Carlton showed on Sunday how well they can win without Chris Judd; now it’s a skill the AFL club must master if they wish to clamber up the ladder.
Judd lasted six minutes in his first match of the season and scans on Monday confirmed the dual Brownlow medallist would miss five weeks due to his hamstring injury.
The Blues were counting the cost of their 28-point win over the Western Bulldogs, with Ed Curnow (fractured fibula) and Tom Bell (fractured finger) also facing lengthy stints on the sidelines.
Curnow will miss six weeks, while Bell is out for club’s next three matches.
The Blues’ worst start to a season in 25 years finally provided some bright signs in the gutsy win over the Bulldogs, in which Curnow attempted to play through the pain of his fractured leg.
But the reality is Carlton, finalists from last year who started 2014 with great expectations after bolstering their list with the likes of Dale Thomas, have one win from five rounds.
They now enter a decisive stretch that features games against West Coast, Collingwood and St Kilda, and Judd won’t be able to assist.
“Injuries are injuries,” coach Mick Malthouse said after the match.
“What are we going to do about it? One thing we won’t do is get locked out and say that we can’t win with or without him (Judd).
“We all know how great a player he’s been and he’s been missing all year really.”
Judd was doing his best to stay positive, despite the fact he has been in recovery mode since achilles surgery in February and will now miss almost half of the season.
“It’s not the end of the world. I’ll be back and it was great the team had such a great win,” he said.
Judd was adamant lack of luck rather than fitness was responsible for his injury, sustained when he was pushed by Bulldogs forward Stewart Crameri while attempting to kick the ball on the run.
“I’d done a heap of running and a heap of leg strength work, so there was no issue with conditioning,” he said.
“It wouldn’t have mattered if I’d trained for 50 weeks or six weeks.
“You look at the GPS data, and that speed that I was pushed at was twice as quick as anyone else moved for the night.
“So it was just pretty simple mathematics. Your hammies can’t tolerate that and there was a bit of a pop.”
Gazzaw
Guest
It will be an interesting game with Carlton desperate to win against a misfiring eagles who are struggling to learn/use a new game plan. Injuries to key players have exposed both clubs depth. I have no idea who is going to win this one. I don't think it will be close i think one team will win by a good margin.
Cat
Roar Guru
I know Malthouse and Judd are saying all the right things, but I don't buy it. If a bloke cannot get through even a single week of full training they are not fit enough to play. Judd did no preseason, no game time since last season and only managed to do 3 weeks of limited training. Then you sit him on the bench for 3 quarters to get cold then call on him to go full tilt. Its all a recipe for exactly what happened to happen. IMO bad call, terrible call, desperate to win a game call. Ask yourself this: If Chris Judd was named Chris Smith and was a fringe player in the 20-25 best at the club range, would he have been risked or would he have spent time in the VFL gaining match fitness and eased into games? For mine the obvious answer is no he would never have been put in the situation Judd was. All players deserve the same duty of care, Malthouse failed in his.
Macca
Guest
I wasn't surprised he used him after a long lay off and it made pretty good sense to me, no one could have factored in that he would of been pushed the way he was
Cat
Roar Guru
So Macca, whats your opinion on Malthouses use of Judd as the sub and the result of doing so?
Penster
Guest
What joy in celebrating a premiership that was effectively bought and not on a level playing field? I support a wealthy successful club and there's nothing more boring or unsatisfying than having 6 easybeats 6 also-rans and 6 clubs taking turns winning the flag. Money doesn't buy sense, ethics or good selection nouse and that's the point. Carlton's problems have been created by rich people haven't they?
Jorji Costava
Guest
Carlton will beat West Coast. The Blues have a great record against the Eagles in Victoria. After their third loss on the bounce, a lot of moaning and groaning will come out of the west. "Drop Naitanui!" guarantee that will be oft heard.
Den1968
Guest
No one is suggesting take away the draft @ salary cap. It would obviously be a disaster. No one can dispute that. I'd have to admit I'm just jealous of teams that have produced great teams from scratch Hawthorn,Geelong. Other teams are building beautifully in a short space of time like Port Adelaide. Even Footscray are headed in the right direction. Yes it would be nice to buy a powerful team like Liverpool on the verge of ending their 24 year drought but again it's not workable @ unfair as most of the same teams win in soccer depending on their budget. Carlton has to move with the times @ show they can also do it from the base up, as we are unfortunately the laughing stock,which is depressing. So much for showing my kids what it's like to win premierships. I know we bought a few flags but produced powerful teams in other decades also. C'mon Blues even Collinwood won a flag in the recent modern age.
Cat
Roar Guru
yeah because wooing the rich supporters and buying premierships would be such a better way to go ... *eyeroll*
Axle an the guru
Guest
I have never agreed with the draft or cap Den1968. Those ideas were put in place to bring down the strong and help the weak, the AFL playing Robin Hood during that period. I believe that clubs with strong administrations should not have to support weak ones. The draft only rewards clubs for poor performance, hence you get clubs tanking, and you carnt blame them for playing the system. Most clubs have adapted now, but it certainly has not leveled out the playing field like they would want, theres still big margins between top and bottom. IMO any player should be allowed to play anywhere they want to. The sad part for me is that brothers rearly play in the same team anymore because of it. Never again will you see 3 or 4 brothers in the same team.
Den1968
Guest
I'm sadly a once arrogant Carlton supporter. Great effort but nothing will come of it. I once was for the salary cap @ draft as it was obviously a fair system for all but lately I'm starting to resent it also. Let the strong survive I say.Let's see how powerful the other clubs would be if not for those restraints. Not a good idea for the national competition but good for us.Saying that it does take smarts these days to pick the right players @ mould them to get the most out of their talented. Something Geelong,Hawthorn,Port Adelaide seem to be doing in the draft. We have not learnt to build one successful team from scratch in this modern age. Sad for us, happiness for others.