After Carlton’s 86-point loss to their fellow developing team, North Melbourne, pressure is building on them to put a win on the board.
Third year into their rebuild under coach Brendon Bolton and there’s been no improvement in ladder positions – in 2016 they were 14th, in 2017 they were 16th, and currently they sit 18th.
Six wins last year, seven in the year before and none this year so far.
Some would say that wins and losses don’t matter, although at the end of the day you’d be hoping that after one year of rebuilding you start to see your team put together some victories.
With captain Marc Murphy out for four weeks, Carlton will need to find something to spark the team against West Coast, Western Bulldogs, Adelaide and then Essendon.
It is hard to see them winning any of those four.
West Coast just beat the Suns by 80 points, while the Dogs have found form in the last two weeks – beating Essendon by 21 points and narrowly going down to premiership favourites Sydney by seven points.
Adelaide had a bad game on Friday night against Collingwood, although by the time they play Carlton the Crouch brothers should be back from injuries to strengthen their midfield.
And Essendon just knocked off Port Adelaide, who were the only undefeated team after three rounds.
AAP Image/Julian Smith
So the Blues could soon be 0-8, which would be disastrous. Bolton will be under pressure, as will the board, who have told their frustrated supporters to be patient.
Carlton could be footy’s next main story if a strong performance isn’t put together against West Coast this week.
A win would be amazing and could give a lot of their young players confidence.
There’s plenty of talent lying around in that team, such as first-year players Paddy Dow and Lochie O’Brien, who are still awaiting a Gatorade shower and a sense of success at that level.
Earlier in the year, Bolton told fans that he put an emphasis on their offensive play in the preseason but on the weekend against North their efficiency going inside 50 was at just 24 per cent.
It was ten shots from 42 entries which would’ve frustrated the players and coaches after putting a lot of hard work into it on the training track.
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Although I don’t understand why an emphasis would be put on offensive play – Carlton are the leading team for playing on from a mark in the AFL – while gaps are evident in the defence.
Wouldn’t it be smarter to work on going both ways in one plan and building it up so that it doesn’t leave gaps in defence?
If performances like the one on the weekend continue, the successful club that Carlton once was could fall apart. There simply must be glimpses of the ‘bright future’ we’ve heard so much about – as soon as this weekend.
Assas
Guest
Bolton is a terrible coach who talks in cliches, has lost the players, fans and board. School is out under this megadud, shuld never have been appointed!! DESERVES TO BE SACKED IMMEDITSELY!! Blues gonna finish last with 1 win or less after being DERGISTERED BY AFL for not being anywhere close to AFL standard. More like under 10s!!
Macca
Guest
Zed - I am tipping Matthews sample size is a lot smaller than yours
Macca
Guest
Which recruits do you think were mistakes?
Zed16
Guest
Marry B who cares what you think let alone the dribble you try write. I for one have followed this team for over 40 years and yes we have had to put up a lot the last 20 years but i am not giving up my team. In my circle in Canberra both my nephews aged 8 and 14 follow the blues and i caught up with one of my oldest mates and he was commenting on how he was still following the blues and we both agreed its going to be a roller coaster this year but that part of following a team. Very small sample i know but not trending the way you claim. Here's fact we still have 16 VFL/AFL flags and the only team to win 16 grand finals across both the VFL and AFL. How many the Dogs?
big four sticks
Guest
It's Docherty. I am an English teacher and poor spelling annoys me. It's still Tiger time folks!
Jack
Guest
Cunningham was a high draft pick we just had so many that year. We probably have 11 really good players they are just young kids
true blue
Guest
We should bring back the traditional monogram, which is cloth and has the letters overlapping one another. Then we will have the best jersey. Our current ones look like cheap knock offs.
true blue
Guest
I think we should have kept Ratten. I think we should stick with Bolton as Carlton must stop chasing Messiahs. Carlton must nolonger view themselves as a big four club who think it is a God given right to play Friday nights. I am not convinced about S.O.S as a recruiter. We made a mistake going after Judd at the expense of Kennedy.
Macca
Guest
And yet he is averaging more disposals than all th either top 5 picks of his year. What he needs is to get used to the speed of AFL, that can't be done in the VFL
Macca
Guest
It is different. There is no point comparing the Tigers of 2013 to the blues of 2018 because they are completely different.
Macca
Guest
What evidence do you have to say that the blues have a serious culture problem? Why do you think players are continuously signing contact extensions at a club with a culture problem? Why do you think a player who wanted to come to a big Melbourne club and I still signed until the end of 2021 is "always going to be a flight risk"? As for Cripps the reason he is frustrated is that he has been tackled as soon as the ball leaves the mpires hand the last 2 weeks, constantly getting man handled like that without the ball gets to you. As for your question, I answer them unlike you, the blues have 3 father sons this year, Ben Silvagni, Oscar Manton & Will Hickmott
Mattyb
Guest
How is McKay ahead of Kerr?
Macca
Guest
Jack Fisher looks a gem and I have been big On Cuningham since we drafted him and it is really good to see him get an injury free run. He doesn't get a lot of attention but I think he looks a great pick up.
Mattyb
Guest
Dows really struggling,his disposal and awareness is really being shown up at this level Ryan,he really needs some time in the twos to develop against men.
Macca
Guest
When ou look at what the blues have done in the past3 years, the injuries they have had this year and th fact half our side is 21 or under people shouldn't be expecting miracles or even trying to compare progress to Richmond (or Hawthorn as I have seen elsewhere) is the point. As for progress, I think this year will be the bottom, the major list work has been done, young players will get better and better and I think we will get aggrssiv in landing some quality mature players in the next couple of trade periods.
Slane
Guest
Is that a good thing?
mattyb
Guest
Nice circle work Macca. Look,I havnt said the whole list are flight risks,I'd say Cripps and possibly SPS would be the standouts. Cripps seems extremely frustrated already and it's possible he won't want to be be at a loser club going nowhere forever. Consideration also needs to be given to how big a name Mainwaring is at WC. SPS is always going to be a flight risk without even considering failure/success,but that was always a risk probably worth taking. He's a real outback WA type kid. Would certainly be really nice to see him developing a hunger for the contest though which is lacking. Carlton are certainly developing a serious culture problem though,so it will be interesting what approach they take at this year's draft,as well as Boltons future. Do Carlton have any academy players on this year's horizon that they might pick up cheap?
Jack
Guest
To be fair we have lost Murphy Gibbs and dockerty so far this year. We have the best under 21 team in the comp, what happens now will pay us in future. All of our young top drafts from last 3 years were playing against north. Cunningham and fisher look great to name a few. We just need to give McKay a run and see what happens
Samuel Ord
Roar Guru
So I take it from you bringing that up that you think Carlton and Brendan Bolton should be given more time to climb the ladder because they had to do a lot more overhaul personnel wise? How much more time would you give them to start bringing in results? Expectation for them to make the top eight?
Macca
Guest
The blues have turn d over 42 players in 3 years so 50% more than the Tigers. The blues have also been much more aggressive with their trades, trading out players like Henderson, Tuohy & Gibbs (to name a few) who were all best 22