Carlton Blues launch external review after West Coast Eagles loss
Languishing in the bottom half of the AFL ladder at the season’s halfway point, the beleaguered Carlton Blues are taking action.
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The Carlton Blues have launched an external review into their football department after slumping to another defeat over the weekend.
Sunday’s 22-point loss to the depleted West Coast Eagles all but dashed Carlton’s top eight hopes, meaning the side will likely sit out finals for an eighth consecutive year.
News Corp reported on Monday that the review, which was scheduled for the end of the year but has been brought forward, could determine the future of senior coach David Teague.
“This is an old-fashioned, full on review,” The Herald Sun’s Mark Robinson said on Monday’s episode of AFL 360.
“This review is not about the administration, this review is only the football department and it will take in performance, coaching, development, list management, recruiting and fitness.
“Carlton tell me they’re not in crisis, I wrote this morning they’re approaching crisis.
“This is significant.”
Robinson rejected suggestion that Teague, who has coached 40 games during his tenure, should shoulder all the blame for the club’s lukewarm season thus far.
“There’s got to come a time when these players have got to put their hand up,” he said.
“There is something culturally, environmentally wrong at Carlton for this to go on for as long as it’s going on.
“The club tells me this review will absolutely end up with some discovery … they assured me this is not a review of the senior coach.
“They’re not talking about sacking David Teague, not right now.
“(But) there will be carnage if they go 4-8 coming home.”
Co-host Gerard Whateley added: “Whether they’re in crisis or not is semantic, this is a crisis manoeuvre.”
On The Couch host Gerard Healy also weighed in on Carlton’s dire start to the season and what needs to be done. “There’s a bomb about to go off and it’s only a question of how explosive it is,” he told Fox Footy.
Carlton fans came into the season with high hopes. Having come closer to a finals berth last season than in any of the six years prior, and with big name recruits Adam Saad and Zac Williams heading to Ikon Park for 2021, the Blues were well and truly in top eight conversations ahead of round one.
But as the season passes its halfway point, the ‘Baggers are once again facing scrutiny from all angles for failing to match it with the big boys despite the panoply of young talent on their books.
The Blues have managed just four wins from their first 12 games of the season and have lost all seven of their clashes with top eight sides.
After the bye in round 13, the Blues will look to re-enter the winner’s circle when they face the Giants on the road.
Originally published as Carlton Blues launch external review after West Coast Eagles loss
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