Terrible Week For Australia’s Team (The Lost Weekend)

The Blues couldn’t get over the line in support of their embattled billionaire ex-president…so much for gratitude!

Every Australian should feel a tinge of sadness after another tumultuous week at the Carlton Football Club. Having recovered from a perilous financial situation, due in large part to the generosity of billionaire president Richard Pratt, the Blues were finally making some real progress on-field by climbing into the top eight for the first time in a long while.

That all went to shit last week. First, Pratt vacated the top job after being charged for misleading the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. Then Brendan Fevola rejects a new contract offer of close to two million dollars over three seasons – well, he does have a family to feed. And then yesterday, despite another strong comeback that saw them hit the front in the final term, the Blues got rolled by Essendon and slumped to more familiar territory on the AFL ladder.

Kyle Reimers celebrates sinking the Blues by pointing to his ACCC tattoo…

But it is not just the die-hard Blues fan that should feel deflated today. Dick Pratt was partly responsible for ripping off a large majority of Australians and with his generous donations, it is like all of us box-purchasing Australians have indirectly helped prop up the finances at Princes Park. So we all have a monetary stake in Carlton…a dishonourary membership, if you will! And, as a bonefide stakeholder at Carlton, we want more talk of a top-eight finish…not less! We want a return on our investment…that’s all we ask.

…

In other results yesterday:

• Sydney made to work hard against the bottom side in Canberra but Barry Hall’s five goals ensured a strong win. Is the fact that Nick Davis is trying to earn a senior recall inspiring the side to new heights?
• The Western Bulldogs struggle in the first half but recover to eventually put away a slumping Collingwood to consolidate their top-two spot. As usual, Mick Malthouse has a gripe straight after a Magpies loss…this week, we need more players on interchange. At least with the split round coming up, Mick has two whole weeks to formulate his next non-Collingwood related excuse for losing…

…

Some of the stories floating around over the weekend:

• “I went alright”…that’s Gary Ablett after 37 disposals and two goals. Alright? What type of game does he have to play to classify as ‘good’?
• Half Back Flanker is pretty quick to take the piss out of Richmond’s Nathan Brown at the first opportunity but credit when it’s due. Not only is he playing well, his article in the Sunday paper was a really interesting and informative read!
• Andy D ‘respects’ Dick Pratt’s decision to stand down as Carlton President…of course, ‘respects’ actually means ‘absolutely freakin’ ecstatic that he is gone without the AFL having to do or say a single thing!’
• Clusterf@#k! – Hawthorn tactic not as effective in recent weeks.