Last year was David Teague’s first full year in charge at the Carlton Football Club after a stint as caretaker coach in 2019.
The Blues finished the 2020 season in 11th position with seven wins for the season. In isolation it might not sound all that impressive, but Carlton has been a poorly-performed side for the best part of a decade.
The 2013 season the last time the Blues managed to win more than seven games in a year and the last time they played finals football.
It is why it was incredibly surprising that some media pundits believe David Teague was under intense pressure before the 2021 campaign had even begun.
Last month Caroline Wilson was pushing the narrative on Footy Classified, saying “I think David Teague is under as much pressure as any coach going into this year. I think you‘ve got a board – the Carlton board – looking for some credibility and I think they see Alastair Clarkson as their salvation.”
Before the Round 3 clash against Fremantle, Adam Cooney echoed similar sentiments in the pre-game discussion: “The pressure is coming, it’s already there for David Teague.”
Fortunately for Carlton, they picked up their first win of the season in impressive fashion, dismantling Fremantle by 45 points at Marvel Stadium.
The Blues followed up this performance with an 11-point victory over Gold Coast last Saturday night, which has the club sitting inside the top eight at the completion of Round 4.
Fans do not like to hear the phrase ‘rebuilding’ when they have been starved of success for so long. It generally means the expectation of playing finals and winning premierships is not in the immediate future.
In the case of David Teague, he cannot be held responsible for the poor trading, drafting, player development and poor performance for years before he arrived at the club.
It is easy to forget that in 2018 Carlton finished bottom with two wins for the year. This included nine losses over nine goals, three of these over 100 points.
The first response to this level of performance is the need to become a more competitive outfit. This has transpired under David Teague. Last season, the biggest Carlton loss for the year was 31 points to Hawthorn. Three losses for the season were under two goals so it would be fair to say Carlton was in the contest most weeks.
A demanding fixture list awaits Carlton with includes Port Adelaide, Brisbane, Western Bulldogs and Melbourne in the next five weeks.
Teague is currently contracted until the end of 2022, so you suspect there is no immediate danger of losing his job.
Good performance in the next month and ideally a couple of wins against quality opposition will help reinforce the belief that Carlton is moving in the right direction slowly but surely.
Liam Sheedy
Roar Guru
Performances like last night certainly don't help when I am trying to pump the Blues up. I think the addition of players from other AFL clubs has been a bit hit and miss over the years but the last couple of years has been better. Curnow is the one they need to get fit and firing. Not played a game since Round 15, 2019 and really think he and McKay can form a good partnership.
okapiman
Roar Rookie
I don't follow Carlton closely. But Stocker was essentially a high first-round pick. Is he any good?
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
This is all you'll get with McGovern. It's not enough to be Jeremy's brother. It was the same with Brandon Matera. People expected him to be as good as Peter or Phil. All we got was Wally.
Ric
Guest
Teague has done a good job of making the Blues more attacking, I not sure he is the one that can turn the closes losses into wins. Honourable losses have satisfied the Blues for too long, time for everyone to get more ruthless.
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
Good article mate but success starved fans can be ravenous when they need to be and Carlton certainly are success starved. While I think Teague has done well he has systematically removed every excuse for poor performance without necessarily making his side better.
Macca
Roar Rookie
Brisbane definitely didn't start their rebuild later than the blues. They had 6 picks insdie the top 35 in 2013 (after 3 in the top 32 in 2012), picked up Beams and Christensen in 2014 while getting Andrews as an academy player at 61, and then got Schache, Hipwood, Keays and Mathieson in the first 2 rounds of 2015. Throw in the fact they basically didn't have an injury between 2018 and 2020 and landed Neale and you can see why they are in front of the blues.
Macca
Roar Rookie
McGovern has a massive opportunity this weekend, 6 goals in 6 quarters in the VFL should see him come in to replace the very under rated Silvagni and with McKay in the form he is and attracting defenders if McGovern is prepared to do the work he should get the rewards - I am yet to be convinced he is willing to do the work.
Brian
Guest
Teague didn't exactly start the rebuild. Barker began in 2015 after Malthouse was sacked. Bolton then did another 4 years and now Teague. Its now 6 years into the latest rebuild and the amonut of young talent is ludicrous. Cripps, Walsh, Weitering, TDK, Curnow, McKay etc etc how much high quality talent does a coach need? They should be in the premiership window by now. Compare them to Brisbane and Port who both started their latest rebuilds later and made the Preliminary Final last year
Mike
Guest
Yep really missing Curnow. McGovern can still offer them something as well forward. I guess all teams deal with injuries but Teague has often had to deal with multiple first choice players out.
Pete
Guest
If Clarkson somehow becomes available the Blues will go at him a million miles an hour.
Macca
Roar Rookie
The blues have put a lot of the pieces of the puzzle in place but they really need someone out of Dow, O'brien, Stocker, Philp, Kemp, Ramsay or even Carroll to emerge as a legitimate AFL midfielder. It would also be nice to finally have McKay and Curnow play in the same team.