As a kid, Christmas was a time of waiting. Waiting for school to finish and the several rotten bananas and other lost goodies to be scrapped clean of the school bag and the summer holidays to begin. Waiting for Christmas Eve to hurry up and scamper into the lead on the calendar. Waiting for Christmas morning to finally dawn. Waiting for dad to finish what always seemed to be the biggest breakfast he’d ever eaten. Waiting for the doors to slide open and the presents to be revealed. Waiting for mum or dad to call out my name and I begin to gather my presents about me. Waiting until all the presents have been handed out and then - carnage!

Carnage for me, will come in 2010: Carnage by the Blueboys upon all and sundry opponents.

I cannot wait for Brockie to run out in the old dark navy - at training he is setting the grass on fire with his desire to show why we chased him. Just watch that first bounce and his first chase and tackle. His first bounce and run down the wing. His first goal - all in the navy blue. Brockie will add grunt and steel (and class) to a midfield already oozing class.

I cannot wait to see Hendo take up a position in our new forward line - and I cannot absolutely cannot, wait for that new look socialist forward line where all players are equal targets. It will make the defenders job unbelievably harder not knowing who we will look for. It could be a spot up to a fitter, stronger looking Yarran who looks set to explode in 2010. It could be a big grab to Hendo, a blistering run by Garlett or a Betts snap from lap of an old lady sitting in the third row on the flank. At times Kruezer will wander down there, or Waite, fit and raring to go! Tex, too, may chip in for a goal or two. We may not have the leading goal kicker, instead we will have a forward line where everyone chases, tackles, leads, gets rewarded and kicks goals.

I cannot wait to see Warnock pull on the jumper. He’ll be like a new recruit out there, all 206cm of him! Him, Kruze, Hammer and Sauce. We have 4 ruckmen to choose from. 4 ruckmen who will give that midfield of ours first crack of the pill. Some of our smalls will end up with leather poisoning with that ruck dominion. I cannot wait.

I cannot wait to see Tex and Jammo and Waitey fit and firing in 2010. It seemed to me every other team bemoaned their injuries but Carlton just got on with it. With luck, this year, we’ll shock a lot of so called experts when we field our full strength teams.

I cannot wait to see Ratts & co expand on the gains made last year. In 2010 we’ll be stronger, faster, more unpredictable and we’ll have blokes who run both ways. I was very pleased with WH’s picks in the drafts. We have the depth and the run all great sides need in this ever increasingly lightning-fast game.

I cannot wait to see this exciting blend of youth and experience, of height and run unleashed on the football public in 2010. I feel like I did way back in 1970 when you knew a golden era was upon this football club.

As you unwrap the presents on Christmas morning - the smell of pine, the sizzle of the turkey in the oven or the snap of prawns on the barbie, the sound of shining bicycles bells and the grunts of parents trying to work out those maddening instruction sheets (where A never meets the other A and the screws for C have been left back in Indochina) - remember the real presents have already been unwrapped. Hendo and Brockie, young Lucas, Davies and Kerr and the rest of the draftees, a returning Waite, the introduction of our giant, the further strengthening of Kruze and co. The extra miles in the legs of Murph and Gibbsey, the eagerness of Yarran, Robbo and others.

As I sit in the shadows of the Christmas tree, each flickering light becomes a piece of the puzzle this club set out to put together after the dark years filled us all with despair. It seems to me all the pieces are there now, and now, now I cannot wait for that first siren blaring , that first funny shaped leather ball being held aloft (and I’ll bag whichever ump, in whatever colour, holds it aloft - some things must remain the same). I cannot wait to be sitting again beside my brother, with my son at my side, waiting to hear that first whistle, to watch that first collision, to see the wave of Bluebaggers sweep the ball forward to our new forward line and the first goal of another season.

I cannot wait…

Merry Christmas all. Have a safe and happy holiday season and

Go Blues!