September 18, 2023 • 38 mins
Carlton have had a remarkable season. After calls to sack their coach Michael Voss, mid-season, the Blues stormed into the AFL Finals after winning nine straight games. After years of pain, Blues fans are basking in the most unlikely turnaround no one expected. Whether you're firmly on the Blues bandwagon or just a curious observer, we have your personal cheat sheet to the Carlton comeback.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Two Good Sports would like to acknowledge the traditional owners
of the land on which we record this podcast that
will rundery people. This land was never seated, always was,
always will be. Hello and welcome to two Good Sports,
sports news told differently.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
I'm Georgie Tunney and I'm Abby Jelmy. And on today's show,
Da Da Da Da, can the Baggers become the Flaggers?
They certainly can if we rehearse that eight times and
finally got it. But Ozzies love getting on a bandwagon
and there is none more appealing in Australian sport right now,
George than the Blues. I'm on it. Carlton have reached
(00:39):
an AFL prelim for the first time in twenty three years,
and the lids, the lids are off. Jeez, the lads
are everywhere. But what's made their plights so appealing to
sports fans around the country.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
It's the journey, all good stories. They're born from adversity
and this club, I mean they've had their fair share,
they've had their fair share of really shitty time. There
is a reason that we are jumping on the bag
as bandwagon, and it's because of the unhingedness technical term
unhingedness of their fans. It's contagious, and they're unhinged for
(01:12):
a reason because, ironically, the last time the Blues were
in a prelim, which is where we find ourselves at
the moment, dear listener, Michael Voss, who is their coach,
was still playing AFL. They played their last prelium Carlton
in two thousand. Now, tell me things that I remember
about the year two thousand. We survived the Y two
(01:32):
K bug. Remember that nothing happened. We survived narrowly. Narrowly,
we beat that virus two thousand.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
I think at Kathy Freeman. So when you think about
how young you were when you watch Kathy Freeman had
that glorious moment at the City two thousand games, that
it's the last time that Carlton fans experienced this level
of joy. And George does laugh because no one thought
that they would be here. Back in round thirteen of
this season, they only had four wins to their name.
(02:00):
There were calls for Michaelvoss to be sacked. It was
just absolute chaos. Yes, then they won their next nine
matches to go from fifteenth to fifth and assert themselves
as premiership contenders. Now, are we your podcast to analyze
the nitty gritty of how Carlton changed their game plan
to become the number one ranked team in scores from stoppage,
I would have thought so, Probably not George, But are
(02:22):
we your place for Ted Lasso's style history onics a
team neody run that apparently turned the season around. Yes,
that is a legitimate headline from the head Ald Sun.
That is in front of me and Robbie Williams singing
about Tom Dakoning. You have come to the right place
if you want to get on the bandwagon. Welcome to
your cheat sheet. That is our deep dive. But for now,
(02:43):
let's get to the headlines. Headline one, we can't.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
Possibly kick us from here?
Speaker 2 (02:52):
Can't they a monster?
Speaker 4 (02:55):
It's gonna kick across them. It's a one on one
Chappy contest. It's taken it.
Speaker 1 (03:09):
And it really was heroics from the Melbourne Storm to
down the Sydney Roosters and make it through to a
prelim final after getting embarrassed by the Brisbane Broncos the
week before Melbourne is through. Cameron Munster combined with Will Warbrick,
who has just been this revelation this season on the wing.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
I don't know where they find all these winners. He
has an AFL background. That makes sense because he takes
a spec on of Mark's AKA catches and they won
with literally minutes left on the clock, like the Roosters
were leading thirteen to twelve, and then they pulled off
this amazing play in the dying stages to qualify to
yet another prelim. They're going to take on the Panthers
(03:48):
storm doing storm things, Storm doing storm things. As long
as they do not do it against the Brisbane Broncos,
I will allow it. Where's you don't be ridiculous, Jemy,
I've got it because you know the other prelim that
we saw was going to side who the Brisbane Broncos
aka the greatest team of all was going to take
on in their prelim. Warriors up against Newcastle Up the
Wars is what everyone is saying. That is the official
(04:11):
slogan for the New Zealand Warriors at the moment, up
the Wars, And didn't they just up at those Wars
because they defeated Newcastle forty points to ten in front
of their home fans. So they are going to come
to Brisbane to take on my Broncos and they better
not be up in anything. I down the war. I
don't know if it's the beanie that makes you look
(04:32):
like a hoop from whose film or the fact that
you keep saying wars like it's a technical term that's
making me not take any of this seriously. Anyway, They're
going to go to Brisbane, they're taking on the Broncos.
Hopefully they lose for the sake of everyone. Let us
get to headline.
Speaker 5 (04:45):
Two fairly off hallirother on Bloody Weakest pitsh They look
at me like that Haman and Kischi the God that's
the answer and everything possessions. You give me possessions and
I'll shut up.
Speaker 2 (04:59):
Ronal Dale Barassi iconic, iconic. I was terrified watching back
some of his speeches. You couldn't do it these days
as a coach. He was a champion player coach and
tragically passed away this week after a fall that he
didn't recover from. But he was surrounded by family and
they've been calls for the AFL Premiership Cup to be
named after him. But he meant so much to so
(05:22):
many different teams. So he played two hundred and fifty
four senior VFL and AFL matches in his career, including
over two hundred for Melbourne and near on fifty for Carlton.
Between playing and coaching, Barassi claimed ten premierships Annie Melbourne,
Carlton and North Melbourne. Only fellow Demon's great Norm Smith,
who coach Barrassy, has as many flags in his playing
(05:44):
and coaching career. Absolutely beloved, and the beautiful stories we've
been hearing on talkback radio was just how much of
a darling friend he was to teammates as well. And
when you think about Ron Barassi's character, he was a
champion of the people, so much so that in recent
memory he saw a man assaulting a woman and tackled
them to the ground. Wow. And he said he would
still do it again because it was the right thing
(06:04):
to do. It seems like a life that's been made up. Yes,
Like it seems like.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
We have gathered the greatest fiction authors of all time,
put them in a room and said, create a man
who will be remembered well.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
Richard Goidter, the president of the AFL, said this, and
I think it's so apt. He revolutionized the game as
a player, created the position of ruck rover, built premiership
success at clubs as a coach, and then was our
first great evangelist to take the game north and grow
it to become what we have today. He was a
player who could win it off his boot, but then
he went and did that time at clubs that were
(06:36):
still being established and made it all grow. So he's
a favorite son of so many different clubs and it's
just yeah, I think Melbourne fans in particular, we'll be
thinking it wrong. Headline three.
Speaker 6 (06:46):
I don't really know how I am because the situation
has been really hard and emotionally is heavy. Normally I
have not taken any bench substance because I am a
big supporter of a clint sport and I always been adopping.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
Eight is a better number. Five words tweeted or exed
if you will, by Serena Williams, which has been most
talked about from that voice That was Simona Hallep talking
about the fact that she's been convicted of doping. Huge
news and in retrospect you look back and say, hang on,
she's a two time Grand Slam winner. Yeah, what does
(07:21):
this mean? Well?
Speaker 1 (07:22):
She so in terms of Simona Harlope, because I think
she that was the first time that we had heard
from her in a public interview. I think it was
four months ago or so now after they had found
a banned substance in her system. Now she maintains her innocent.
She says absolutely not. That wasn't taken intentionally. It was
a contaminated supplement that she took, and she still has
(07:45):
that defense, I think. But she has been banned for
four years now, four doping violations by the World Body.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
Of Tennis, and you're right, Jelmy.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
It does bring that thought process of well, hang on,
if she defeated Sir Williams in twenty nineteen the Wimbledon final,
Serena Williams has won seven of those titles. Serena Williams
then goes on to social media saying, well, I think
that eight would be really nice. I'm not sure we
will see retrospectively any changes to those grown Slam titles.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
Well, it's also worth noting that that final happened a
Wimbledon twenty nineteen, not a period of which there's been
any accusation of hallop doping. Dream I think because if
the substance was found in assistant what twenty twenty two, Yes, yeah,
it's a watch and wait that g the salt from
Serena Williams like just putting on a hot ship Headlindoner four.
Speaker 4 (08:39):
Well, finally deserve victory for FIGI. Yeah, they are our
played us, particularly around the ruck. I think the turnovers
they had they executed three more turn three times more
turnovers than us and in a game, close game like that,
that's the difference.
Speaker 3 (08:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (08:56):
Well for some reason we're just off today. Yeah, if
you look at the stats of the game, we dominated then,
we scored two drives to one, but we were a poor
version of ourselves today. So yeah, there's a bit of
soul searching to do, but you know, it makes a
while game pretty important.
Speaker 1 (09:14):
Eddie Jones, the Wallabies coach who got booed over in
France after the Wallabies lost to Fiji in a Rugby
World Cup, their first loss to Fiji in sixty nine years.
