We almost showed them, didn’t we Fonzie?

It was a horrible start, horrible. We butchered the ball, smashed into each other, made more mistakes in a quarter than we had for the past several games. This was ugly Carlton – the evil twin we’ve kept hidden since…well since last time we played the Bombers actually.

Perfection is so hard to find. We’ve beaten Collingwood twice and lost twice to Essendon. That’s called negation. All the glory cancelled out by all this despair. I hate the two teams equally so I am left numb, cold and I remember something odd – Phil Karma played for both those hated clubs didn’t he?

So one week in the eight. One week to strut and remember the Happy Days. Monday Tuesday, Happy Days, Wednesday Thursday, Happy days…These days are ours (Oh happy days) these days are ours…or so we thought. We went from Fonzie to Cunningham in less time that it takes to count Ben Reid’s steps when shooting for a goal.

So now we are out of the eight, back on horribly familiar, once upon a time unfamiliar, ground. The big L ruining what was a wonderful collection of W’s. Meanwhile back at the ranch, every other side vying for the eight (except Port, thank goodness for small mercies, thankfully this Port is in a storm all of its own making) wins on the weekend! Still we are a young side and these things are to be expected. Plus whack our own fearless Fonzie over the scone with a Matthew Lloyd blockhead and the thumbs up inevitably turn to thumbs down.

Alas poor Caesar, the tides of June football and all that. It was a wicked, wicked day. But - And for all the pain, for all the dark clouds and rants on some internet sites and in the bar after the game, this But is a pretty big one - but for a moment there we almost stole it didn’t we babe?

Even my son back from nine weeks in the mountains, back to see his beloved Blues after hearing all the good news only to turn at the end of the first quarter and say, ‘so tell me again, exactly what has changed?’

Even he had some sort of smile on his face after the game despite the pain of the loss to a hated enemy. I mean it must be said, in times past this game would have been over at quarter time, but this Ratts led cohort are made of rather sterner stuff. We may have lost the game, but we didn’t lose the eagle. We came back from the dead to snatch the lead – mind you (like in all good horror movies just when you thought it was safe to look again) the horror returned when they lopped off our head (again) and we went all zombie at the end stumbling around without a clue.

But for a time, for a sweet time then, we almost showed them, didn’t we?

Fev booting goals from everywhere, Marc Murphy and Stevo’s run, Simmo also and Fish’s last was a ripper too. Gibbsey will be a star, Kruise is a beauty and we need another avenue for Fonzie and the boys to ride to goal along, find that and it would have been a different story.

So that’s the thing now hey Ratts. Keep the boy’s head down, no more strutting around like Arthur Herbert Fonzarelli’s, the world at their feet; they need to remember in truth this side is full of blue collar Richies. And we need another avenue: Another bloke to demand as much mirror space as Fev. It’s not Fev’s fault, he was beautiful to watch after all as he unravelled Go-go-going Gadget man Fletcher. But as beautiful as he is in full flight, one avenue just makes it too easy for them, make us too predictable. So the search is on, the chance presents itself. We either face reruns of reruns, or we plan for a brand new season. A season with a CHF and another also I reckon. Maybe Harts if his hammies are holding up. Maybe Edwards? Or what about young Austin to the CHB and Waitey thrown forward?

Something needs to be done.

And so to next week, and that’s the thing about football isn’t it – about life really - Every week presents a chance to redeem yourself and when the weeks run out there is always next year.

So next week it’s the Tiggers, those bouncing black and yellow balls of eternal optimism that turns sour and feral by season’s end just to disprove the theory that there is always next week or next year.

It is time again to remind Richmond why they have such haunted faces. They will miss out again and worse, in this, the celebration of their centenary, to lose, to lose to us, to lose to us by a fair whack! That’ll hurt.

So it’s Harts in and oh I wish young Tex Walker was fit, can’t wait for him to be back in this side, still that’s not yet. So this week Harts in for Armfield who hurt his finger trying to stem that Essendon dyke. Maybe Austin in also to release Waite forward and let us see how their defence handles a forward line of ours with options.

Hopefully the noggin of our captain is recovered ‘cos the midfield battle will be a ripper, Santy to run with Richo and our defence to hold firm.

It’s the Blues for mine, the smarting Blues, by a fair bit I think.

Fev for 3
Harts for 3
Waite for 3
Eddie for 2
Fish for 2

And lots of singles…

Austin to play a blinder and JR for BOG.

Go Blues!

Please Note: the views expressed in the above article are solely the opinion of the author and do not reflect the opinions of the Carlton Football Club or those employees of the Club. The Carlton Football Club would like to acknowledge the tireless work of those supporters who contribute to carltonfc.com.au.