Carlton coach Michael Voss has issued a passionate plea for his players to show resilience and fight in a bid to rescue their AFL season following yet another second-half capitulation. The Blues squandered an 18-point lead in the second quarter against St Kilda on Saturday night, conceding eight goals to one in a disastrous third term.
The eventual 16.12 (108) to 9.15 (69) defeat leaves Carlton languishing with a 1-7 record ahead of a daunting clash against reigning premiers Brisbane at the Gabba on Friday night.
Voss laments familiar pattern
“It’s been a familiar pattern,” Voss said of his side’s repeated fade-outs. “Centre square bounce, four or five free kicks against us ... and then the ability to be able to just continue to defend when we’re up against it isn’t at the level that it needs to be at.
“It puts you under an enormous amount of pressure and they’re kicking goals when they like and we’re getting these huge runs against us. Defensively, we’re not strong enough for long enough over the course of a game and it’s holding us back.”
Carlton managed only six tackles during their woeful third quarter and were comprehensively outplayed in the midfield, prompting Voss to question his players’ attitude and work rate.
Questioning intent and effort
“Our ability and intent at the moment is not where it needs to be,” Voss said. “We put ourselves in position to win the game, so that message seems to be working pretty well, but our ability to be able to do it for a longer period of time is not at the level it needs to be at.
“When the game is against you, you need to defend and you need to fight — and we are not doing it well enough.”
Carlton have now lost six consecutive matches, marking their worst start to a season since a 1-10 opening in 2019, which ultimately cost Brendon Bolton his job as coach. Voss stressed that his players “just need to be able to dig in and run”.
“We just didn’t do that at the level we needed to,” he said. “The delay on the ball is the first thing but then the second thing, to be able to turn and go and be able to outnumber that second contest was not at the level that it needs to be tonight.
“The reality is that defensively we haven’t been strong enough this year. We’re just getting scored against too much. There’s some fundamentals that we clearly need to be able to clean up, but we’ve got to be far more defensively stronger than what we currently are against any side.
“When a side presses, stand up. Stand up, and we’re currently not doing that.”
Voss confirmed that vice-captain Jacob Weitering should be fit to take on Brisbane despite a cork, but fellow key defender Harry Dean will require scans to assess the extent of a groin injury. Out-of-favour midfielder George Hewett will be considered to strengthen an on-ball division that was outclassed by St Kilda.
