TonyK
CibbuanoWe still have plenty to play for: Ratten
August 20th 2008 04:53
CARLTON still has plenty to play for according to coach Brett Ratten.
The Blues' finals hopes ended last Sunday with a 51-point loss to the Kangaroos but Ratten wants to finish the season on a high note.
If the Blues manage to win their last two matches against Brisbane and Hawthorn they will have won 11 games for the season - the first time they would have at least broken even in a season since 2001.
Ratten admitted his side has improved but said last weekend's loss to the Roos showed that the club still had a long way to go before they could challenge the competition's elite sides.
But he believes a positive end to the seasn will set the side up for an even better 2009.
"I suppose what we did learn on the weekend (against North) was regardless of playing in the eight, that was the standard we have to match," he said.
"And we could let ourselves down if we think that's it (now the club can't make the eight) and we put the cue in the rack thinking we have done a good job."
"This competition goes for 22 weeks and the standards we have set will have a big imprint on 2009 and you never want to leave a season, regardless of whether you are going to play finals or not, with a sour taste in your mouth and hopefully we don't."
"And I have seen it at our club before (as a player) where we have finished off a season well and translated it into the following season because it helps your belief over the pre-season."
The Blues' finals hopes ended last Sunday with a 51-point loss to the Kangaroos but Ratten wants to finish the season on a high note.
If the Blues manage to win their last two matches against Brisbane and Hawthorn they will have won 11 games for the season - the first time they would have at least broken even in a season since 2001.
Ratten admitted his side has improved but said last weekend's loss to the Roos showed that the club still had a long way to go before they could challenge the competition's elite sides.
But he believes a positive end to the seasn will set the side up for an even better 2009.
"I suppose what we did learn on the weekend (against North) was regardless of playing in the eight, that was the standard we have to match," he said.
"And we could let ourselves down if we think that's it (now the club can't make the eight) and we put the cue in the rack thinking we have done a good job."
"This competition goes for 22 weeks and the standards we have set will have a big imprint on 2009 and you never want to leave a season, regardless of whether you are going to play finals or not, with a sour taste in your mouth and hopefully we don't."
"And I have seen it at our club before (as a player) where we have finished off a season well and translated it into the following season because it helps your belief over the pre-season."
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