Carlton Didn’t “Tank” Now?

I was prepared to give Libba the benefit of the doubt last week after he alleged that the Carlton Football Club “Tanked” and went out to lose games in the latter part of the 2007 Season. But after listening to his comments over the weekend I now take anything he says with a grain of salt! On the Footy Show he was very calculated in his answers when asked by Craig Hutchison as to whether Carlton Football Club tanked and his response “Personally, I would say Yes” and then on the SEN Radio Station he said “If they say to me, ‘do you think Carlton tanked?’, I would say, ‘I don’t think they did’ .” What is that all about?

Maybe “Tanking” is not the correct word, although many still believe it is, I have no doubt that lower ranked clubs don’t really care if they lose games at the end of the year and do what they call “list management” and is an issue that the AFL MUST look at and change the prize at the end of the year for the team that finishes last. The fact that they call it list management is something that the clubs and the AFL can hide behind because is doesn’t go against any of the rules, but let’s be honest everyone knows what is really going on! And fair enough why wouldn’t you? I know the Carlton Fans wouldn’t have been that disappointed with it because they know what the “prize” is. They now have Chris Judd and Matthew Kruezer to show for it and last year has been forgotten. Read more

Cartlon “Tanked” The Last 3 Games - Libba

Extraordinary claims from former Carlton assistant coach Tony Liberatore that Carlton Football Club “tanked” their last 3 games of the 2007 AFL Season. Little Libba claims that the Blues picked players that did not deserve to get a game in the senior side and forced players to have operations then and there rather than wait until the end of the Season. On the back of the Paul Roos match fixing dramas in the last few weeks these claims will rock AFL circles. A lot has been made of the “tanking” issue over the last 12 months and the AFL keep wiping their hands with it and tell the footballling public that it just doesn’t occur. Well everyone knows that it does and now maybe the AFL may consider doing something about the rules to make sure it doesn’t continue to happen. It is the first time that an “insider” has come out and said anything like this, and I am sure Libba will get his fair share of flack about it but I have no doubt that this sort of thing goes on at the end of the year and if the AFL can’t see that then they are kidding themselves!!! Read more

Chris Judd Named Captain

Well I didn’t think it was going to be any different but Carlton have officially name Chris Judd as Captain for the 2008 Season with Nick Stevens as Vice Captain.

“Chris has demonstrated tremendous leadership qualities throughout the pre-season period, and the Board concurred with the Match Committee’s view that he, together with Nick Stevens as Vice-Captain, was best placed to lead our young playing group into the future.

It was a decision that they had to make, quality player, quality person and will be the prefect face of the Carlton Football Club going forward. The others in that leadership group are Andrew Carrazzo, Brendan Fevola, Heath Scotland and Kade Simpson. Let’s hope Judd can get on the park soon.

Would You Pay $395 for These?

Not being a huge personalized number plate fan I just can not fatham forking out $395 for a set of number plates! Being a Bombers supporter not even “Hirdy 5″ would lure me into spending that amount of money on a set of number plates. But that is what the parents of a passionate Carlton supporter have done, they have paid $395 for the number plates that read “Juddy 5″. And I guess they will be the envy of all the passionate Carlton Fans out there.

She is certainly a dedicated Blues fan I will give her that, having not missed a game in Melbourne since she was a 5 years old, given that she is now 25, I reckon they are the best gift she has ever had.

Speaking of Chris Judd he must have the most talked about groins in AFL / VFL History, there is not a press conference at Carlton that goes by without there being a question about Chris Judd’s groins. How are they going? When will they be ready?. There have been quite a few rumours floating around that he is still 6-8 weeks off but the Blues are adamant that he will be right come Round 1 against Richmond. As Blues coach Brett Ratten says “He’s in a program that’s trying to get him to round one right on time and he is right on track for us so there are no hiccups.”

Let’s hope that “Program” gets him up for Round 1……

Carlton Leadership Team Announced- Judd Captain ?

