AFL Deep Dive: Chris Cavanagh analyses what’s next for 0-3 Carlton as composure deserts the Blues in the finish again

Carlton’s inability to win close games in recent seasons is becoming a trend as Michael Voss was left to rue another blown final quarter lead. CHRIS CAVANAGH has the Deep Dive.

A little composure can go a long way, but Carlton cannot buy it.

It is a hard thing to train on the track during the week, but you would think the Blues would be better rehearsed than some sides in staying cool when it counts.

This is a side which has played no shortage of close games over the past two seasons, though it doesn’t seem that the lessons have been learnt.

The Blues have now lost 10 of their last 11 matches in games decided by 14 points or less, after giving up another healthy lead to suffer an eight-point loss to the Western Bulldogs on Friday night.

“I just felt like we lacked composure for different times through the game,” Carlton coach Michael Voss said.

“Right now, our best has been pretty good. But we just seem to be strained from us more than we would like and it’s giving little pockets of windows for an opposition to walk through.”

Fans are frustrated – and rightly so.

It has largely been a case of rinse and repeat for their side across the first three rounds – and for much of last season.

The Blues’ contest and clearance game is hard to fault and their defence conceded just four goals to the Bulldogs in the first half at Marvel Stadium.

But in second halves – and particularly final quarters – the fatigue is setting in and it rains poor decisions, sloppy contests and skill errors.

After leading by as much as 24 points early in the third quarter on Friday night, the Blues still enjoyed an eight-point advantage after Lewis Young kicked truly from a tight angle at the start of the final term.

Michael Voss has lamented the Blues’ lack of composure in their 0-3 start to the season. Picture: Michael Klein

But from that point on, the Bulldogs were the ones who brought more run, more pressure, won more critical contests and showed more composure.

Voss was left to lament his side giving away eight free kicks for the quarter, including two holding the ball decisions, two marking infringements, a high tackle, a push in the back and a clear ruck infringement.

Blake Acres also put a rushed kick inside-50 out of bounds on the full in the forward pocket.

Even when they were leading on the scoreboard, the Blues looked in a hurry going forward and struggled to find an uncontested mark which may have allowed them to take a breath and better set up the ground ahead of them.

As important as Young was throughout the night, he fluffed a kick directed towards Charlie Curnow inside-50 which went to the advantage of opponent Rory Lobb.

Tom De Koning was one of Carlton’s winners on another rough night for the Blues.

Lobb took the intercept mark 20m from Carlton’s goal and seconds later the ball was in the hands of Sam Darcy who slotted the goal at the other end and put the Bulldogs in front for the first time in the game.

Veteran recruit Nick Haynes also had two kicks he would like to take back, which led to two other Bulldogs goals in the final five minutes.

After winning a big one-on-one contest against Aaron Naughton, Haynes kicked the ball down the line seemingly aiming for Patrick Cripps.

The ball well fell short of Cripps, who gave away a free kick in a tackle from behind on Bailey Williams after the Bulldog gathered the loose ball in front of him.

Williams played on with a handball to Sam Davidson, who kicked inside 50 where Naughton marked and put his side back in front with a tick over four minutes to play.

The pressure is ramping up on Michael Voss. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

After another intercept mark moments later, Haynes attempted a 20m chip pass to Ollie Hollands which was cut off and ended up in James O’Donnell’s match-sealing major.

The turnovers were certainly a key factor, but so was the Bulldogs’ run – and the Blues’ lack of it late.

Voss had backed his side’s ability to run out games after their round 2 loss to Hawthorn, but even he is having a rethink now.

Carlton has been outscored 67-156 across three second halves this season and has kicked a combined three goals from three final quarters.

LEFT TO TOO FEW, AGAIN

Patrick Cripps was limping around in the last quarter after copping a heavy knock to his hip during the third term.

Yet, the skipper still had seven touches for the term – a lot more than many of his teammates.

There were 10 Blues who recorded three or fewer touches for the term, including Jesse Motlop who didn’t trouble the statisticians at all.

It has been a familiar story that the Blues have been too heavily reliant on too few - and Voss knows it.

“It takes a squad and it takes a team to be able to get the job done and we need to do it more often,” he said.

“We’re falling short right now.”

The small forward group is still an issue, with Motlop (nine disposals, one goal), Francis Evans (seven disposals) and Lachie Fogarty (11 disposals) having minimal impact on the game.

Matthew Owies was the pick of the smalls with 33 goals last year, but he is now wearing West Coast colours.

Jack Silvagni laments the Blues loss.

JACK STEPPING UP

Jack Silvagni looks to have found his calling as a defender, after impressing in his battle with Aaron Naughton.

While the Bulldog has been down on form the past two weeks, Silvagni was super for most of the night.

Champion Data statistics showed that Silvagni spent 74 minutes opposed to Naughton.

Silvagni recorded 14 disposals during that time, while Naughton had two touches and was held goal-less.

Naughton kicked his only goal of the game while opposed to Nick Haynes during the last quarter.

Silvagni had played forward against the Hawks in round 2 and kicked 1.3 from 10 disposals, helping to provide another target in the absence of Harry McKay.

But he spent the summer training in defence and looks at home at that end of the ground.

‘RUNWAY’ RUNNING OUT

As Michael Voss rightly points out, it is round 3 in a long season.

“There’s plenty of runway,” Voss said.

However, a season which started with much promise can quickly slip away.

The Blues are now 0-3 in 2025, on the back of a 2-7 finish to 2024.

They had made a 4-0 start to 2024, but face a 0-4 start to 2025 if they cannot overcome arch-rival Collingwood at the MCG next Thursday night.

While a Gather Round clash against West Coast comes after that, it is getting dire for a side which simply hasn’t been able to get it done for the past nine months.

The Blues haven’t started a season 0-4 since 2019.

Brendon Bolton was still coaching that year and his side finished 16th with seven wins.

How are those green shoots going?

Can Voss turn it around, or is one preliminary final appearance in 2023 as far as this group is going to go?

It is a big watch as the pressure rises.