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The much-anticipated meeting between archrivals Carlton and Collingwood was an unexpected display of flat and deflated footy. However, instead of harping on the negatives of the match, the rejuvenated Carlton needs to build upon the imperative lessons that derived from the outcome of the match.
No.1 – Keep playing the young blokes
Jack Silvagni’s debut saw Carlton fans young and old flood through the MCG gates to witness a third generation spark of talent. ‘SOSOS’ (Son of Son of Sergio) certainly met the expectations demanded of him, as he racked up 15 disposals and added a burst of excitement to the Blues’ attack.
With promising defender Ciaran Byrne set for a long stint on the sidelines with a ruptured ACL, it is the perfect opportunity to gift Carlton’s impressive youngsters with a navy blue jumper.
Instead of solidifying the position gaps across the ground with older players, Bolton needs to instil his faith in players like Blaine Boekhurst and Mark Whiley. They’re both showing impressive composure in the VFL and have the potential to make a big impact in the Blues’ latter half of the season.
No.2 – Forward pressure needs to lift
Inside 50s weren’t the area of dominance for the Blues on Saturday night, as they struggled to move the ball swiftly in the forward half of the ground.
They found it difficult to hold the ball in their forward line, as Collingwood were able to manipulate their way through a series of passage plays to resurge the ball back the other way.
This happened due to the lack of forward pressure laid by the Carlton forwards. The forward line seemed slow and had no match for another star performance by Ben Reid, who easily out-bodied the young Blues forwards.
Although the size of the players can’t be changed, the pressure certainly can be. All it takes is simple actions of waving both hands frantically in the air, manning the mark intently, and bumping players out of the way to claim the all-important possessions inside 50.
No.3 – Tackles need to stick
The Blues lost the tackle count 67-62, as many tackles went astray, which allowed the swift Collingwood midfielders to snatch the ball away from the grips of Carlton’s fingers. The Blues showed intent to tackle and be aggressive but lacked the poise to stop their opponents from punishing them on the rebound.
As a result, the Magpies enforced 64 Carlton turn overs, many of which derived from the Blues’ inability to stick the tackles in the middle of crucial passages of play, especially through the corridor. The opportunities were certainly evident for Carlton to apply tackles and pressure the Collingwood midfield, but their execution was dismissive of their intentions.
The week ahead
The Blues meet the Crows on Sunday at the MCG, a match that pits Sam Kerridge and Matthew Wright against their former teammates.
If Carlton are to contend for a win, they need to lift their pressure and stick the tackles in a bid to stop the rampant run of Adelaide.
The challenge will be a tough one, but the resilience of the Blues has prevailed before in many instances throughout the season and is a serious chance to expose itself again at Melbourne’s home of football.
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