Martin Blake on Brett Ratten - Real Footy

Martin Blake

Martin Blake has been a senior writer for The Age since 1986 and has covered numerous AFL seasons, three cricket World Cups and various Australian cricket tours overseas, two Olympic Games, three Commonwealth Games, and a plethora of other major sports events including the British Open Championship and the US Masters. He covers all sports with an emphasis on Australian football and golf.

Zero chance of complacency, says Ratten

Martin Blake The bad news for Carlton is that the Blues need to win both their remaining games to play finals.

Reprieve divides the experts

Jared Lynch, Martin Blake Western Bulldog Will Minson's reprieve at the AFL Tribunal for stomping has fractured opinion among leading club officials and commentators.

Blues battlers to the end

Martin Blake Brett Ratten's last game for Carlton ends in more heartache, with St Kilda winning by 15 points.

AFL

Ratten joins chorus of dissent, but Hunt fine to stand

Martin Blake and Jared Lynch Carlton coach joins a chorus of discontent about the result of the Josh Hunt hand-stepping case.

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Carlton trio fined for tweets critical of umpires

Martin Blake But the decision that sparked most of their ire was deemed to be wrong.

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Hawks put blowtorch on Ratten

Martin Blake Hawthorn defeats Carlton by 50 points without even breaking stride, piling on seven first-quarter goals to set it up.

AFL

From pretenders to contenders in five easy steps

Martin Blake Martin Blake finds ways Carlton can conjure a miracle against Collingwood tonight

AFL

Fledgling Blue gets thrown to the wolves

Martin Blake AT THE height of his dramas, Brett Ratten has punted on a first-gamer for Carlton's season-defining game against Collingwood at the MCG tonight.

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Manager apologises for blast over ban

Martin Blake, Matt Murnane Leading player manager Paul Connors has been forced into a public apology after his strident criticism of an ''interfering'' AFL, as the fallout from the Chris Judd suspension swirled yesterday.

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Henderson's year over

Martin Blake Carlton has lost key-position player Lachie Henderson for the season.

Football

Another casualty for Blues

Martin Blake Carlton's hard-nosed midfielder Mitch Robinson has joined the pre-season casualty list.

Blues bomb out in NAB Cup but coach stays upbeat

Martin Blake A MONTH ago, Carlton was being touted as a premiership contender. Four weeks on, the Blues have all but doused that particular flame themselves.