonising Grand Final loss. I want to do an analysis of the Pies Preliminary finals as I think that is the key to us losing so many grannies but are still to manically depressed to write it. We simply win too many prelims we shouldn't. I recall as a kid it seemed we beat the Cats by a kick 2 or 3 years in a row in prelims? Even more recently the Hawks should have won the 2011 prelim after buddy's miracle goal but we won that too. Without even looking at the records I just know we are the prelim kings. I wouldn't trade it for less grannies though even though we lose most. It's the best week when you make them and occasionally when we are plus 8 goals in the last quarter, we actually win one or two. One thing for sure, you don't want to be the minor premier. The minor premier have won 2 of the past 11 premierships with the Tigers the latest casualty. Anyway, sorry to hijack your Blues thread but your article prompted my own shattered nerves and emotions as a tragic Pies fan.
Paul D
Roar Guru
What a great read. You have summed it up perfectly, I remember feeling much the same throughout much of 2015-2017 about the Lions. "A psychological process of enthusiasm and misery that goes around and around like a rotisserie chicken" This is one of the best one liners I've read on here. Outstanding description, conjuring up perfunctoriness and bland functionality and necessity all in a single phrase. And yes, no way Anon would write anything this mellifluous to the eyes and senses
Col from Brissie
Roar Guru
Great read Aron, I know exacatly how you feel. I think all supporters of all clubs except perhaps the Premiers feel the same at this time of year and feel that optimism with the arrival of new players and draftees. As far as the Blues are concerned my optimism surrounds the arrival of top performance manager Andrew Russell and seeing what he can do with building up the talented youngsters on our list. Getting a full pre season into SPS, Paddy Dow, Lachie O’Brien, Harry McKay, Tom De Koning and Jarrod Pickett, all of whom are yet to complete a full pre season. If he can get the bodies of Sam Docherty, Tom Williamson and Will Setterfield back into top shape after no games this season and get rid of all the niggles a lot of players suffered this season then we can finally start to see if the rebuild is working. I read that the only player on the list who will not be ready to start pre season from day one is Setterfield but he will be right after Christmas, so that is great news. If we can avoid the injury curse I am confident we will see a much improved and more competitive team running out each week for the Blues especially when you consider the additions of Docherty, Williamson, McGovern, Setterfield, Newman, Fasolo and the probable number 1 pick. We are starting to get the depth on our list we haven’t had for many years.
Ross Piper
Guest
Aron, I am feeling your sarcastic pain. But stick tight. It seems impossible but we have to make it through next season without completely capitulating; without breaking down, without giving the team away. We have to stick with Bolts and just hang on. Celebrate any small consistencies we see in the youth. If we win a game great; but if we see a player consistently flourish, particularly from your list, then we celebrate further. Things will improve, but will they next year? I am not so sure. But its closer for getting through what can only be described as the utter agony of least season.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Doc...if 'anon' wrote this, there would be no such love of the game and no such positivity. This was Aron, not anon.
Macca
Roar Rookie
You jumped on in 2002 - so it was you who sank the ship!!
Macca
Roar Rookie
Great article. I think this "October" feeling is encapsulated by the reviews of the draftees after the draft, I love seeing a young 18 year old who just got taken with pick 27 of the rookie draft being described has having great skills a massive tank and the perfect size for modern day football. On the blues the October hope has been the best part of the year for the last few but in the words of Sam Cooke "a change is going to come"!!
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
That's what a supporter sounds like. A man after my own heart Aron.
The Doc
Roar Guru
Great read Anon, it’s been a good October for us. We will b better next year but still struggle. 6 wins and bring more competitive would be a good outcome. I’ve been a supporter since 2002 and seen mostly pain but just gotta stick fat