Speaker 2 (09:27):
Soul searching is the term that he used. But you know,
if Eddie Jones, he seems that's the more upbeat that
I've heard him be. Yes, he was.
Speaker 1 (09:33):
Actually I found him to be quite civil when he
was taking those post matches, and that not always the case. Questions,
not always the case, not always the case, but really
I think that he's now had to strategize in his
own mind. He has to take all of this heat
and try and take some of the attention away from
his players who were not performing. They did have a
first round win over in the Rugby World Cup. This
(09:55):
is really big though, because there is now significant doubt
whether or not we're going to make it out of
the pool stages, which seems unfathomable when you're talking about
World rugby.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
Well, at least we're talking about World Rugby. Yeah, I
feel like there might be World Cup fatigue. Oh, we've
had so many World Cups. Yes, yeah, we've hit rugby
and we've gone okay. I mean, you're right. We've had netball,
We've had obviously the Matilda, the Matilda's, We've had basketball,
a lot of World Cups. Do you think that we're
(10:27):
fatigued by World Cups? Or we're fatigued by rugby union.
We don't like losing, George. If they were winning, we'd
be there with our gernzies on.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
Did you think I think that this is the first
time that like rugby in this country is at a
crossroads with people's care and intent. They have to win,
to get anyone to care about them. But ah, I
just don't know that even if they won this whole thing,
would it be the same fever.
Speaker 2 (10:51):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (10:52):
Look, they're in trouble. They're in trouble, so we'll keep
you post a deal listener. But just know that the Wallabies,
I'm not sure.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
I don't.
Speaker 1 (10:58):
I don't believe that they're going to go past the
pool stages.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
Once upon a time, here we go. There was a
ten year old from East Gippsland in Victoria. He lived
in a small town called Orbost with his younger brother Brett,
and his parents Sandy and Gary, Sandy and Gaz. I
challenge you to be more Australian. Now. If you google
pictures of Orbost.
Speaker 1 (11:30):
A town three hundred and seventy five k's east of Melbourne,
you get corrugated iron roofs, a quaint main street, also
a phallic looking clock tower that I want to talk
to or Bostians about. And you also get a whole
lot of grass, green green fields, perfect for farming and
perfect some may say for kicking a footie. Now, this
country boy was obsessed with the Carlton Football club. They
(11:53):
were really good back then, but plot twist, he had
to swap his overalls for boardies and his family made
a new home in Beenley aka God's Country aka Queensland.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
I feel some creative license may have been taken with
overalls for bald. I just think you're painting me. I'm here,
I'm here on the journey. But I just would like
it noted that this is taking us how This is
an unofficial biography, okay going.
Speaker 1 (12:18):
Despite growing up in the eighties, a time where rugby
league really did rule an a glamour club called the
Broncos was born little known team. I've never mentioned them.
It was the Sharon that this teenager dreamed about. He
worked hard, he made every junior rep team you could,
and at seventeen years and eleven days of age, Michael
Voss debuted for the now defunct Brisbane Bears in nineteen
(12:42):
ninety two, the youngest player to ever do so. By
ninety ninety six, he'd won a Brown though a year
later he joined the Brisbane Lions. And the early two
thousands really did etch VOSSI into the history books because
that East Gippsland boy who became a Gold Coast team
then became a King of Brisbane captaining his Pride of
(13:03):
Lions to three straight flags in one, two, three. All
that contributes to me being knocked over attacked this weekend
when these words came out of the now Carlton coach
Vossi's mouth after their last minute semifinal win over Melbourne
ahead of a gigantic prelim against his once beloved Brisbane
(13:27):
this weekend.
Speaker 7 (13:28):
What's it going to be like makes gather for the
biggest game of your coaching career, giving you tostry at
that ground. Yeah, it should be exciting though, but without
doubt the person that's going there's a Carlton person.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
Sorry if you didn't hear that, that was my heartbreaking.
The person going there is a Carlton person. Each word
was like a barb. What that all means is that
in the ven diagram of Carlton, voss and Brisbane, the
stage is set. Because this prelim final the Baggers up
(14:00):
against the Lions. It could be one of the greatest
games ever. The story is the story of the week.
The story of the AFL Finals so far is the
Cinderella Hollywood style turnaround of the Blues. Yeah, it has
to be. It has to be. It has to be
the Carlton Blues bandwagon.
Speaker 1 (14:20):
I mean, I am on that train. I have sprinted
upon it. And this is me as a Brisbane Lions fan.
But I actually there's part of me that would not
mind if the Blues won and made it through to
a Grand Final. And the only reason I can think
of why that.
Speaker 2 (14:37):
Is is because they're long, long, long suffering fans are
making this journey so enjoyable in a prelim for the
first time in twenty three years, that's nuts. And to
understand why a large percentage of Melbourne right now is
losing their collective mind. The scenes from Lagone Street on
the weekend look like we'd won a World Cup. Speaking
(14:57):
of World Cup, yea, it was like a and I
was like, my god, if we're gonna need a public holiday,
Albo pull that out. If they win a Granny, it's
going to be it's going to be unbelievable. But to
understand why it means so much, it's because absence makes
the heart grow fonder. Patrick Cripps was drafted in twenty thirteen.
(15:17):
This says the Blues captain. The Blues finished in the
bottom four in four of Crips's ten seasons lack of
success has led to considerable off field turnover, headlined by
the hiring and firing of coaches of Mick Malthouse, Brendan Bolton,
David Teek. Oh wow, I'd forgotten all of those people. Yeah,
it just felt like we've got the talent, we should
be making finals where not And it seems like the
(15:38):
coach was the first domino to fall in that scenario.
Why it means so much to the fans is because
Carlton has been around the club since eighteen sixty four, No.
Eighteen sixty four, winning the inaugural premiership in eighteen seventy seven. Wow,
it's mind boggling. In eighteen ninety six they joined the
(16:01):
breakaway Victorian Football League, since renamed the AFL, and they're
one of the league's big historical Big four. So you've
got Collingwood, Essendon, Richmond and of course the Blues. And
when the Blues win, it changes how their fans feel
about their week, their year, nay, their lives.
Speaker 1 (16:19):
I would also say it changes their personality just full stop,
because I did not know that I knew this many
Carlton fans. Yes, because there are friends of mine in
the last three weeks, who now talk to me about
sport who previously I would not think knew what an
mcg was. And now they're all aboard the Baggers train.
(16:43):
And that's because they're like, oh my gosh, hang on,
is that is that a tiny.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
Bit of hope? There's a bit of hope. I'm glad,
I'm grabbing it. I'm holding on for it for dear life.
And now they keep messaging me being like, can you
get tickets to the game. They would have been quiet
because this season they were fifteenth on the ladder. How
do you win from fifteen? You technically don't and yet
and yet, So we're going to get through the narrative
(17:07):
of just why this is so important, because we need
to go back to the last round of twenty twenty two.
And I'm sorry, Carlton fans if you've listened for this
to be uplifting, because you have to go back to
this trigger. This is the trigger warning. They basically stuffed
their chance at a finals berth snatch defeat from the
jaws of victory, if you will, for the second straight
(17:29):
week in the most dramatic finish to their AFL season.
So the Blues kicked eight goals to one in the
third term to lead by twenty four points at three
quarter time. This is against Collingwood, so at that point,
as a Blues fan, you're like, we have finally broken
the drought and.
Speaker 1 (17:42):
Correct me if I'm wrong. But Carlton Collingwood one of
the biggest rivalries in the game, or probably just in sport.
Speaker 2 (17:49):
I cannot stress if that is the Grand No one
will work in this in this city for a week. Yeah,
if that is a Grand fin, the parade will stop,
traffic Melbourne would implode if that was the Grand Final.
I don't know if there's enough beer. How are we
going to get enough beer into the pubs? I know
that this is I just like cal Dan get down
on the line.
Speaker 1 (18:08):
I was like, somewhere there is a room happening where
AFL and government officials are there just planning, being like
do you think that a million trillion leaders is going.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
To be enough? Or it could be Giant's prisbone. Oh yeah,
these are the options that we're left with at the moment.
But in that game, Jamie Elliott broke huts by kicking
and sealing the unwinnable game for them. To win by
one point in the dying stages, and for me, there's
a scene of Jared Witeley saying it's unimaginably cruel, and
(18:40):
Andy mar who's perhaps one of the most famous Blue
baggers in the country, just covers his eyes and doesn't
make a peep in the rest of the commentary because
he can't speak. He's a grown man crying. They are
long suffering fans. So then it gets to season twenty
twenty three, full of promise a draw in the first round.
