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Carlton great Brendan Fevola calls for mass changes at Princes Park

A club icon has weighed in on Carlton’s horror run, starting with the “there for themselves” board.

A club icon wants major change at Carlton.

Hall of Fame forward Brendan Fevola has called for “new people” at Princes Park after another horror loss on Thursday night.

The Blues’ faithful showed their angst after the 50-point loss to Port Adelaide, vandalising club headquarters in protest of another failed campaign.

Fevola, much like the vandals, took aim at the board more so than under-siege coach Michael Voss.

“Something is wrong, something is going on, the board needs to go, I’ve been saying that for ages, the board is just there for themselves,” he said on his morning radio program, Fifi, Fev & Nick.

“Get new people in; get old Carlton people in. Blokes like Fraser Brown who would be amazing on the board.

“Everyone is saying, ‘Sack Vossy, Vossy needs to go’, and I’m like, ‘No, I don’t think that’s the go’.

“It gets to a point where you go, ‘I don’t think the players are playing for you, mate’. If you’re playing for a coach, you don’t put up what you put up in that first half.

“They’re putting up nothing, they didn’t kick a goal for the whole first half.

“They don’t look like they’ve got a system; but they do have a system, they train and they train hard. They’re just not performing.”

Carlton fans called for the sacking of list manager Nick Austin and football boss Brad Lloyd. Picture: NewsWire/Ian Currie
Carlton fans called for the sacking of list manager Nick Austin and football boss Brad Lloyd. Picture: NewsWire/Ian Currie

Carlton was second on the ladder by half a game at round 19 last year but have mustered just seven wins since.

Fevola said the Blues’ win return had not matched the strength of their list.

“They have the players; if Vossy and the assistants were coaching West Coast, you’d go … ‘Well, they just don’t have the cattle, they’re rebuilding’,” Fevola said.

“Carlton were premiership favourites at the start of the year (and) they’re not even going to play finals, their season is over.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with Patrick Cripps, he looked sore last night. I would just put them all on ice and say you’re done, get your body right for next year.”

Fevola also took aim at out-of-contract big man Tom De Koning, who has been heavily linked to St Kilda on the AFL’s most lucrative deal.

Fevola said the Blues must demand an answer from De Koning and sideline him if he is not committed to staying.

Brendan Fevola has called for the Blues to have a hard conversation with Tom De Koning (right) about his future. Picture: NewsWire/Ian Currie
Brendan Fevola has called for the Blues to have a hard conversation with Tom De Koning (right) about his future. Picture: NewsWire/Ian Currie

“The problem is they have Tom De Koning, who is in our top three players. He’s been offered $12m to go to St Kilda and Carlton can’t match that,” he said.

“If he’s going, don’t play him; say to him that he needs to make a decision now and if he can’t answer that, say you’re in the twos – get some young kid to play in the ruck.

“This has been going on all year and it’s what everyone talks about; if he doesn’t want to stay, just be honest.”

Originally published as Carlton great Brendan Fevola calls for mass changes at Princes Park

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Original URL: https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/afl/carlton-great-brendan-fevola-calls-for-mass-changes-at-princes-park/news-story/4a46c4b70252f48ae6dce88e4f531d20