TIME TO SHRUG OFF THE BLUES

ASHLEY BROWNE

We might have gone the early call on Carlton. Following their 108-point thrashing of West Coast in round eight, we opined last week that the “easy kill” of the Eagles might be the start of the Blues’ push into late September.

Then came last Friday night on their home deck in front of 45,000 expectant fans at Marvel Stadium.

After an even first quarter against the Brisbane Lions, Carlton kicked 1.4 in the middle two quarters en route to a 26-point defeat.

Blues fans began streaming towards the exits before the final quarter had even started.

Carlton remains in the eight, albeit just.

And it has endured a week in which its midfield has been slammed for its lack of speed and a game-plan that is below-par.

Former Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley said of the Blues on SEN 1116 this week: “The picture is that Carlton’s game is taken away from them too easily by the opposition and Carlton don’t spend enough time taking the opposition’s game away from them.

EDITOR’S LETTER MICHAEL LOVETT

u It feels like the AFL has had a fairly good past few weeks with some massive announcements about the future direction of the game and a strong stance on racist behaviour.

The appointment of Andrew Dillon as the AFL’s new chief executive was followed just a few days later with the rubber stamping of a team from Tasmania to join the competition in 2028.

“They think they’re going to win it on talent, they think they’re going to win it on ability, and they’ve got every right to given what they’ve got at their disposal and they are handling some loss of personnel at the moment, but they don’t work hard enough at taking the opposition’s game away.”

It is a damning assessment, but also a widely-shared view of a club that has been rebuilding, telling us seemingly forever that they’re coming and that we know what they’re cooking.

Talkback radio exploded over the weekend with Carlton fans venting their frustration and their mood was not helped with midfielder Adam Cerra’s puzzling admission this week that “I don’t see it as a failure,” when asked what another year out of the finals would mean for the Blues, who have not figured in September since 2013.

Dillon was the right man for the top job and by the time he takes over in October he will have plenty on his plate.

The momentum of the Tasmanian announcement will continue to roll on and as senior writer ASHLEY BROWNE opines this week, the AFL –and Tasmania – will need to heed lessons from previous expansion teams.

Of course, it will be nothing like the near-comical situation of the Brisbane Bears back in 1986 who were given a bunch of cast-offs to start their journey in the big time.

Racism is an issue that won’t go away and more needs to be done – not just in an AFL sense but across the wider football and sporting community.

It means no club is under more pressure this weekend than the Blues as they return to Marvel Stadium on Saturday night to face the Western Bulldogs.

The Dogs are the opposite of Carlton.

They started the season slowly, but have won five of their past six games. They are settled at both ends of the ground and Marcus Bontempelli is in career-best form.

The Blues are built to play finals in 2023 and Saturday night will be the acid test.

Lose again and the doubts will become very real and the commentary even louder.

The round starts on Friday night and features a double-header because of Mother’s Day.

It starts with Richmond and Geelong at the MCG.

And because we were sucked in by the Blues after their mauling of the Eagles, we’re not yet ready to claim that the Tigers have turned the corner after beating West Coast by 46 points at the MCG last week.

We applaud the League’s decision to hand lifetime bans to nine fans who have been called out either by fellow spectators, police or security in 2023.

It is clear the AFL wants to educate these people and perhaps give them a second chance – but only if they reflect on their actions and change their racist views.

There were some encouraging signs, especially the form of recruit Tim Taranto and bellwether midfielder Dion Prestia, but Friday night will be instructive.

If the Tigers are still capable of a finals run – and coach Damien Hardwick is insistent that they are – they’ll find a way to overcome Geelong, which has looked great with five straight wins after a 0-3 start to the season.

Patrick Dangerfield has been in wonderful form for the Cats, but will miss with a hamstring injury, as will Brad Close through suspension, but this game will come down to how the undermanned Tiger defence can handle the Jeremy Cameron-Tom Hawkins partnership.

There is a clear bottom three in the AFL – Hawthorn, North Melbourne and the Eagles – so it is hard to judge what winning form against them means.

Fremantle kicked 18.9. (117) last Saturday night – its highest score since 2019. But it came against the hapless Hawks at home, so the jury is still out as to whether the Dockers have turned the corner.

They travel to the SCG to meet Sydney, which has lost its past three and seems to be in freefall.

The trend for badly-beaten grand finalists to struggle the following season seems to have afflicted the Swans as well.

Essendon’s bright start to the season has faded with three successive defeats – but the Bombers have lost few admirers in