(19:00):
I don't think there should be draws in AFL, but
that's a chap for another time. What win, win, win,
So they win for their first month. Everything's looking great
as of round five loss loss win loss loss loss,
which takes us to round ten where they lose to
Collingwood by twenty eight points, and Blues fans, I'm a nerd,
not your level nerd, but I'm a nerd, and one
(19:22):
of my great joys is listening to sports talkback radio
your level nerd, and well, let's be honest, I never
endered a spelling bee, so I don't know if I
get to play that card, but I do love listening
to people from regional suburbs calling in to talk about
their team, and the Blues fans wanted blood. How do
you have this list? What is going on? How are
(19:45):
we not winning everything else? Michael Voss the headline say
he's coaching for his career. Yes, it's bad, It's really
really bad.
Speaker 1 (19:54):
And for me, I mean, you know, I just gave
a pretty significant love letter to Michael Voss, But I
had to think at that time, when there were those
deafening calls for him to his position to be up
for debate, it just reminded me of when he was
getting kicked out of the Lions, I know, and I
just think for you to go back through that again,
(20:15):
I mean, he seems very well adjusted. He looks like
he's done the work on himself personally, but that's still
got to be in your mind being like, ah, this
is a lot of pressure.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
And the president comes out to alleviate that pressure and
says so Luke say Is, the president of the Carson
Football Club, says Voss will absolutely continue to coach even
if the Blues missed the finals this season. After that
lost to Collingwood, now, he fronted the media on the
Monday after loss and he was just firmly behind him.
He said he's our coach through to the end of
next year. We're not playing good footy at the moment.
(20:46):
We're not happy with where we're at. We've got to
get better. We're going to get back to work and
our goal is still to make finals this year. We
did a review eighteen months ago and we believe we've
got the potential to be playing finals. Footage he seems
like an oracle. Now wow, and this is the final quote.
We don't want to fall across the line. We want
to make impact at finals. Wow. I admit at the time,
(21:08):
when I saw the headlines the president has backed Michael Voss,
my brain switched to the scene where he's got the
cardboard box and he's packing up his desk. Because when
you have the full support of the board in the AFL,
quite often that then leads to some unceremonious sacking zero support.
(21:29):
But this is how it can be done. So well, yeah,
I mean, now you're right.
Speaker 1 (21:34):
He looks like an absolute psydekick the president of the
Carlton Football Club and every single bit of faith that
he has placed in Voss has been met.
Speaker 2 (21:42):
So they had lost five of their last six games
to that point. We'd like to say it was a
turning point. Well, what's their next two? And these were
some of the headlines.
Speaker 3 (21:50):
As a crisis of the Carlton Football Club that is
deepening this morning, Let's go live to Nathan Curry and Melbourne. Nathan.
Speaker 2 (21:56):
Where to now for the Blues?
Speaker 7 (21:59):
Well, Bret, they got a big game to repair for
this weekend and they've got plenty of injured stars that
are going to have to prove their fitness. In the meantime,
Blues fans just want some answers on field and off field.
Mike Fitzpatrick, former skipper, also former AFL commission boss. He
was quizzed by the media out the front if he
would run for president if asked by other Carleton people.
Then he did not rule it out entirely.
Speaker 3 (22:20):
I don't really have a burning desire at the moment.
I think it all comesported a disappointed it The expectations
that have been building over two or three years aren't
really making much progress at the moment.
Speaker 2 (22:35):
Well may have giggled through it there, Mike, but essentially
that was what's been echoed by fans. We had this
build up, we had this expectation and they're not being
met and something has to change. That was after round
eleven they lose to Sydney by twenty six points. They're
thirteenth on the ladder and it says sixth defeat in
their last seven matches, and Caroline Wilson reports that Patrick
(22:56):
Cripps and Sam Doherty didn't stay with the team. This
is what was reported, that they stayed at a different
hotel with their partners while the rest of the team
stayed somewhere else together And that would seemingly highlight that
all is not well within the playing group as well
all but more that there's a lack of care, like
this is a time where you need leadership. You are
two senior players at the club, one captain, one a
(23:19):
former captain. What are you doing? This was then picked
up and reported as fact by the Outlets. Again. I
was listening radio in the morning and there were people
calling back being like, this is a disgrace. You Paul,
pull together, you lean on each other. There's clearly no
matship at the club. It went bonkers. It was on
the cover of the Herald Sun, cover of the paper,
(23:39):
everywhere else. Patrick Cripps then responds and this is the
reigning Brownlow medallist, someone who's very well liked in the
AFL community. He's loved by fans. He's just seen as
an all round good guy, isn't he.
Speaker 1 (23:50):
He's loved by me, who is not a Carlton fan
until now on the bandwagon, but I have interviewed him
a bunch of times and he's just the loveliest man.
And for instance, one of my favorite stories from him
is that he used to stutter, so he would ask
his media team to keep putting him forward for those
interviews so that he could get better and be a
(24:11):
face for the club.
Speaker 2 (24:13):
And that's what he became. And that was the story
that who relayed after winning a brown Low ironically doing
such a public speech, just such a public speech, which
was amazing. But he came forward and this is via Instagram.
He said, I can cop criticism about our form and losing,
but when it's factually incorrect and questions my character and
commitment to the team, it pisces me off. Yep. This
(24:34):
is the accountability as players that we would love to
see with certain people in the media. For clarity for everyone,
I stayed with the team the entire time that we
were in Sydney. I joined my wife and my family
members on this Saturday night as we had the weekend off.
We aren't where we want to be as a team
right now, but never question my commitment to this club.
(24:54):
That's pretty fiery. So you've got people calling for the
coach to be sacked. Yes, you've got board members going well,
it's not going well, is it. You've got the captain
and the star of the club being questioned in his
character and commitment to the team, as well as Sam Dougherty,
who has had two acls and also two bounts of
testicular cancer in his career, where he has then continued
(25:18):
after rounds of chemo playing for the club. It's insane
what he's given to this club's And that moment where
he kicked a goal in Round one of twenty twenty
was back after the King. Oh my gosh, he's one
of my favorite moments of the MCG So beautiful, it
was feel good, it was football. It was just special.
But these are the characters who are being questioned by
(25:39):
their own supporter base off reports that are being fabricated.
It was just it was a storm, Yes, it was
a big, murky shit storm. For the Blues mid season.
You hold for them to dig themselves out of so
they lose round twelve. Oh god, it gets worse. But
then they lose round thirteen, but then they win their
(26:04):
next nine matches.
Speaker 8 (26:06):
Shut up?
Speaker 2 (26:07):
Have they done that? That's wild to assert themselves as
Premiership contenders. If it was a Ted Lasso plotline, you'd
say that's Hollywood because it can't happen in real life.
Speaker 1 (26:20):
It is it's giving last dance, isn't it. It's giving
last dance.
Speaker 2 (26:23):
It's giving.
Speaker 1 (26:24):
You need to follow this team because we're going to
get There's a reason that people love sports movies who
don't necessarily love sport, and the Carlton journey this season.
Speaker 2 (26:34):
Isn't it? Is that? And that's why people are getting
on the bandwagon that might not necessarily love sport or
the ins and outs of AFL nuances, but love the
idea that these battlers that everyone was saying, everything needs
to change. You're not living up to the success or
the expectations there. You lose. Have pulled together, but what
(26:55):
was the turning point? George? Yeah, I don't know how
they've done this well. There are many Harry that my
favorite headline has been AFL twenty twenty three, the campfire
and Nudie run that sparked Carlton's Finals revival. Sorry what
nudi run? Campfire? Those Finals revival? I feel like those
things are quite dangerous and we usually wouldn't go together.
J Clark, wonderful reporter for The Herald's son legitimate article
(27:18):
as to what has been the turning point. So essentially,
according to this, they went to Ed Kerno's place, got together,
sunk Kumbaya, got naked, run into a dam, and that
was a really uniting point of the season. But of
course there's gonna be stories like that. I've also heard
genuinely that apparently like Crips was watching ted Lasso and
(27:38):
so believe really came through as a theme. I don't
know whether that's true or not, but this is what
we hear. Ah.
Speaker 1 (27:43):
It would not surprise me if Michael Voss had somewhere
I'm not saying it's the word believe, but if he
had some kind of mantra, some kind of little motto
for them to remember, just stuck up somewhere.
Speaker 2 (27:55):
The thing that I've been able to find that cuts
through for me is from Vice Captain Jacob Weeding, who
talks about difficult conversations that they've had as a group,
but also galvanizing together. He said, it's simply about supporting
each other. It's more about me focusing my attention on
them and making them a better teammate and a better
player than focusing on my game, and that has definitely
(28:16):
helped me personally. I think the leaders by focusing on
other things and focusing on the team has really helped
our game. So at a time when you're being criticized
for your own performance, look outward and see how you
can make your teammates better. We can lead the system,
we can lead the actions and behaviors that we want
to see on field, and they just become consistent and
they kind of become habits. Vossy has certainly led the
(28:37):
way with those conversations. Some of them were tough. I
didn't like some of them, but they were true. You've
got to praise his leadership and the way he's gone
about it. Vossy for PM foss he didn't say that.
Jacob Weeding didn't.
