Why Brendon Bolton should be screaming blue murder after his axing from Carlton

Some Carlton fans may feel appeased with the club’s decision to remove the coach due to his horror win-loss count. But a quick glance at Brisbane’s turnaround and the Blues’ recent appointments suggest they may have gone early.

Axed Blues coach Brendon Bolton. Picture: Scott Barbour/Getty Images

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Another week, another AFL club without a permanent coach.

Brad Scott and North Melbourne decided their futures were better off apart last week and as of Monday, Carlton decided it had had enough of Brendon Bolton.

Only last week he had the dreaded “full support of the board”.

I understand why clubs make decisions like this — it acts as a circuit breaker, it relieves the pressure for a period of time, by effectively lowering everyone’s expectations. Longer term though, does it make a difference?

Sacked Carlton coach Brendon Bolton addresses his troops. Picture: Michael Klein.

The North Melbourne decision I get. Brad Scott has been at the helm for 10 years, and during that time has built his list and crafted his style with the players that he wanted. After just missing the finals last year and recruiting some of the outside class the Roos had been lacking, it was always going to be finals or bust for Scott in 2019.

With two wins in the first nine rounds, it was bust.

Carlton and Bolton are a different kettle of fish.

Carlton as a footy club decided to rebuild using a scorched earth policy.

The Blues have turned over 56 players in the past four years, which says Bolton inherited a far from ideal list. Throw in the decision to trade away experienced senior players like Bryce Gibbs and Zach Tuohy, along with injuries to Sam Docherty, Matthew Kreuzer and Marc Murphy over the past two seasons, and it is not hard to see why the Blues have struggled.

How much of that is the coach’s fault? Unlike Scott, Bolton never had a list at his disposal free of injury or inexperience, a squad that would allow us to judge if he could actually coach or not.

Most people would be surprised to look back at Brisbane this time last year, when the Lions too had just one win after 11 rounds. They slipped to one win and 12 losses before breaking through for a victory.

History shows the Lions have progressed well since, and sit fifth 12 months on. I’m not saying Carlton is capable of doing the same but we quickly forget the labour pains once the baby has arrived.

Brisbane’s three and a half years prior to last year’s bye produced just 13 wins — three less than Carlton under Bolton in his three and half year tenure. They were major labour pains!

The Lions have well and truly come out the other side.

The only real decision the Carlton board had to ask itself was: Does sacking Brendon Bolton slow down or speed up that process?

Only time will tell.

My best guess is the decision was expedited by North Melbourne pulling the trigger on Scott. That gave the Roos the first-mover advantage in the marketplace looking for a new coach.

Could Carlton afford to wait until the end of the season before canvassing prospective coaches, at the risk of potentially losing the best candidate to the Kangaroos? The likelihood of Bolton coaching next year was reducing by the week and clearly the board decided it was time to join the new coach race.

What is intriguing in all this is the role of Stephen Silvagni as list manager. From the outside looking in, he appears to have been a key driver in the stripping bare of the list. He has brought in talent from other clubs to supplement the playing stocks and support the young talent taken at the draft.

Brendon Bolton and Carlton President Mark LoGiudice after the press conference announcing Bolton’s axing at Princes Park on Monday. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

Of the 24 players recruited to the club since 2015, just over half remain. Names like Bugg, Gorringe, Smedts, Mullet, Palmer, Kerridge, Shaw and O’Shea failed to make an impact, and only a handful of the 24 look likely to succeed.

Given his fingerprints are all over this rebuild, it is hard to see how Silvagni can avoid scrutiny at year’s end if the wins don’t start to appear.

Finally, the president Mark LoGiudice. He was present on the board when Brett Ratten was let go after making finals in three of his five seasons at the helm. He approved the appointment and then the mid-season dismissal of Mick Malthouse — only to repeat the scenario with Bolton three and a half years later.

It would not be unfair to question if he is still the right man to lead this club out of the mire.

Some Carlton members and fans may feel appeased with the club’s decision to remove the coach due to the side’s lack of performance.

But Carlton’s record of eight coaches in the past 19 years would suggest the Blues are no certainty to get it right the next time around.

Maybe the coach is not the only problem.