Carlton has plenty to work on after a poor finish to its pre-season campaign
Carlton fans went to the club’s final pre-season match wanting to see signs the rebuild was over. They left feeling mystified and bemused by what they had just witnessed. Just how concerned should the Blues be?
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The Carlton faithful lining Ikon Park’s Heroes Stand arrived Sunday night greedy for signs the Blues’ rebuild was finally complete.
Patrick Cripps as a Brownlow contender and Sam Walsh as the new Craig Bradley?
Been there, done that and yet still Carlton has looked an eternity away from finals.
On Sunday, as Carlton surged to an early four-goal lead over top-four contender Brisbane, their choice of football over the World Cup final looked a canny decision.
Here was No. 3 pick Paddy Dow gathering in front of them at warp speed and burning off Harris Andrews with the authority of his junior days to set up an Eddie Betts goal.
Then Jack Martin climbing for a high mark over Marcus Adams before wheeling to hit Levi Casboult lace-out on the lead.
Will Setterfield racking up a bunch of early quality touches and Sam Docherty playing with the efficiency and authority of his All Australian season.
Three quarters later those same fans left Ikon Park mystified and bemused by what they had just witnessed.
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That same outfit could manage only six goals after the 18-minute mark of the first term, conceding 16 of the last 22 goals in a disastrous warm-up for Round 1.
The eventual 45-point margin was full of worrying statistics like a 40-64 inside 50 discrepancy and 16 shots to the Lions’ 31.
Brisbane had a field day with its centre square clearances (17-10) and as a result Charlie Cameron put Carlton to the sword with five goals and 21 sublime possessions.
He handed off a sitter to Daniel McStay who fumbled in the goalsquare for the season’s worst miss so far and the Lions butchered a handful of easy chances.
It meant the margin could have been so much worse after a 47-point defeat against Fremantle in the first Marsh Series clash.
Dayne Zorko dispatched any concerns over hamstring issues with an assured display, with Lachie Neale’s 23 touches including 10 clearances.
By the time ex-Hawk Grant Birchall sauntered across 50m for his first Lions goal, the night was a full-blown disaster.
At least there was Eddie Betts, who again captivated the Blues faithful.
As if playing with a leg rope that kept him within 50m of goal, he kicked the game’s first goal from a Casboult gift, kicked a lovely snap from close range and set up a Michael Gibbons point range goal.
CENTRE SQUARE BLUES
Call it an aberration or a trend, but Carlton’s midfield quartet will be working on its centre square formation for the next 10 days.
By three quarter time they had given up seven shots directly from centre clearances, many of them directly in front of goals.
Charlie Cameron has had a tough week after his car was pinched, but he gave Lachie Plowman nightmares.
One dashing, jinking run electrified the crowd and if Chris Scott wasn’t a big fan last year, is he in the top five most watchable players in the comp?
IS MITCH READY FOR ROUND 1?
Mitch McGovern has been held back from matches for most of the pre-season and while he lasted nearly three quarters before being rested, he didn’t provide much bang for buck.
He hit the target with only one of his four possessions, kicking a behind and his one soaring mark was taken away when Michael Gibbons was paid a free kick.
Carlton would love to play him in Round 1 because they believe the forward line functions well when he is in it but there is no doubt he will be underdone if he runs out in the season opener.
BLUES DEFEND PRE-SEASON FORM
Carlton says its lead-in to the AFL season opener against Richmond is still on track despite a second-half capitulation against Brisbane that saw defenders Caleb Marchbank and Lachie Plowman suffering fresh injuries.
The Blues had moved the ball well in an Ikon Park hitout against Collingwood and saw Jack Martin, Will Setterfield and Jack Newnes in excellent form in the first half against the Lions.
Yet that momentum has quickly ebbed away.
Assistant coach Dale Amos said Marchbank had suffered a knock to his knee and said Plowman’s late ankle roll was relatively minor.
But he said the Blues had shown enough in their pre-season not to be dismayed by the nature of the Marsh Series losses.
“We felt like we played some really good footy in the first half and they were able to claw it back and in the last quarter they got away from us.
“We saw some really good signs but we needed to be a bit stronger in the contest later in the game and they got a hold of us because of it.
“Teaguey has talked about our ability to learn from games and that was a great chance to do it.
“We want to play well every week but it’s a balance of using it to learn and also having the desperation to want to win every time we go out there.
“It’s been a great pre-season, we feel like we have prepared well and are in good shape for Round 1. It was a great opportunity to learn where we are at.”
Amos said the Marchbank injury “didn’t look overly serious” despite him leaving the game in the third quarter.
He said Mitch McGovern had done a “power of work” and was ready for Round 1 despite his modest showing.
Richmond hasn’t lost to Carlton since 2013 and has defeated the Blues in every Round 1 contest since 2012 and on pre-season form it is hard to see that changing.
Carlton takes on Richmond in 10 days with Harry McKay no chance to take on the premiers given groin issues.
Sam Petrevski-Seton didn’t play despite being named as he returns from a quad injury.
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FAGAN BACKS BIRCHALL TO PLAY R1
Chris Fagan was thrilled his side had been able to bounce back from an early drubbing to regain the ascendancy.
He said Grant Birchall was on track for a Round 1 contest against his former side Hawthorn after building his form including a late long goal on the run.
“He has done pretty much the full pre-season and played in all the practice games which is more footy than he’s played in a fair while. He is in good shape coming into Round 1 and has learnt about our players and hopefully he finished the game with a bit of confidence.”
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Originally published as Carlton has plenty to work on after a poor finish to its pre-season campaign