Speaker 1 (28:49):
But at the end of that that's how I feel
about it well, and I have to say that, yes,
the turning point. You know, there'll be so many different
arguments for what it is, but the nine straight wins
from having a leader of that club take a lot
of the heat and get you through those tough times
and be the support. There is no doubt in my
(29:09):
mind that Michael voss would willingly carry all of those.
Speaker 2 (29:13):
Players if he could.
Speaker 1 (29:14):
He would run out, he would take the hits for them,
He would do all of the training if he could.
He probably doesn't want to anymore, but he would do
all of that for his players because he's that type
of person. You listen to him in the post match
press conferences and he will talk about, you know, holistically,
you know, not to get to hippie hippie we were,
but holistically the approach that we need to take as
(29:34):
a football club is also the approach.
Speaker 2 (29:37):
That we can apply in our lives. And therefore it
is very ted Lasso. You can breed good humans and
therefore you can breed good football. And this is a
quote from Vossy and I think it sums it up best.
This moment doesn't happen off the back of just players.
It comes off the back of a football club. And
there are plenty of those moments through there that we
could have gone a different way, but we didn't. We
stuck together. I think it says a lot about our
(29:59):
club now. And you know who has a lot to
say about Michael Voss, Craig McRae, good mates, former teammates.
And when Craig McCrae, who many have tipped to be
coach of the year, because of course Colin wood a
flying who does he think should be coach of the year.
Speaker 8 (30:11):
Well, I think Vossy, right, Yeah, I'm clearly biased because
he's a friend of mine. But what he managed to
do middle part of the year, and the hysteria around
should he lose his job and not winning, and the
expectation high and to see him change his playing group,
that's difficult to do. The mindset around on a bit
of a trend down, and he's definitely trended them up
(30:34):
and they've had a sensational second half of the year.
And if I'm if I'm voting for the coach year,
which I get a chance to coach, I'll be voting
for Michael.
Speaker 2 (30:41):
Praise, praise, praise be to Vossy. I just think given
the amount of criticism that came his way all year,
the praise the coach that everyone that's uncomfortable. Yeah, John's
part of sorry yeah ah.
Speaker 9 (31:03):
Anyway, moving on from personal allegiances line, I just think
it's nice as football fans, not necessarily Carlton fans, to
look at what they've achieved as a group with a
message of we backed each other from the board.
Speaker 2 (31:18):
Yeah, president backing Bossy Bossy then has the confidence. I
love it. We're saying Bossy love, We're very close. The
president backs Bossy, Bossy Backsy's players, players back each other. Yes,
that's the chain of command that we've just heard through
that narrative. It's a positive domino effect and it's just
wonderful to see. And then you cut the scenes of
Patrick Crips looking like a kid on Christmas.
Speaker 1 (31:39):
I have to say that was one of my favorite
moments from the Weekend's Footy, is that you've got Patrick
Cripps there, who has been with Carlton for a decade
when they have been technical term shit house, and he's
there with a packed mcg everyone's singing and he just
could not get over how loud.
Speaker 2 (31:57):
It was, and he was like, isn't there so right?
Like isn't this wonderful?
Speaker 1 (32:01):
Like he didn't want to talk to the you know,
media or whatever. He just wanted to sit there and
listen to it. I thought they were going to have
to drag him off the MC.
Speaker 2 (32:09):
It was probably so loud because you could hear the
riots from Carlton from the gep li On Street. Looked
like you couldn't drive a car through it. Yes, and
currently as we go to air, it is cheaper to
fly from Melbourne to Tokyo than it is to fly
from Melbourne to Brisbane. It's such is the migration of
the Baggers to the North.
Speaker 1 (32:29):
And don't we love it? That's what we love. We
love getting caught up in the max.
Speaker 2 (32:36):
They're gonna want to go because the Gabba the Lions
record is that they haven't lost there this season. And
here's the nuts and bolts.
Speaker 1 (32:43):
Do they win, does the bandwagon roll on or does
it end ironically at the gabbaseum where Michael Voss should
have a statue at the front.
Speaker 2 (32:52):
I'm going to put it out to the footy gods
that if Carlton win and Colling would win and we
have a blue whose Magpie's granny, I think we will
see afl scenes Unlike anything this country's experienced and do
you know he'll be lining up first in line to
get a ticket to that match? Are mister Robbie Williams?
(33:14):
He was in Singapore over the weekend, playing at the
Grand Prix there, and yet somehow still had found time
to write an excellent song for his new favorite team,
the Carlton Blues.
Speaker 10 (33:26):
Is it like this every year?
Speaker 2 (33:27):
Because I am so in my.
Speaker 10 (33:32):
God, d'aconey's in the air everywhere I look around. D'coney's everywhere,
leaving bodies on the ground. And he's better than his brother,
even better than his dad. There's only once Armers d coonan,
(33:53):
and he's the best one we'll ever round.
Speaker 2 (34:00):
In.
Speaker 10 (34:00):
The city is us? This city is us? What team
in Melbourne?
Speaker 4 (34:11):
This city is us?
Speaker 2 (34:14):
Can't believe it if you were playing AFL Bingo at
the start of the year and you had Robbie Williams
singing about Tom d'aconing. Yeah, not even the famous one.
I think he's got someone in his team. Yeah. I
had the privilege of interviewing Robbie last year. I don't
know that his knowledge was that deep to know that
there was one Daconing, let alone two. But don't you
(34:36):
love that he's on the bandwagon. He's also posted an
article that was calling for Michael Voss to be sacked
with the shit emoji, saying hasn't this age the world?
And he's putting this out to his two point eight
million followers, most of which, let's be honest, aren't Australian. Yeah,
they don't know what Olzy rules is. They're like, who
what is this man singing about? But how great?
Speaker 1 (34:57):
But that's part of why the bandwagon is so huge
and so fast and everyone's aboard it.
Speaker 2 (35:01):
And perhaps the best example of how to get on
the bandwagon. Someone gave me mcguernsey and he decided it
was going to be his team that a who do
you think is gonna win it? I think the lines
should we address the other prelim or just pretend like
it's not happening?
Speaker 1 (35:16):
Oh yeah, the other prelm, you know, calling it up
against the giants.
Speaker 2 (35:19):
I think Collingwood wins Blues get on the bandwagon. Hopefully
we've provided you with a cheat sheet so that when
you go to a mates to watch on the weekend,
you can drop some fun facts, mostly about a Noodie
run and a bombire Georgie our fun fact is usually
a place where we can come to feel uplifted. Yes,
(35:40):
and given that we're going into the finals for both
footy codes, I thought I would create a moment that
was uplifting for all involved scene. Yes, I love it.
When do you need lifting when your team is getting smashed?
Oh god, yeah, yeah, yeah you do. It's really hard
when you're passionate and you're getting flogged at halftime not
to turn it off. In fact, the greatest comeback in
(36:01):
AFL history happened in two thousand and one where the
Bombers came back against the Kangaroos after being sixty nine
points down. Sixty nine points that's more than eleven goals.
North Melbourne got off to a flying start, scoring twelve
goals to two in the opening quarter to lead by
seventy three to fifteen at quarter time. If you packed
(36:24):
up your lunch and went home seventy three Again, these
are very early two thousands. I was kind of sad,
like see these score lines. That is a final score
sometimes in footy at the moment. But anyway, the lead
got even bigger in the second quarter, with the Kangaroos
leading by as much as sixty nine points ten minutes
into the second term. However, Essendon then ran rampant to
(36:47):
record a ten goals second quarter to bridge the gap
to just twenty one points at halftime. Matthew Lloyd kicked
nine nine the final score line. And this is what
blows my mind. Bombers twenty seven nine, one hundred and
seventy one to Kangaroo's twenty five nine, one hundred and
fifty nine. That's insane. Well those school lines are nuts.
(37:11):
Well over three hundred points kicked in one game of footage.
Also know a sentence that I didn't think I may
ever hear again. Bombers run rampant the early two thousands. Look,
they were a great time for some fans. Do you
know how much grass would have been sacrificed with Matthew
Lloyd having to do his pre gol nine nine toughs
(37:34):
the curator furious. He probably from the same remember that
he used to go and throw the grass. So, dear listener,
if on the weekend your side looks like they're taking
a bit of a turn and you think there is
nowhere back from here, you can, while holding your beverage
alcoholic or not, turn to your mate and say could
be worse. Make of it what you will? This is
(37:54):
this is either a glass half empty or a glass
half full. Fun fact, and we are to citing that
it's overflowing the Premiership Cup, if you will, is half full?
Will it be named after Ron Barrassi? We'll find out,
all right.
Speaker 1 (38:09):
That is another episode of Two Good Sports DA.
Speaker 2 (38:13):
If it's not in your head all day, we haven't
done our job properly.
Speaker 1 (38:17):
Remember to please follow us on Instagram at two Good
Sports Podcasts, and please keep giving us feedback as well
so that we can do our jobs and remember those things.
