Fans restless as Carlton’s rebuild shows signs of faltering

AFL rebuilds aren’t completed in a year but patience is quickly wearing thin among the long-suffering Carlton faithful as their once-great club continues to falter following an embarrassing loss to Fremantle.

Jacob Weitering is wrapped up in a tackle by Bailey Banfield. Picture: Michael Klein

JUST like Rome wasn’t built in a day, AFL rebuilds aren’t completed in a year.

But patience is quickly wearing thin among the long-suffering Carlton faithful as their once-great club continues to falter.

The “green shoots” Carlton coach Brendon Bolton has been spruiking are in desperate need of a good water.

A side that showed so much promise this time last year now looks like it has gone back to square one.

Carlton had five wins on the board after 12 games last season.

In 22 games since, the Blues have sung the team song only twice.

The club’s first half against Fremantle at Etihad Stadium on Saturday was as bad a half as you will see from a side this year — and the Dockers on the road have been a long way off world-beaters.

Coming off a bye the previous week, Carlton looked to still be in holiday mode.

Nat Fyfe gets the upper hand on Patrick Cripps. Picture: Michael Klein

There was no intensity, no pressure, no run and some horrid decision making and skill errors.

Put simply, Fremantle looked like it was taking part in a training drill as it dominated through the midfield and had no shortage of options going forward.

So at sea were the Carlton defenders, the Dockers had logged 10 marks inside 50 by the 10-minute mark of the second term, having averaged that many per game this year.

The game was all but over at quarter-time with the Dockers booting the opening six goals of the game with ease.

By halftime that margin had blown out to 70 points and Carlton players were booed as they walked from the ground, heads tilted down.

The Blues rallied to win the second half by 13 points — after kicking their first goal three minutes into the third term — the visitors taking the foot off the pedal.

But by then many of the 21,430 crowd had already departed in search of better things to do with their Saturday afternoon.

Despondent Carlton players after their big loss to Fremantle. Picture: Michael Klein

It was hard to find positives and even harder to find excuses for Carlton.

Fremantle went into the game with a less experienced side, fielding eight players with 25 or less AFL games to their name as opposed to Carlton’s three.

On average the Blues were also 91 days older and the Dockers had lost all five of their games interstate going into the clash by an average of 56 points.

As acting captain, Patrick Cripps again led the way for Carlton with 38 disposals and six clearances while Kade Simpson had a solid second half and Charlie Curnow had his moments.

But there are too few strong leaders and X-factor players that can change the course of a game.

The road does not get any easier for Carlton, which meets an in-form Collingwood next week followed by Port Adelaide.

If the second half of the season does not deliver a significant number of wins, Blues fans at least need to see those green shoots grow — and quickly — to avoid 2018 being yet another wasted year.

CARLTON 0.4 0.7 3.7 6.10 (46)

FREMANTLE 6.3 12.5 14.10 15.13 (103)

GOALS

Blues: Kreuzer 2, Wright 2, Kerridge, Casboult

Dockers: Neale 3, Fyfe 2, Tucker, Ballantyne, Apeness, Banfield, Cox, Ryan, Sheridan, Matera, Brayshaw, Mundy

BEST

Blues: Cripps, Simpson, Kreuzer, E.Curnow

Dockers: Neale, Fyfe, Blakely, Mundy, Langdon, Apeness

INJURIES

Blues: Nil

Dockers: Matera (knee)

Reports: Nil

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