Carlton players watch last four minutes of heartbreaking Gold Coast loss in effort to avoid same mistakes

Carlton coach Brendon Bolton has revealed details of how his players collectively dissected the last four minutes of last Sunday’s heartbreaking two-point loss to Gold Coast.

A shattered Dale Thomas comes to terms with Carlton’s loss to Gold Coast last weekend. Picture: AAP Image/Dave Hunt.

Carlton coach Brendon Bolton has revealed details of how his players collectively dissected the last four minutes of last Sunday’s heartbreaking two-point loss to Gold Coast in an effort to ensure it doesn’t happen again.

Speaking ahead of Sunday’s clash with the Western Bulldogs, Bolton conceded the last-gasp loss hurt him personally.

But he says he and the players have been working exceptionally hard this week to bring about the club’s first win of the season against the Bulldogs.

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Gold Coast Jack Bowes kicked the matchwinning goal with only 10 seconds left on the clock, after the Blues had led throughout most of the game.

“We are right in games, no doubt about it, there are just key moments in games that are getting us,” Bolton said.

“The players actually sat together and watched the last four minutes.

“There was a lot of ownership around that, and conversations of what we can do differently, and better.”

Asked about the specifics of the players’ gathering to watch the vision, he said there were a number of learnings to come out of the experience.

A shattered Dale Thomas comes to terms with Carlton’s loss to Gold Coast last weekend. Picture: AAP Image/Dave Hunt.

“There were missed opportunities where we went forward and had a chance to score,” he said. “There were a couple of little structural positions where we didn’t get enough corridor feel, and there was that last play where the ball slipped out and they kicked a keen goal.

“We never had someone on the line. It has been analysed to death, but you can’t blame the loss on the last four minutes.

“We had multiple opportunities to finish on the scoreboard and didn’t.”

Bolton wasn’t concerned about the external pressure being applied to him as coach, but said the manner of last week’s loss was a difficult one to swallow.

“The tight margin, the last 10 seconds adds some hard emotion,” he said. “I am human. I can’t hide away from that fact because you thought you got it (the game) until the last 10 seconds. There is a human element there, but the way in which I deal with losses, they are very similar.”

He said the club was pleased to welcome back heart-and-soul ruckman Matthew Kreuzer for his first game this season, while Jack Silvagni gets his chance again.

Originally published as Carlton players watch last four minutes of heartbreaking Gold Coast loss in effort to avoid same mistakes