Speaker 2 (38:26):
We're basically boomers when it comes to text you and I,
so please subscribe please, But more importantly, Bigger Sport
Two Good Sports would like to acknowledge the traditional owners
of the land on which we record this podcast that
will rundery people. This land was never seated, always was,
always will be. Hello and welcome to two Good Sports,
sports news told differently.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
I'm Georgie Tunney and I'm Abby Jelmy. And on today's show,
Da Da Da Da, can the Baggers become the Flaggers?
They certainly can if we rehearse that eight times and
finally got it. But Ozzies love getting on a bandwagon
and there is none more appealing in Australian sport right now,
George than the Blues. I'm on it. Carlton have reached
(00:39):
an AFL prelim for the first time in twenty three years,
and the lids, the lids are off. Jeez, the lads
are everywhere. But what's made their plights so appealing to
sports fans around the country.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
It's the journey, all good stories. They're born from adversity
and this club, I mean they've had their fair share,
they've had their fair share of really shitty time. There
is a reason that we are jumping on the bag
as bandwagon, and it's because of the unhingedness technical term
unhingedness of their fans. It's contagious, and they're unhinged for
(01:12):
a reason because, ironically, the last time the Blues were
in a prelim, which is where we find ourselves at
the moment, dear listener, Michael Voss, who is their coach,
was still playing AFL. They played their last prelium Carlton
in two thousand. Now, tell me things that I remember
about the year two thousand. We survived the Y two
(01:32):
K bug. Remember that nothing happened. We survived narrowly. Narrowly,
we beat that virus two thousand.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
I think at Kathy Freeman. So when you think about
how young you were when you watch Kathy Freeman had
that glorious moment at the City two thousand games, that
it's the last time that Carlton fans experienced this level
of joy. And George does laugh because no one thought
that they would be here. Back in round thirteen of
this season, they only had four wins to their name.
(02:00):
There were calls for Michaelvoss to be sacked. It was
just absolute chaos. Yes, then they won their next nine
matches to go from fifteenth to fifth and assert themselves
as premiership contenders. Now, are we your podcast to analyze
the nitty gritty of how Carlton changed their game plan
to become the number one ranked team in scores from stoppage,
I would have thought so, Probably not George, But are
(02:22):
we your place for Ted Lasso's style history onics a
team neody run that apparently turned the season around. Yes,
that is a legitimate headline from the head Ald Sun.
That is in front of me and Robbie Williams singing
about Tom Dakoning. You have come to the right place
if you want to get on the bandwagon. Welcome to
your cheat sheet. That is our deep dive. But for now,
(02:43):
let's get to the headlines. Headline one, we can't.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
Possibly kick us from here?
Speaker 2 (02:52):
Can't they a monster?
Speaker 4 (02:55):
It's gonna kick across them. It's a one on one
Chappy contest. It's taken it.
Speaker 1 (03:09):
And it really was heroics from the Melbourne Storm to
down the Sydney Roosters and make it through to a
prelim final after getting embarrassed by the Brisbane Broncos the
week before Melbourne is through. Cameron Munster combined with Will Warbrick,
who has just been this revelation this season on the wing.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
I don't know where they find all these winners. He
has an AFL background. That makes sense because he takes
a spec on of Mark's AKA catches and they won
with literally minutes left on the clock, like the Roosters
were leading thirteen to twelve, and then they pulled off
this amazing play in the dying stages to qualify to
yet another prelim. They're going to take on the Panthers
(03:48):
storm doing storm things, Storm doing storm things. As long
as they do not do it against the Brisbane Broncos,
I will allow it. Where's you don't be ridiculous, Jemy,
I've got it because you know the other prelim that
we saw was going to side who the Brisbane Broncos
aka the greatest team of all was going to take
on in their prelim. Warriors up against Newcastle Up the
Wars is what everyone is saying. That is the official
(04:11):
slogan for the New Zealand Warriors at the moment, up
the Wars, And didn't they just up at those Wars
because they defeated Newcastle forty points to ten in front
of their home fans. So they are going to come
to Brisbane to take on my Broncos and they better
not be up in anything. I down the war. I
don't know if it's the beanie that makes you look
(04:32):
like a hoop from whose film or the fact that
you keep saying wars like it's a technical term that's
making me not take any of this seriously. Anyway, They're
going to go to Brisbane, they're taking on the Broncos.
Hopefully they lose for the sake of everyone. Let us
get to headline.
Speaker 5 (04:45):
Two fairly off hallirother on Bloody Weakest pitsh They look
at me like that Haman and Kischi the God that's
the answer and everything possessions. You give me possessions and
I'll shut up.
Speaker 2 (04:59):
Ronal Dale Barassi iconic, iconic. I was terrified watching back
some of his speeches. You couldn't do it these days
as a coach. He was a champion player coach and
tragically passed away this week after a fall that he
didn't recover from. But he was surrounded by family and
they've been calls for the AFL Premiership Cup to be
named after him. But he meant so much to so
(05:22):
many different teams. So he played two hundred and fifty
four senior VFL and AFL matches in his career, including
over two hundred for Melbourne and near on fifty for Carlton.
Between playing and coaching, Barassi claimed ten premierships Annie Melbourne,
Carlton and North Melbourne. Only fellow Demon's great Norm Smith,
who coach Barrassy, has as many flags in his playing
(05:44):
and coaching career. Absolutely beloved, and the beautiful stories we've
been hearing on talkback radio was just how much of
a darling friend he was to teammates as well. And
when you think about Ron Barassi's character, he was a
champion of the people, so much so that in recent
memory he saw a man assaulting a woman and tackled
them to the ground. Wow. And he said he would
still do it again because it was the right thing
(06:04):
to do. It seems like a life that's been made up. Yes,
Like it seems like.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
We have gathered the greatest fiction authors of all time,
put them in a room and said, create a man
who will be remembered well.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
Richard Goidter, the president of the AFL, said this, and
I think it's so apt. He revolutionized the game as
a player, created the position of ruck rover, built premiership
success at clubs as a coach, and then was our
first great evangelist to take the game north and grow
it to become what we have today. He was a
player who could win it off his boot, but then
he went and did that time at clubs that were
(06:36):
still being established and made it all grow. So he's
a favorite son of so many different clubs and it's
just yeah, I think Melbourne fans in particular, we'll be
thinking it wrong. Headline three.
Speaker 6 (06:46):
I don't really know how I am because the situation
has been really hard and emotionally is heavy. Normally I
have not taken any bench substance because I am a
big supporter of a clint sport and I always been adopping.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
Eight is a better number. Five words tweeted or exed
if you will, by Serena Williams, which has been most
talked about from that voice That was Simona Hallep talking
about the fact that she's been convicted of doping. Huge
news and in retrospect you look back and say, hang on,
she's a two time Grand Slam winner. Yeah, what does
(07:21):
this mean? Well?
Speaker 1 (07:22):
She so in terms of Simona Harlope, because I think
she that was the first time that we had heard
from her in a public interview. I think it was
four months ago or so now after they had found
a banned substance in her system. Now she maintains her innocent.
She says absolutely not. That wasn't taken intentionally. It was
a contaminated supplement that she took, and she still has
(07:45):
that defense, I think. But she has been banned for
four years now, four doping violations by the World Body.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
Of Tennis, and you're right, Jelmy.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
It does bring that thought process of well, hang on,
if she defeated Sir Williams in twenty nineteen the Wimbledon final,
Serena Williams has won seven of those titles. Serena Williams
then goes on to social media saying, well, I think
that eight would be really nice. I'm not sure we
will see retrospectively any changes to those grown Slam titles.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
Well, it's also worth noting that that final happened a
Wimbledon twenty nineteen, not a period of which there's been
any accusation of hallop doping. Dream I think because if
the substance was found in assistant what twenty twenty two, Yes, yeah,
it's a watch and wait that g the salt from
Serena Williams like just putting on a hot ship Headlindoner four.
Speaker 4 (08:39):
Well, finally deserve victory for FIGI. Yeah, they are our
played us, particularly around the ruck. I think the turnovers
they had they executed three more turn three times more
turnovers than us and in a game, close game like that,
that's the difference.
Speaker 3 (08:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (08:56):
Well for some reason we're just off today. Yeah, if
you look at the stats of the game, we dominated then,
we scored two drives to one, but we were a poor
version of ourselves today. So yeah, there's a bit of
soul searching to do, but you know, it makes a
while game pretty important.
Speaker 1 (09:14):
Eddie Jones, the Wallabies coach who got booed over in
France after the Wallabies lost to Fiji in a Rugby
World Cup, their first loss to Fiji in sixty nine years.
Speaker 2 (09:27):
Soul searching is the term that he used. But you know,
if Eddie Jones, he seems that's the more upbeat that
I've heard him be. Yes, he was.
