....even if they are playing against teams with higher skill levels.  Whatever happened to the days of trying, crying and dying for each other on the football battle field?  For the most part that sort of mateship and commitment hasn't been displayed at the 2002 Carlton Football Club.

One has the feeling that coach Wayne Brittain has allowed his players too much latitude and now is having trouble reeling them back in or at least regaining the respect he appears to have lost. This week Britts has decided to have a one on one with each of the players in what smacks of a too little too late last resort career saving move.  Whether it be bad luck or bad timing Britts has also been around for about the same amount of time that a major problem began to surface within the club.

A certain culture has developed at the club in the last couple of years. Off field transgressions by some players maybe not coincidentally have lead to the same players being less disciplined on field.  Players involved in controversy (football related or otherwise) over the past 12 months or so include Matthew Lappin, Justin Murphy, Ryan Houlihan and Brendan Fevola. Now far be it for me to speak on behalf of all Carlton fans but I'd bet pounds to peanuts that if you polled these fans as to which players have failed to 'put in' to their ability this year, those four names would head the list.  It seems apathy breeds apathy and if a player without discipline thinks that he only has to do 'just enough' to keep himself in the senior side, the lack of accountability is going to spread through the side like wild fire.  I mean really .... the Blues are woeful at present all over the park.  What's to stop a player who is already disheartened by the example being set for him to think "what's one more time slacking off on a chase", "so what if I don't put a shepherd on", "why not give away a 50 metre penalty for venting my anger, another goal won't change things anyway"?

Coupled with an influx of younger players this season and the fact that all bar one of the senior list have been used as well as two rookies and it is very clear that the mateship or bonding within the team would not be rock solid. Worse still, if the workload isn't being shared, how long before a player like Simon Wiggins who continually puts his body on the line finally becomes discouraged as teammates further afield shirk the task?

How many current Carlton players who lead by example and who any other player would march into battle with and put their body on the line for can you name? Most of us would put our bodies on the line for the Navy Blue guernsey with the CFC monogram in an instant and we would do so without asking for a cent but how many players would you do it for?  Would you take a hip and shoulder that put you into Disneyland to provide a shepherd for Ryan Houlihan moments after he failed to provide one for you and your opponent crunched your head into the turf?  You may well be disciplined enough to do it once, twice, twenty times even BUT .... there is a breaking point and most of our players have reached theirs.  You can put Fevola and Murphy into that same category and certainly this year Lappin is a fitting member too.

Lance Whitnall is a future leader and star Centre Half Forward who does most of his talking on the field.  Hero worshipping fans would certainly sacrifice themselves for Big Red but what about those inside the club? Recent speculation suggested that Lance ignored a directive to attend a club function preferring instead to go on a beer drinking holiday with his mates. Fair enough, his season is over.  He more than held his own this year and really isn't to blame for our ladder position.  Optus Oval is a pretty depressing place to be around at the moment.  But if there is a shred of truth in the rumour, there have to be concerns over  a player that considers his own recreation before the solidarity of the club.

Corey McKernan has stood as tall as anyone this year and could well be our best and fairest in his first season with us.  His passion and endeavour has been inspiring to say the least but is really a sad indictment on the club that a player who up until this season has played his career as an enemy epitomises how to play for the jumper more than those brought up on a diet of Navy Blue.

Craig Bradley certainly plays for the jumper and for his own professionalism and for contribution to the club both this year and over a long and glorious career, surely any player would lay down his life to support the great man? However preseason discontentment, contract negotiations and will he or won't he speculation coupled with the preference to train apart from his teammates may certainly lessen the bond younger players may have with Braddles.  Being the elder statesman by a long way may also make Bradley's influence more patronly and less friendly to some.

Brett Ratten is certainly a player that you would give 100% for.  He's our skipper, he leads by example in all facets of the game and never never shirks a task.  Unfortunately, 2002 has not been a great season for Ratts injury wise and his absences throughout the year have been telling.

Andrew McKay is Carlton through and through.  Acting captain on many occasions in 2002, he is the consummate football professional.  Tough as teak and downright inspiring, if he stands tall so do the majority of the side. Herein lies the dilemma, so much has been left to so few in 2002 that the strain has been showing on even the very best in our side.  Often left to carry the load, Macca's game has deteriorated and his confidence has plummeted.

The attitude is a disease, a plague, a pest, like a termite working its way internally through our side week by week.  Listen carefully, if like me you have been driven to the brink of madness, you may be able to hear those termites munching. During midweek press conferences we have been hearing all year, injuries (munch), bad luck (munch), proud of the players (munch munch).  And so on and so on.  In essence we are hearing "look at our fine Carlton home, so rich, so traditional, so STRONG!  Come game time the opposition hits us and our strong exterior gives way to a brittle interior weakened by weeks, months even years of subtle undermining.

One suspects it would never happen with Stephen Silvagni in the side.  Born and bred and probably conceived upon the hallowed Princes Park turf, SOS gave 100% in everything he did.  Completely selfless and humble, not one player would be able to take the easy option and then look the fullback of the century in the eye after he himself had risked life and limb for the Navy Blue jumper.  We have missed SOS in 2002 but maybe it was for more than just his playing ability?  Players like SOS and Big Nick are part of a vanishing breed that you would never want to disappoint on the playing arena.  Having said that the seeds for our current plight may well have been sewn in 2001, when ironically the Blues produced one of their most lacklustre performances against Richmond and dampened the celebrations for the champion fullback's 300th game.

How I long for the days when the players played for each other and dished out some punishment to the opposition not out of frustration but because they would not let ANYONE bully a teammate.  I still get goosebumps when I watch the video of the 1995 grand final when Billy Brownless roughed up Ang Christou after the half time siren.  His great mate Anthony Koutoufides steamed in to lend assistance and pretty soon, we had one of those ugly melees that are considered to be detrimental to the game.  Maybe so but I saw something else that day .... I saw a team that was winning easily, on top of its game but still prepared to sacrifice for each other even off the playing field. The lasting memory of that event was the pride that welled when Dean Rice stood tall belying his true height and pointed a solitary finger towards Barry Stoneham and the rest of the Cats nearby and let them know in no uncertain terms that the Blues were not to be trifled with.  We were close, we were a team, we were the team that never lets you down ........