Battling Blues still chasing answers to familiar woes

Carlton coach Michael Voss has urged his players to stand up and fight in a bid to salvage their AFL season after yet another meek second-half surrender.

The Blues led by 18 points in the second quarter against St Kilda on Saturday night but gave up eight goals to one in a horror third term.

The eventual 16.12 (108) to 9.15 (69) defeat put Carlton in a 1-7 hole ahead of a clash with reigning premiers Brisbane at the Gabba on Friday night.

“It’s been a familiar pattern,” Voss said of his side’s repeated fade-outs.

“Centre square bounce, four or five free kicks against us … and then the ability to be able to just continue to defend when we’re up against it isn’t at the level that it needs to be at.

“It puts you under an enormous amount of pressure and they’re kicking goals when they like and we’re getting these huge runs against us.

“Defensively, we’re not strong enough for long enough over the course of a game and it’s holding us back.”

Carlton laid just six tackles in their woeful third term and got smashed by St Kilda in the midfield, leading Voss to question his players’ attitude and work rate.

“We put ourselves in position to win the game, so that message seems to be working pretty well, but our ability to be able to do it for a longer period of time is not at the level it needs to be at,” Voss said.

“When the game is against you, you need to defend and you need to fight – and we are not doing it well enough.”

Carlton have now lost six consecutive games in their worst start to a season since a 1-10 opening to the 2019 campaign, which cost Brendon Bolton his job as coach.

Voss said vice-captain Jacob Weitering should be fit to take on Brisbane despite a cork, but fellow key defender Harry Dean faces scans to determine the extent of his groin injury.

Out-of-favour midfielder George Hewett will be considered to bolster an on-ball division that lowered its colours against St Kilda.

In yesterday’s other matches, Geelong beat North Melbourne 135-86, Richmond downed the West Coast Eagles 99-88, and the Brisbane Lions thumped Essendon 143-79.

A furious Chris Fagan has slammed the “hero” actions of a parent who leaked confidential Brisbane Lions notes on Essendon players.

Private information out of the club was posted online ahead of the Lions’ 64-point mauling of the Bombers on Saturday.

Photos that listed the strengths and weaknesses of Essendon’s players were shared in a Bomber supporter group on Facebook.

Former Essendon captain Zach Merrett was described as “selfish”, while maligned defender Ben McKay had “low confidence” written about him.

“Somebody illegally took photos of information that was on a whiteboard and then decided to make a hero of themselves and put it out in the public domain,” Fagan said.

“I reckon it’s a little unfair when it’s your workplace and it’s what you do every day … we’ve been doing it for nine years … writing the strengths and vulnerabilities of opposition players up on a whiteboard.

“That man was there with his children, using our facility, and he decides to do that because he’s an Essendon supporter and be a hero.

“I think that’s really disappointing.”

Former Lions defender Jaxon Prior’s only strength was listed as ‘Bronte’, the name of his long-term partner.

“I spoke to Jaxon out on the field after the game, as did a lot of our players, and had a bit of a laugh and a joke together,” Fagan said.

He admitted the incident made him think twice about allowing external people to access facilities at the club at their Brighton Homes Arena headquarters.

The dual premiership coach said he learned the exercise of listing the opposition’s strengths and weaknesses from former Wallabies mentor Eddie Jones.

“We go out of our way to bring the community into our football club and use our facilities,” Fagan said.

“For someone to do that, it’s really disappointing, and it makes you feel like not bringing the community in and just keeping it exclusive as an elite performance centre.

“But we’ll keep bringing the community in, because we’re a good footy club, and that’s how we go about things.”

The usually reserved Brisbane star defender Harris Andrews was also furious about the incident when speaking after Saturday’s win.

Essendon coach Brad Scott was unfazed by the incident, saying it was an issue for the Lions to deal with.

“Brisbane have done that (listing strengths and weaknesses) for years, so that’s nothing new,” Scott said.

“I wouldn’t want that coming out of our building.”