Speaker 1 (09:33):
Actually I found him to be quite civil when he
was taking those post matches, and that not always the case. Questions,
not always the case, not always the case, but really
I think that he's now had to strategize in his
own mind. He has to take all of this heat
and try and take some of the attention away from
his players who were not performing. They did have a
first round win over in the Rugby World Cup. This
(09:55):
is really big though, because there is now significant doubt
whether or not we're going to make it out of
the pool stages, which seems unfathomable when you're talking about
World rugby.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
Well, at least we're talking about World Rugby. Yeah, I
feel like there might be World Cup fatigue. Oh, we've
had so many World Cups. Yes, yeah, we've hit rugby
and we've gone okay. I mean, you're right. We've had netball,
We've had obviously the Matilda, the Matilda's, We've had basketball,
a lot of World Cups. Do you think that we're
(10:27):
fatigued by World Cups? Or we're fatigued by rugby union.
We don't like losing, George. If they were winning, we'd
be there with our gernzies on.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
Did you think I think that this is the first
time that like rugby in this country is at a
crossroads with people's care and intent. They have to win,
to get anyone to care about them. But ah, I
just don't know that even if they won this whole thing,
would it be the same fever.
Speaker 2 (10:51):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (10:52):
Look, they're in trouble. They're in trouble, so we'll keep
you post a deal listener. But just know that the Wallabies,
I'm not sure.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
I don't.
Speaker 1 (10:58):
I don't believe that they're going to go past the
pool stages.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
Once upon a time, here we go. There was a
ten year old from East Gippsland in Victoria. He lived
in a small town called Orbost with his younger brother Brett,
and his parents Sandy and Gary, Sandy and Gaz. I
challenge you to be more Australian. Now. If you google
pictures of Orbost.
Speaker 1 (11:30):
A town three hundred and seventy five k's east of Melbourne,
you get corrugated iron roofs, a quaint main street, also
a phallic looking clock tower that I want to talk
to or Bostians about. And you also get a whole
lot of grass, green green fields, perfect for farming and
perfect some may say for kicking a footie. Now, this
country boy was obsessed with the Carlton Football club. They
(11:53):
were really good back then, but plot twist, he had
to swap his overalls for boardies and his family made
a new home in Beenley aka God's Country aka Queensland.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
I feel some creative license may have been taken with
overalls for bald. I just think you're painting me. I'm here,
I'm here on the journey. But I just would like
it noted that this is taking us how This is
an unofficial biography, okay going.
Speaker 1 (12:18):
Despite growing up in the eighties, a time where rugby
league really did rule an a glamour club called the
Broncos was born little known team. I've never mentioned them.
It was the Sharon that this teenager dreamed about. He
worked hard, he made every junior rep team you could,
and at seventeen years and eleven days of age, Michael
Voss debuted for the now defunct Brisbane Bears in nineteen
(12:42):
ninety two, the youngest player to ever do so. By
ninety ninety six, he'd won a Brown though a year
later he joined the Brisbane Lions. And the early two
thousands really did etch VOSSI into the history books because
that East Gippsland boy who became a Gold Coast team
then became a King of Brisbane captaining his Pride of
(13:03):
Lions to three straight flags in one, two, three. All
that contributes to me being knocked over attacked this weekend
when these words came out of the now Carlton coach
Vossi's mouth after their last minute semifinal win over Melbourne
ahead of a gigantic prelim against his once beloved Brisbane
(13:27):
this weekend.
Speaker 7 (13:28):
What's it going to be like makes gather for the
biggest game of your coaching career, giving you tostry at
that ground. Yeah, it should be exciting though, but without
doubt the person that's going there's a Carlton person.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
Sorry if you didn't hear that, that was my heartbreaking.
The person going there is a Carlton person. Each word
was like a barb. What that all means is that
in the ven diagram of Carlton, voss and Brisbane, the
stage is set. Because this prelim final the Baggers up
(14:00):
against the Lions. It could be one of the greatest
games ever. The story is the story of the week.
The story of the AFL Finals so far is the
Cinderella Hollywood style turnaround of the Blues. Yeah, it has
to be. It has to be. It has to be
the Carlton Blues bandwagon.
Speaker 1 (14:20):
I mean, I am on that train. I have sprinted
upon it. And this is me as a Brisbane Lions fan.
But I actually there's part of me that would not
mind if the Blues won and made it through to
a Grand Final. And the only reason I can think
of why that.
Speaker 2 (14:37):
Is is because they're long, long, long suffering fans are
making this journey so enjoyable in a prelim for the
first time in twenty three years, that's nuts. And to
understand why a large percentage of Melbourne right now is
losing their collective mind. The scenes from Lagone Street on
the weekend look like we'd won a World Cup. Speaking
(14:57):
of World Cup, yea, it was like a and I
was like, my god, if we're gonna need a public holiday,
Albo pull that out. If they win a Granny, it's
going to be it's going to be unbelievable. But to
understand why it means so much, it's because absence makes
the heart grow fonder. Patrick Cripps was drafted in twenty thirteen.
(15:17):
This says the Blues captain. The Blues finished in the
bottom four in four of Crips's ten seasons lack of
success has led to considerable off field turnover, headlined by
the hiring and firing of coaches of Mick Malthouse, Brendan Bolton,
David Teek. Oh wow, I'd forgotten all of those people. Yeah,
it just felt like we've got the talent, we should
be making finals where not And it seems like the
(15:38):
coach was the first domino to fall in that scenario.
Why it means so much to the fans is because
Carlton has been around the club since eighteen sixty four, No.
Eighteen sixty four, winning the inaugural premiership in eighteen seventy seven. Wow,
it's mind boggling. In eighteen ninety six they joined the
(16:01):
breakaway Victorian Football League, since renamed the AFL, and they're
one of the league's big historical Big four. So you've
got Collingwood, Essendon, Richmond and of course the Blues. And
when the Blues win, it changes how their fans feel
about their week, their year, nay, their lives.
Speaker 1 (16:19):
I would also say it changes their personality just full stop,
because I did not know that I knew this many
Carlton fans. Yes, because there are friends of mine in
the last three weeks, who now talk to me about
sport who previously I would not think knew what an
mcg was. And now they're all aboard the Baggers train.
(16:43):
And that's because they're like, oh my gosh, hang on,
is that is that a tiny.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
Bit of hope? There's a bit of hope. I'm glad,
I'm grabbing it. I'm holding on for it for dear life.
And now they keep messaging me being like, can you
get tickets to the game. They would have been quiet
because this season they were fifteenth on the ladder. How
do you win from fifteen? You technically don't and yet
and yet, So we're going to get through the narrative
(17:07):
of just why this is so important, because we need
to go back to the last round of twenty twenty two.
And I'm sorry, Carlton fans if you've listened for this
to be uplifting, because you have to go back to
this trigger. This is the trigger warning. They basically stuffed
their chance at a finals berth snatch defeat from the
jaws of victory, if you will, for the second straight
(17:29):
week in the most dramatic finish to their AFL season.
So the Blues kicked eight goals to one in the
third term to lead by twenty four points at three
quarter time. This is against Collingwood, so at that point,
as a Blues fan, you're like, we have finally broken
the drought and.
Speaker 1 (17:42):
Correct me if I'm wrong. But Carlton Collingwood one of
the biggest rivalries in the game, or probably just in sport.
Speaker 2 (17:49):
I cannot stress if that is the Grand No one
will work in this in this city for a week. Yeah,
if that is a Grand fin, the parade will stop,
traffic Melbourne would implode if that was the Grand Final.
I don't know if there's enough beer. How are we
going to get enough beer into the pubs? I know
that this is I just like cal Dan get down
on the line.
Speaker 1 (18:08):
I was like, somewhere there is a room happening where
AFL and government officials are there just planning, being like
do you think that a million trillion leaders is going.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
To be enough? Or it could be Giant's prisbone. Oh yeah,
these are the options that we're left with at the moment.
But in that game, Jamie Elliott broke huts by kicking
and sealing the unwinnable game for them. To win by
one point in the dying stages, and for me, there's
a scene of Jared Witeley saying it's unimaginably cruel, and
(18:40):
Andy mar who's perhaps one of the most famous Blue
baggers in the country, just covers his eyes and doesn't
make a peep in the rest of the commentary because
he can't speak. He's a grown man crying. They are
long suffering fans. So then it gets to season twenty
twenty three, full of promise a draw in the first round.
(19:00):
I don't think there should be draws in AFL, but
that's a chap for another time. What win, win, win,
So they win for their first month. Everything's looking great
as of round five loss loss win loss loss loss,
which takes us to round ten where they lose to
Collingwood by twenty eight points, and Blues fans, I'm a nerd,
not your level nerd, but I'm a nerd, and one
(19:22):
of my great joys is listening to sports talkback radio
your level nerd, and well, let's be honest, I never
endered a spelling bee, so I don't know if I
get to play that card, but I do love listening
to people from regional suburbs calling in to talk about
their team, and the Blues fans wanted blood. How do
you have this list? What is going on? How are
(19:45):
we not winning everything else? Michael Voss the headline say
he's coaching for his career. Yes, it's bad, It's really
really bad.
