Carlton great Wayne Johnston warns Patrick Cripps at risk of burnout

CARLTON great Wayne Johnston says he fears Patrick Cripps will burn out carrying the competition’s poorest team, adding his voice to calls for the Blues to get some bigger bodies around him.

Patrick Cripps needs more help in midfield, says Blues great Wayne Johnston. Picture: AAP

CARLTON great Wayne “The Dominator” Johnston says he fears rising Blues superstar Patrick Cripps will burn out carrying the competition’s poorest team.

Johnston, inducted into the AFL Hall of Fame this year, said he was “absolutely” worried about the 23-year-old’s massive workload.

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“He’s a man-mountain I know, but he’s done so much hard work and so much good stuff, but how long is he going to last?” Johnston said.

“How long are you going to last playing that footy? He’s Robinson Crusoe, that’s what I’m saying.

“I mean he takes it upon himself to do it, which is so admirable it’s not funny.

“He’s getting bashed up every week, even though he’s big and strong, it’s not the point.”

Cripps — a 195cm, 93kg midfield bull — has played 91 per cent midfield and just 9 per cent forward across the club’s disastrous 1-15 season.

He’s been hard-tagged in seven matches and has played the most midfield minutes (1761) of any AFL player this year.

Former coaches David Parkin and Rodney Eade have also warned the Blues will cut short the career of Cripps if they don’t place some bigger bodies around him.

Asked what he would do to lessen Cripps’ load, Johnston said: “It’s not so much the solution about him, it’s about getting him some help.

“He’s going to play that game no matter what.”

Patrick Cripps under pressure against St Kilda last week. Picture: Michael Klein

Johnston said Collingwood was able to run a gun like Scott Pendlebury against Cripps in Round 14 because they had the “midfield balance” to do so.

“We need some decent bodies,” the four-time Carlton premiership champ said.

The trading of Bryce Gibbs to Adelaide and injuries to Sam Docherty, Marc Murphy and Matthew Kreuzer had cruelled Brendon Bolton’s third year in charge, Johnston said.

“It makes it hard,” he said.

“It’s a tough comp to do it in (rebuild) because the talent pool is not that good.

“I know they talk about superdrafts and all that but 18-year-olds don’t … it’s hard for them in this sort of game and the format that they play. They just get bullied around unless you can isolate them.

“They just play in a cluster of stoppages and big bodies and so you can’t put a kid in there.”

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Bolton fended off suggestions Cripps needed to be rested for his own good after last week’s 64-point hammering against St Kilda.

“He is a warrior,” Bolton said.

“It would be really difficult walking up to Patrick Cripps and saying ‘have a rest’. He is going to shake his head and laugh and say ‘No way, Bolts’.

“We are managing him from game to game very, very well.”

Cripps is expected to sign a new two-year deal before the end of the season, rebuffing interest from his home state of Western Australia.

The delay in putting pen to paper is not seen as cause for concern given his love for the club.

COOKED TO A CRIPPS

Patrick Cripps in 2018

90% game time

91% midfield

9% forward

1761 minutes played — most of any AFL midfielder

Carlton contested possessions

Patrick Cripps 286

Ed Curnow 161

Zac Fisher 129

Source: CHAMPION DATA

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