Carlton set to reward coach - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Carlton set to reward coach

By Leonard Siragusa 27/08/2008 07:34:09 PM Comments (0)

Carlton have confirmed coach Brett Ratten will be offered a contract extension during the off-season following an excellent first full season at the club.

Ratten, currently on a two-year deal, has led the Blues' resurgence up the AFL ladder, with the club winning 10 games - six more than last year.

Buoyed with the genuine prospect of making the finals next year, Carlton chief executive Greg Swann admitted the club would look at snaring Ratten long-term during their end-of-season review.

"We'll certainly be looking very favourably at extending Brett's contract because the club has improved tremendously and we think there's more improvement to come," Swann said.

Ratten said he was satisfied with that arrangement but was more keen to talk up what could be an historic game when Carlton take on Hawthorn on Saturday night.

Spearhead Brendan Fevola is eight goals shy of reaching 100, while Hawk Lance Franklin needs just two more goals to hit the magical mark.

Should either one achieve the feat, they would become the first since Tony Lockett in 1998 to do so in home-and-away games.

Should both crack the ton, it would be the first time in the game's history that two players had kicked their 100th goal in the same match.

The match is expected to draw the biggest AFL crowd ever at Telstra Dome, with the record of 53,459 set by the same two clubs in round 12 last year.

"I think it would be great if both of them kicked a hundred," Ratten said.

"We could play six blokes behind the ball and have this dull affair but at the end of the day it would be fantastic to have this scenario played out.

"It's rare for two players to achieve 100 goals in the same round let alone at the same venue and it would be great to see not only for our supporters but all footy supporters in general."

Carlton captain Chris Judd said Fevola should not be discounted from reaching the mark after eight-goal hauls against Essendon in round three and Collingwood in round 12.

He also added the Blues would help their man as much as they could.

"He's kicked eight goals before this year," Judd said.

"I dare say a few of us will have the blinkers on going inside the forward 50."

But Ratten said he would not be happy with such moves.

"I'd be a little bit disappointed if players are out on their own and their going to a real 50-50 contest," Ratten said.

"I think we need to get the score on the board and you don't want to deflate other players because you're trying to get (Fevola) that 100th goal."

Meanwhile, Carlton believe they will be the "greenest" club in the competition following the redevelopment of Princes Park.

The ground, which will be called Visy Park, will be transformed into a state-of-the-art training facility, with an emphasis on environmental sustainability.

Judd, who will be the company's environmental ambassador, said the new facility, which will take a year to build, was a key factor in him moving to the club.

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