Speaker 1 (19:54):
And for me, I mean, you know, I just gave
a pretty significant love letter to Michael Voss, But I
had to think at that time, when there were those
deafening calls for him to his position to be up
for debate, it just reminded me of when he was
getting kicked out of the Lions, I know, and I
just think for you to go back through that again,
(20:15):
I mean, he seems very well adjusted. He looks like
he's done the work on himself personally, but that's still
got to be in your mind being like, ah, this
is a lot of pressure.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
And the president comes out to alleviate that pressure and
says so Luke say Is, the president of the Carson
Football Club, says Voss will absolutely continue to coach even
if the Blues missed the finals this season. After that
lost to Collingwood, now, he fronted the media on the
Monday after loss and he was just firmly behind him.
He said he's our coach through to the end of
next year. We're not playing good footy at the moment.
(20:46):
We're not happy with where we're at. We've got to
get better. We're going to get back to work and
our goal is still to make finals this year. We
did a review eighteen months ago and we believe we've
got the potential to be playing finals. Footage he seems
like an oracle. Now wow, and this is the final quote.
We don't want to fall across the line. We want
to make impact at finals. Wow. I admit at the time,
(21:08):
when I saw the headlines the president has backed Michael Voss,
my brain switched to the scene where he's got the
cardboard box and he's packing up his desk. Because when
you have the full support of the board in the AFL,
quite often that then leads to some unceremonious sacking zero support.
(21:29):
But this is how it can be done. So well, yeah,
I mean, now you're right.
Speaker 1 (21:34):
He looks like an absolute psydekick the president of the
Carlton Football Club and every single bit of faith that
he has placed in Voss has been met.
Speaker 2 (21:42):
So they had lost five of their last six games
to that point. We'd like to say it was a
turning point. Well, what's their next two? And these were
some of the headlines.
Speaker 3 (21:50):
As a crisis of the Carlton Football Club that is
deepening this morning, Let's go live to Nathan Curry and Melbourne. Nathan.
Speaker 2 (21:56):
Where to now for the Blues?
Speaker 7 (21:59):
Well, Bret, they got a big game to repair for
this weekend and they've got plenty of injured stars that
are going to have to prove their fitness. In the meantime,
Blues fans just want some answers on field and off field.
Mike Fitzpatrick, former skipper, also former AFL commission boss. He
was quizzed by the media out the front if he
would run for president if asked by other Carleton people.
Then he did not rule it out entirely.
Speaker 3 (22:20):
I don't really have a burning desire at the moment.
I think it all comesported a disappointed it The expectations
that have been building over two or three years aren't
really making much progress at the moment.
Speaker 2 (22:35):
Well may have giggled through it there, Mike, but essentially
that was what's been echoed by fans. We had this
build up, we had this expectation and they're not being
met and something has to change. That was after round
eleven they lose to Sydney by twenty six points. They're
thirteenth on the ladder and it says sixth defeat in
their last seven matches, and Caroline Wilson reports that Patrick
(22:56):
Cripps and Sam Doherty didn't stay with the team. This
is what was reported, that they stayed at a different
hotel with their partners while the rest of the team
stayed somewhere else together And that would seemingly highlight that
all is not well within the playing group as well
all but more that there's a lack of care, like
this is a time where you need leadership. You are
two senior players at the club, one captain, one a
(23:19):
former captain. What are you doing? This was then picked
up and reported as fact by the Outlets. Again. I
was listening radio in the morning and there were people
calling back being like, this is a disgrace. You Paul,
pull together, you lean on each other. There's clearly no
matship at the club. It went bonkers. It was on
the cover of the Herald Sun, cover of the paper,
(23:39):
everywhere else. Patrick Cripps then responds and this is the
reigning Brownlow medallist, someone who's very well liked in the
AFL community. He's loved by fans. He's just seen as
an all round good guy, isn't he.
Speaker 1 (23:50):
He's loved by me, who is not a Carlton fan
until now on the bandwagon, but I have interviewed him
a bunch of times and he's just the loveliest man.
And for instance, one of my favorite stories from him
is that he used to stutter, so he would ask
his media team to keep putting him forward for those
interviews so that he could get better and be a
(24:11):
face for the club.
Speaker 2 (24:13):
And that's what he became. And that was the story
that who relayed after winning a brown Low ironically doing
such a public speech, just such a public speech, which
was amazing. But he came forward and this is via Instagram.
He said, I can cop criticism about our form and losing,
but when it's factually incorrect and questions my character and
commitment to the team, it pisces me off. Yep. This
(24:34):
is the accountability as players that we would love to
see with certain people in the media. For clarity for everyone,
I stayed with the team the entire time that we
were in Sydney. I joined my wife and my family
members on this Saturday night as we had the weekend off.
We aren't where we want to be as a team
right now, but never question my commitment to this club.
(24:54):
That's pretty fiery. So you've got people calling for the
coach to be sacked. Yes, you've got board members going well,
it's not going well, is it. You've got the captain
and the star of the club being questioned in his
character and commitment to the team, as well as Sam Dougherty,
who has had two acls and also two bounts of
testicular cancer in his career, where he has then continued
(25:18):
after rounds of chemo playing for the club. It's insane
what he's given to this club's And that moment where
he kicked a goal in Round one of twenty twenty
was back after the King. Oh my gosh, he's one
of my favorite moments of the MCG So beautiful, it
was feel good, it was football. It was just special.
But these are the characters who are being questioned by
(25:39):
their own supporter base off reports that are being fabricated.
It was just it was a storm, Yes, it was
a big, murky shit storm. For the Blues mid season.
You hold for them to dig themselves out of so
they lose round twelve. Oh god, it gets worse. But
then they lose round thirteen, but then they win their
(26:04):
next nine matches.
Speaker 8 (26:06):
Shut up?
Speaker 2 (26:07):
Have they done that? That's wild to assert themselves as
Premiership contenders. If it was a Ted Lasso plotline, you'd
say that's Hollywood because it can't happen in real life.
Speaker 1 (26:20):
It is it's giving last dance, isn't it. It's giving
last dance.
Speaker 2 (26:23):
It's giving.
Speaker 1 (26:24):
You need to follow this team because we're going to
get There's a reason that people love sports movies who
don't necessarily love sport, and the Carlton journey this season.
Speaker 2 (26:34):
Isn't it? Is that? And that's why people are getting
on the bandwagon that might not necessarily love sport or
the ins and outs of AFL nuances, but love the
idea that these battlers that everyone was saying, everything needs
to change. You're not living up to the success or
the expectations there. You lose. Have pulled together, but what
(26:55):
was the turning point? George? Yeah, I don't know how
they've done this well. There are many Harry that my
favorite headline has been AFL twenty twenty three, the campfire
and Nudie run that sparked Carlton's Finals revival. Sorry what
nudi run? Campfire? Those Finals revival? I feel like those
things are quite dangerous and we usually wouldn't go together.
J Clark, wonderful reporter for The Herald's son legitimate article
(27:18):
as to what has been the turning point. So essentially,
according to this, they went to Ed Kerno's place, got together,
sunk Kumbaya, got naked, run into a dam, and that
was a really uniting point of the season. But of
course there's gonna be stories like that. I've also heard
genuinely that apparently like Crips was watching ted Lasso and
(27:38):
so believe really came through as a theme. I don't
know whether that's true or not, but this is what
we hear. Ah.
Speaker 1 (27:43):
It would not surprise me if Michael Voss had somewhere
I'm not saying it's the word believe, but if he
had some kind of mantra, some kind of little motto
for them to remember, just stuck up somewhere.
Speaker 2 (27:55):
The thing that I've been able to find that cuts
through for me is from Vice Captain Jacob Weeding, who
talks about difficult conversations that they've had as a group,
but also galvanizing together. He said, it's simply about supporting
each other. It's more about me focusing my attention on
them and making them a better teammate and a better
player than focusing on my game, and that has definitely
(28:16):
helped me personally. I think the leaders by focusing on
other things and focusing on the team has really helped
our game. So at a time when you're being criticized
for your own performance, look outward and see how you
can make your teammates better. We can lead the system,
we can lead the actions and behaviors that we want
to see on field, and they just become consistent and
they kind of become habits. Vossy has certainly led the
(28:37):
way with those conversations. Some of them were tough. I
didn't like some of them, but they were true. You've
got to praise his leadership and the way he's gone
about it. Vossy for PM foss he didn't say that.
Jacob Weeding didn't.
Speaker 1 (28:49):
But at the end of that that's how I feel
about it well, and I have to say that, yes,
the turning point. You know, there'll be so many different
arguments for what it is, but the nine straight wins
from having a leader of that club take a lot
of the heat and get you through those tough times
and be the support. There is no doubt in my
(29:09):
mind that Michael voss would willingly carry all of those.