Well for all you Carlton fans the much anticipated leadership group has been announced here they are:

• Chris Judd
• Andrew Carrazzo
• Brendan Fevola
• Heath Scotland
• Kade Simpson
• Nick Stevens

You would have to think that Chris Judd would have to get the gig wouldn’t you? If I were a Carlton fan then that’s who I would want ! Can’t beat the services of a premiership captain. Fevola has made his feelings heard by backing Judd to become blue skipper. In the way that only Brendan can put it he said “I think Juddy will be captain,” and “He’s got all the qualities … he’s proven himself, he’s a premiership captain, Norm Smith Medalist, Brownlow Medalist, he brings a lot to our group.”

He also said that the players would have no issue with Judd being named captain. Why would you? It will be out of him and Nick Stevens one would think.

See what I think about Carlton’s chances in 2008 by reading this post.

8000 expected for South African Practice Match

It seems the AFL is making it’s biggest push into another country yet, with the organizes of the South African practice match between Cartlon and Fremantle hopeful of reaching 8000 fans for the game.

In an interview with World Footy News AFLSA’s Operations Manager Joel Kelly has said:

“Getting exposure to the game at the highest level is an enormous boost for the code in South Africa - it is all well and good to teach the skills at grass roots but until young South Africans see the game played in the flesh, it will always be hard to establish that unbridled excitement that we readily associate with AFL - for the local FootyWild kids to see their heroes in the townships through the AFL community camps that Fremantle and Carlton will run in the North West and Gauteng respectively, then for those same kids to actually see them play live, is an incredible opportunity that we, as Australians, would probably take for granted - these kids will not and we are genuinely excited about what the AFL club visits will do for the code in South Africa in the longer term”.

It is some what of a reality check when you read this kind of thing, I mean it is just a practise match to us and something we take for granted but for the people of South Africa it is a huge event and will be broadcast live on South African cable channel SuperSport 2. Quite amazing really and something that a lot of us here in Australia can’t really relate to.

Read the full article at World Footy News here.

Carlton Star bashed on New Years Eve

It was bound to happen wasn’t it. Day 1 of the new year and yet another off field incident involving an AFL Footballer. Although I was expecting a Ben Cousins report on New Years Day after a reporter had tailed him on his partying adventures on the night and he had caught him doing something outrageous.

Not to be. This time it was Carlton star Jarrad Waite who was king hit with bottles at Lorne on New Years Eve by 4 men which police have since arrested. Cartlon Football Club have quickly come out and released a press statement saying the Waite was an innocent bystander. It was reported that Waite and his girlfriend were attacked by 4 youths and Waite was hit over the head with bottles suffering facial injuries. Although Carlton cheif Greg Swan has said that his injuries will not affect his pre season training there are rumours on a few AFL Forums that suggest his injuries are more serious than that, a fractured eye socket has been floated around.

I think Swan was being politically correct when he said “The fact Jarrad is an AFL player had no bearing on the incident.” I just don’t buy that at all! There is no way this is what he really believes. These people would have been well aware who he was and they would have had the 10% tougher theory flowing through their minds after quite a few “frothies” I would imagine. I have been around and talked to a lot of AFL players and they all say that people come up to them in pubs and clubs and intend to “have a go”, just because they are AFL players and they can then boast about the incident to their mates.

It is another example of a cowardly act on an AFL Footballer. Let’s hope Waite is OK and there are no serious facial injuries that will affect his pre season program. Waite is an important part of the Carlton Football Clubs plans to make their climb up the AFL Ladder starting in 2008.

No finals for Carlton and Chris Judd in 2008

The third team on my hit list is Carlton, last position in 2007, new coach in 2008, gun recruits. What does the 2008 season hold for the Blues, lets take a look.

Big Expectations

Reading the AFL Footy Forums that are around there is a lot of expectation on the Carlton Football Club this year because of the recruitment of one C Judd. Does this automatically make them finals contenders? Improvers yes but I still think they are a couple of years off being finals contenders. Yes they have a couple of prized draft picks in recent years, but they are going to take a few years to develop and will not make an immediate impact you wouldn’t think.

Let’s first take a look at the additions and departures

ADDITIONS

Richard Hadley (Brisbane Lions), Chris Judd (West Coast)
Rookie elevation: Ryan Jackson, Aisake O’hAilpin
NAB AFL Draft: Dennis Armfield (Swan Districts), Steven Browne (West Perth), Matthew Kreuzer (Northern Knights)
Read more