Speaker 2 (29:13):
Players if he could.
Speaker 1 (29:14):
He would run out, he would take the hits for them,
He would do all of the training if he could.
He probably doesn't want to anymore, but he would do
all of that for his players because he's that type
of person. You listen to him in the post match
press conferences and he will talk about, you know, holistically,
you know, not to get to hippie hippie we were,
but holistically the approach that we need to take as
(29:34):
a football club is also the approach.
Speaker 2 (29:37):
That we can apply in our lives. And therefore it
is very ted Lasso. You can breed good humans and
therefore you can breed good football. And this is a
quote from Vossy and I think it sums it up best.
This moment doesn't happen off the back of just players.
It comes off the back of a football club. And
there are plenty of those moments through there that we
could have gone a different way, but we didn't. We
stuck together. I think it says a lot about our
(29:59):
club now. And you know who has a lot to
say about Michael Voss, Craig McRae, good mates, former teammates.
And when Craig McCrae, who many have tipped to be
coach of the year, because of course Colin wood a
flying who does he think should be coach of the year.
Speaker 8 (30:11):
Well, I think Vossy, right, Yeah, I'm clearly biased because
he's a friend of mine. But what he managed to
do middle part of the year, and the hysteria around
should he lose his job and not winning, and the
expectation high and to see him change his playing group,
that's difficult to do. The mindset around on a bit
of a trend down, and he's definitely trended them up
(30:34):
and they've had a sensational second half of the year.
And if I'm if I'm voting for the coach year,
which I get a chance to coach, I'll be voting
for Michael.
Speaker 2 (30:41):
Praise, praise, praise be to Vossy. I just think given
the amount of criticism that came his way all year,
the praise the coach that everyone that's uncomfortable. Yeah, John's
part of sorry yeah ah.
Speaker 9 (31:03):
Anyway, moving on from personal allegiances line, I just think
it's nice as football fans, not necessarily Carlton fans, to
look at what they've achieved as a group with a
message of we backed each other from the board.
Speaker 2 (31:18):
Yeah, president backing Bossy Bossy then has the confidence. I
love it. We're saying Bossy love, We're very close. The
president backs Bossy, Bossy Backsy's players, players back each other. Yes,
that's the chain of command that we've just heard through
that narrative. It's a positive domino effect and it's just
wonderful to see. And then you cut the scenes of
Patrick Crips looking like a kid on Christmas.
Speaker 1 (31:39):
I have to say that was one of my favorite
moments from the Weekend's Footy, is that you've got Patrick
Cripps there, who has been with Carlton for a decade
when they have been technical term shit house, and he's
there with a packed mcg everyone's singing and he just
could not get over how loud.
Speaker 2 (31:57):
It was, and he was like, isn't there so right?
Like isn't this wonderful?
Speaker 1 (32:01):
Like he didn't want to talk to the you know,
media or whatever. He just wanted to sit there and
listen to it. I thought they were going to have
to drag him off the MC.
Speaker 2 (32:09):
It was probably so loud because you could hear the
riots from Carlton from the gep li On Street. Looked
like you couldn't drive a car through it. Yes, and
currently as we go to air, it is cheaper to
fly from Melbourne to Tokyo than it is to fly
from Melbourne to Brisbane. It's such is the migration of
the Baggers to the North.
Speaker 1 (32:29):
And don't we love it? That's what we love. We
love getting caught up in the max.
Speaker 2 (32:36):
They're gonna want to go because the Gabba the Lions
record is that they haven't lost there this season. And
here's the nuts and bolts.
Speaker 1 (32:43):
Do they win, does the bandwagon roll on or does
it end ironically at the gabbaseum where Michael Voss should
have a statue at the front.
Speaker 2 (32:52):
I'm going to put it out to the footy gods
that if Carlton win and Colling would win and we
have a blue whose Magpie's granny, I think we will
see afl scenes Unlike anything this country's experienced and do
you know he'll be lining up first in line to
get a ticket to that match? Are mister Robbie Williams?
(33:14):
He was in Singapore over the weekend, playing at the
Grand Prix there, and yet somehow still had found time
to write an excellent song for his new favorite team,
the Carlton Blues.
Speaker 10 (33:26):
Is it like this every year?
Speaker 2 (33:27):
Because I am so in my.
Speaker 10 (33:32):
God, d'aconey's in the air everywhere I look around. D'coney's everywhere,
leaving bodies on the ground. And he's better than his brother,
even better than his dad. There's only once Armers d coonan,
(33:53):
and he's the best one we'll ever round.
Speaker 2 (34:00):
In.
Speaker 10 (34:00):
The city is us? This city is us? What team
in Melbourne?
Speaker 4 (34:11):
This city is us?
Speaker 2 (34:14):
Can't believe it if you were playing AFL Bingo at
the start of the year and you had Robbie Williams
singing about Tom d'aconing. Yeah, not even the famous one.
I think he's got someone in his team. Yeah. I
had the privilege of interviewing Robbie last year. I don't
know that his knowledge was that deep to know that
there was one Daconing, let alone two. But don't you
(34:36):
love that he's on the bandwagon. He's also posted an
article that was calling for Michael Voss to be sacked
with the shit emoji, saying hasn't this age the world?
And he's putting this out to his two point eight
million followers, most of which, let's be honest, aren't Australian. Yeah,
they don't know what Olzy rules is. They're like, who
what is this man singing about? But how great?
Speaker 1 (34:57):
But that's part of why the bandwagon is so huge
and so fast and everyone's aboard it.
Speaker 2 (35:01):
And perhaps the best example of how to get on
the bandwagon. Someone gave me mcguernsey and he decided it
was going to be his team that a who do
you think is gonna win it? I think the lines
should we address the other prelim or just pretend like
it's not happening?
Speaker 1 (35:16):
Oh yeah, the other prelm, you know, calling it up
against the giants.
Speaker 2 (35:19):
I think Collingwood wins Blues get on the bandwagon. Hopefully
we've provided you with a cheat sheet so that when
you go to a mates to watch on the weekend,
you can drop some fun facts, mostly about a Noodie
run and a bombire Georgie our fun fact is usually
a place where we can come to feel uplifted. Yes,
(35:40):
and given that we're going into the finals for both
footy codes, I thought I would create a moment that
was uplifting for all involved scene. Yes, I love it.
When do you need lifting when your team is getting smashed?
Oh god, yeah, yeah, yeah you do. It's really hard
when you're passionate and you're getting flogged at halftime not
to turn it off. In fact, the greatest comeback in
(36:01):
AFL history happened in two thousand and one where the
Bombers came back against the Kangaroos after being sixty nine
points down. Sixty nine points that's more than eleven goals.
North Melbourne got off to a flying start, scoring twelve
goals to two in the opening quarter to lead by
seventy three to fifteen at quarter time. If you packed
(36:24):
up your lunch and went home seventy three Again, these
are very early two thousands. I was kind of sad,
like see these score lines. That is a final score
sometimes in footy at the moment. But anyway, the lead
got even bigger in the second quarter, with the Kangaroos
leading by as much as sixty nine points ten minutes
into the second term. However, Essendon then ran rampant to
(36:47):
record a ten goals second quarter to bridge the gap
to just twenty one points at halftime. Matthew Lloyd kicked
nine nine the final score line. And this is what
blows my mind. Bombers twenty seven nine, one hundred and
seventy one to Kangaroo's twenty five nine, one hundred and
fifty nine. That's insane. Well those school lines are nuts.
(37:11):
Well over three hundred points kicked in one game of footage.
Also know a sentence that I didn't think I may
ever hear again. Bombers run rampant the early two thousands. Look,
they were a great time for some fans. Do you
know how much grass would have been sacrificed with Matthew
Lloyd having to do his pre gol nine nine toughs
(37:34):
the curator furious. He probably from the same remember that
he used to go and throw the grass. So, dear listener,
if on the weekend your side looks like they're taking
a bit of a turn and you think there is
nowhere back from here, you can, while holding your beverage
alcoholic or not, turn to your mate and say could
be worse. Make of it what you will? This is
(37:54):
this is either a glass half empty or a glass
half full. Fun fact, and we are to citing that
it's overflowing the Premiership Cup, if you will, is half full?
Will it be named after Ron Barrassi? We'll find out,
all right.
Speaker 1 (38:09):
That is another episode of Two Good Sports DA.
Speaker 2 (38:13):
If it's not in your head all day, we haven't
done our job properly.
Speaker 1 (38:17):
Remember to please follow us on Instagram at two Good
Sports Podcasts, and please keep giving us feedback as well
so that we can do our jobs and remember those things.
Speaker 2 (38:26):
We're basically boomers when it comes to text you and I,
so please subscribe please, But more importantly, Bigger Sport
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